Aussie woman fined $20,000 for illegal wildlife trade
<p>A woman in Queensland has been slapped with a $20,000 fine for illegal wildlife trade. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>"Sadly, several of the reptiles were in poor condition and needed to be humanely euthanised," McDonald said.</p>
<p>"The surviving reptiles can never be released to the wild as they may have been exposed to disease while they were in captivity." </p>
<p>An independent veterinary exam of the reptiles seized revealed medical conditions like necrosis, dehydration, neurological defects and general poor health. </p>
<p>The woman admitted to knowingly keeping the animals without valid licences, purchasing them from unlicensed sellers and operating a reptile business. </p>
<p>She also could not provide mandatory records of sale for 13 of her purchased animals. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p><em>Images: DETSI</em></p>