Coordination With US, Colombia Saves Over 1,000 Ocelots To Snakes In Anti-Smuggling Operation

Ilustrasi ocelot. (Wikimedia Commons/Tom Smylie)

JAKARTA - The trade in rare and protected wild animals is one of the problems that many countries continue to fight. Its high price on the black market, made possible by demand from various parts of the world.

Colombia, as one of the countries that has a wealth of wildlife and exotic, continues to struggle to tackle the smuggling and illicit trade of protected wild animals.

Most recently, Colombia's national police rescued more than 1,000 ocelots, snakes, birds and other animals worth more than $1 million on the black market, authorities said Monday.

The nationwide operation, backed by the United States Fisheries and Wildlife Service and local environmental authorities, led to 21 arrests, police said in a statement.

"The national police in coordination with the wildlife authorities of the United States have accomplished the most important operation to protect protected species in Colombia," General Jorge Luis Vargas, the national police chief, said.

A total of 1,004 animals are under the care and protection of environmental authorities, including turtles, starfish and tarantulas.

It is known, Colombia is one of the countries with the highest biodiversity in the world.

It is noted that until now the Colombian police have managed to save 5,994 animals from potential trade throughout 2022.