The National Parks Board (NParks) of Singapore discovered several endangered species on a raid in October, according to The Straits Times.
What’s happening?
On Oct. 9 of this year, NParks raided six different locations in Singapore, seizing 16 wildlife specimens. Among them were a leopard tortoise, a spiny-tailed monitor lizard, and yellow-headed day geckos, all of which are endangered.
The animals are being cared for at NParks’ Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation, which was opened in 2022, the Times reported.
NParks has been tracking wildlife trafficking rings for years. Officials believe that sales were made online, primarily through Telegram.
Why is it important to stop wildlife trafficking?
The animals transported alive are kept in terrible conditions, often packed tightly to avoid suspicion when traveling. For example, Indian authorities recovered malnourished rare birds kept in cramped cages in a recent trafficking bust. Not only does this harm the (often endangered) animals in the short term, but smuggling wildlife across borders can have broader environmental consequences.
Found in NParks’ latest raid was an Argentine black-and-white tegu. These lizards are not endangered — far from it. In fact, these South American reptiles are invasive to Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The FWC reported that the tegu has been spotted eating American alligator eggs and gopher tortoise hatchlings.
Invasive species like the tegu put a strain on local ecosystems, competing with native species for resources. Wildlife trafficking only furthers the spread of such species, throwing ecosystems around the world out of balance.
Once they’re established, they’re hard to drive out. The tegu was recently spotted in California state parks.
What’s being done about it?
The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation specifically cares for distressed animals, including those that were trafficked. Since inadequate care pushes many trafficked animals back on the black market or worse, this specialized facility may give the seized wildlife a better future.
If you’d like to help on an individual level, consider a native plant lawn. Native plants, along with being cheaper to maintain than monoculture lawns, benefit pollinators and local wildlife, giving them a much-needed edge against invasives.
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