A Brazilian woman was arrested at an airport in Colombia for allegedly trying to smuggle 130 endangered poisonous frogs in her luggage.
The passenger was caught with the amphibian contraband at Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport on Monday while he was en route to São Paulo, Brazil, via Panama, officials said.
Harlequin frogs, also known as poison dart frogs, were stuffed inside film tubes and were described by Colombian officials as dehydrated and depressed.
The suspected smuggler, who has not been identified, claimed that he had been gifted the frog by a community member in Southern Colombia.
Police said the brightly colored frogs, which are smaller than a human thumb, can fetch up to $1,000 each on the black market, making the Brazilian suspect’s haul worth about $130,000.
A Brazilian woman was detained at the airport in Bogota with 130 poisonous frogs in her luggage. Secretary of the Environment Bogota/AFP via Getty Images The small amphibian was found stuffed inside a tube of film. Bogota Environment Secretary/AFP via Getty Images The suspected smuggler claims the frog was given to him by a community member in Southern Colombia. Secretary of the Environment Bogota/AFP via Getty Images
The skin glands of poison dart frogs produce a highly toxic secretion that can kill their natural predators, including birds and small animals.
The name of the species comes from the practice of the Choco people of western Colombia to dip the tip of their hunting darts in the skin discharge produced by the golden poison frog, which is considered one of the most poisonous animals on the planet, according to the San Diego Zoo website. .
A single golden poison frog can deliver enough nerve toxin for 30 to 50 darts — and the venom remains active for up to a year.
The brightly colored frogs are critically endangered and can fetch $1,000 apiece on the black market. Secretary of the Environment Bogota/AFP via Getty Images The frogs are pictured dehydrated and stressed after their journey to the airport. via REUTERS
Poison dart frogs are found in the humid rainforests of Central and South America.
They are considered critically endangered.
Bogotá Police Commander Juan Carlos Arevalo said the species is highly sought after by private collectors of exotic animals.
The Brazilian national has been charged with wildlife smuggling.
He could be fined up to $14,300 for possessing the frog, said Bogotá’s Environment Secretary, Adriana Soto.
Trafficking in animals and animal parts is rampant in Colombia — one of the most biodiverse countries in the world — especially amphibians and small mammals.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
