A report from officials at the wildlife inspection point at Suvarnabhumi Airport has raised concerns about illicit live wildlife trafficking. This followed the discovery of live animals on a Vietjet flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Taipei, Taiwan.
Preliminary investigations by airline officials in collaboration with related authorities revealed concealed transportation of wildlife species including 20 Burmese star tortoises, 2 otter cubs, 2 squirrel monkeys, and a Prairie dog. These animals were all discretely packed in a carry-on bag on board, with no passenger claiming ownership.
Attapol Charoenchansa, the Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and acting Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, noted the urgency of the situation.
He has directed the wildlife inspection officials to coordinate with Vietjet Air for more details on flight passengers who carried the suspicious bags and liaise with Suvarnabhumi Airport authorities to review CCTV footage to identify the culprits. The poaching of wildlife from their natural habitats can have dire implications for the survival of wild populations. (NNT)
