Aussie woman fined $20,000 for illegal wildlife trade
A woman in Queensland has been slapped with a $20,000 fine for illegal wildlife trade.
After a tip-off from a member of the public, officers with Queensland's Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) attended a residence in Nambour in January, where they found and seized 18 reptile eggs and 26 reptiles — many of which were found to be in poor health.
DETSI officers said the discovery highlights a more pressing issue, which is the "increasing trend in people seeking to profit from high prices" that "our unique wildlife" fetch on domestic and international markets.
The woman was found in possession of a northern blue-tongue lizard, a Woma python, carpet python, shingleback lizard, inland bearded dragon, children’s python, broad-shelled turtle and Centralian carpet python, among others.
Senior Wildlife Officer Jonathan McDonald condemned the woman's behaviour, as she didn't provide adequate care for the snakes and reptiles to stay healthy in captivity.
"Sadly, several of the reptiles were in poor condition and needed to be humanely euthanised," McDonald said.
"The surviving reptiles can never be released to the wild as they may have been exposed to disease while they were in captivity."
An independent veterinary exam of the reptiles seized revealed medical conditions like necrosis, dehydration, neurological defects and general poor health.
The woman admitted to knowingly keeping the animals without valid licences, purchasing them from unlicensed sellers and operating a reptile business.
She also could not provide mandatory records of sale for 13 of her purchased animals.
Globally illegal wildlife trafficking is estimated to be worth $27 billion a year, ranking fourth in the world's illegal trades after drugs, counterfeit products, and human trafficking.
Images: DETSI