20-Year-Endangered Antelope Remains Among Disturbing Finds in California Wildlife Trafficking Case
During a statewide investigation, California police recently uncovered a package from Thailand. When they unwrapped the package, it revealed four trunks of Asian elephants, who are protected under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). In another package were pieces of saiga antelopes, which have been classified as critically endangered for over 20 years. In partnership with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW), they pulled the thread and unleashed a whole stock brimming with hundreds of illegal products.
Ivory pieces from elephants, turtle shells, suspected bear gall bladders, walrus tusks, and more—laid out on a glossy green tablecloth, these items look like the galore of a prehistoric jewelry store, but in actuality, they have been extracted illegally from petrified animals.
Most of the trafficked goods were discovered in Fresno and Madera counties. Once the shipment from Thailand was intercepted by the police, they ripped off its false label. They launched an investigation in a nearby commercial facility and unleashed an underground market where goods like these were being sold. Nathan Smith from CDFW confirmed to SFGate that 40 officers served three warrants, and investigators are now charging seven suspects for illegal and unfair business practices. Meanwhile, the police are conducting an in-depth forensic analysis of the items found.
“Our officers are experts in this field, so they’ve identified many of these items visually,” Smith explained, adding that further laboratory analysis is required to confirm the animal species for many of the seized items, including powdered elephant material. Elsewhere, officers in Madera County disrupted an illegal rooster fighting ring as well as illegal firearms trading. California will not be a part of it, Governor Gavin Newsom asserted in a press report. All the charges are filed under the Fresno and Madera County district offices. These efforts, the governor’s office said, are part of the state’s ongoing work and commitment to protect the biodiversity both globally and in California.
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the government’s Assembly Bill 96, which imposed a ban on the sale of ivory in California. Additional protection came with the passing of Assembly Bill 1319, which enabled state officers to enforce violations of federal wildlife protections in collaboration with law enforcement and federal agencies.
Crawford Allan, the vice president of Wildlife Crime and Policy, Wildlife Conservation department at the World Wildlife Fund, shared with FOX affiliate KMPH that the trading is still happening across the state because many humans consider these items “high fashion” or liken them to status symbols, unbeknownst of the harm they are wreaking upon the innocent animals and upon the whole of nature. “Illicit trafficking is not acceptable in any form, including wildlife trafficking,” Newsom proclaimed. He added that this kind of illegal trade encourages poaching and threatens global biodiversity. “We are using every tool at our disposal to catch and shut down these trafficking rings,” he confirmed.
If you are a member of the public and suspect any gang or individual involved in wildlife trafficking or poaching activities, you can call (888) 334-CALTIP (2258) or submit anonymous tips via text to TIP411 (847411). Ultimately, the objective is to disintegrate and plug off all the conduits that enable this smuggling. Putting it in simple words for the masses, Smith said, “If you see ivory being sold, it is illegal. You don’t have to try to identify what year it came from.”
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