The recent seizure in Thailand of 48 lemurs and more than 1,200 critically endangered tortoises endemic to Madagascar underscores the global scale of wildlife trafficking networks that use Thailand as a transshipment hub.
In May, authorities in southern Thailand arrested six people for illegally transporting 48 lemurs and more than 1,200 critically endangered tortoises, all of which had reportedly been obtained from the wild in Madagascar.in the country in recent months, for instance.
“We commend the unwavering dedication and collaborative spirit demonstrated by all involved in dismantling this illegal pet trade network,” Olivia Swaak-Goldman, executive director of the Wildlife Justice Commission, said in a statement following the bust. The seizure in Thailand “sends a clear message that wildlife trafficking will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will be brought to justice,” she added.
“Small baseball-sized tortoises are preferred by traffickers because they are easier to conceal and pack in suitcases or boxes; this size class of radiated has largely disappeared from the landscape,” Hudson told Mongabay, adding that he fears the same fate awaits spider tortoises. “We know of sites that were abundant with spider tortoises 20 years ago are now devoid of tortoises; this can happen rapidly.
“There are still gaps in coastal surveillance. Improvements are necessary in the control system of our 5,000 kilometers of coastline,” he said. In addition to a lack of resources for law enforcement, sources told Mongabay that systemic corruption at multiple levels in Madagascar’s public service and judicial system can hamper efforts to control trade.
“The Bangkok tortoises are especially problematic in terms of repatriation because they have left Madagascar and been moved through Indonesia and then co-mingled with other tortoises, exposing them to potential pathogens,” said Hudson of the Turtle Survival Alliance, which is the main organization operating in Madagascar with the capacity to care for confiscated tortoises and prepare them for release back into the wild.