Mexican federal environmental authorities have seized 95 wild animals that were being smuggled aboard a passenger bus traveling along Federal Highway 45, the route connecting Ciudad Juárez with the city of Chihuahua, near the U.S. border.
The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) said the operation began after an anonymous tip came in through Mexico’s 911 emergency line, warning that protected species were being transported on the bus. National Guard officers stopped the vehicle at a highway checkpoint near Samalayuca, a desert area south of Ciudad Juárez.
Inspectors found 75 red-kneed tarantulas (Brachypelma emilia), a species prized in the exotic pet trade, stuffed into bags inside plastic boxes. They also discovered 20 Mexican mud turtles (Kinosternon integrum) crammed into plastic crates. Both species are native to Mexico and protected under national wildlife laws, which restrict their capture, sale and transport.
Profepa reported that several of the animals were found in poor physical condition, likely from the stress of confinement and improper handling during transit. Wildlife trafficking remains a persistent problem in Mexico, where reptiles, arachnids and other native species are often captured illegally and shipped to collectors both domestically and abroad.
Authorities have not yet released details about potential suspects or charges. For more details, read the full story at the original source.
Source: <![CDATA[Transportaban 95 ejemplares de fauna protegida en un autobús; los aseguran en Chihuahua]]> (RSS::excelsior.com.mx – Portada).
Image: Queensland State Archives, PDM 1.0 (via Openverse).