Thailand will send nearly 1,000 endangered turtles and lemurs to Madagascar, marking a historic victory against the trafficking of species. The first group will arrive next week.
According to Thai authorities, this is the largest repatriation ever carried out between both countries.
Thai police rescued 1,117 animals, of which eight had died, during an operation against species trafficking conducted in May in the southern province of Chumphon.
Among the recovered animals are spider tortoises, radiated tortoises, ring-tailed lemurs, and brown lemurs, all considered among the most endangered in the world according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
These species are highly sought after in Asia as exotic pets, although replicating their natural habitat is extremely difficult, often putting their lives in danger.
Some of the animals seized in May have died since then due to their poor health condition, caused by lack of food and water when they were smuggled into Thailand. Others failed to adapt to the new environment.
Thai authorities held an official ceremony in Bangkok on Wednesday to hand over the animals to Malagasy officials.
A total of 961 live animals will be returned on three flights operated by Qatar Airways starting on Saturday.
Dr. Chalermchai Sri-on, Thai Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that the repatriation demonstrates Thailand’s commitment to combating illegal wildlife trafficking, as well as prioritizing the well-being of seized species.
Attapol Charoenchansa, director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, said he hoped the operations would have a deterrent effect.
“By carrying out operations like this and spreading them worldwide, it demonstrates that arrests and exchanges are taking place, making people worldwide aware that owning these animals is not right,” he stated.
“Some may think that, if they have money, they can buy and collect them, but that’s not the case”.
Ring-tailed lemurs chewing their food
The conservation group Traffic, based in the UK, stated in a release that the repatriation was “a true testament to the power of international collaboration to address the crisis of wildlife trafficking”.
Illegal trafficking of timber and wildlife has been identified as the second biggest threat to Madagascar’s rich biodiversity, according to the group in a 2023 report.
Thailand is the largest importer of wildlife from Madagascar in Southeast Asia, a region that plays “a vital role” in the trade and re-export of some of the most endangered species from Madagascar, according to the report.
Between 1975 and 2019, Thailand directly and indirectly exported nearly 35,000 animals or their products from Madagascar, according to the report.
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