A joint operation carried out by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) in coordination with the representative offices in Tabasco and Veracruz resulted in the rescue of 40 wildlife specimens that were being transported for illegal sale on the Cárdenas–Coatzacoalcos highway, near the Sánchez Magallanes toll booth, in Tabasco.
The operation, carried out on September 18 and 19, was supported by the Huimanguillo Municipal Police, Tabasco, and the Veracruz State Police.
During a search of the vehicles involved, authorities found the animals in abhorrent conditions. Several birds were observed tied up and displayed on wooden poles, while reptiles remained confined inside cardboard boxes and transporters, situations that pose serious risks to their safety and survival.
For this reason, the Huimanguillo Municipal Police proceeded to seize the wildlife, placing the vehicles and specimens at the disposal of the Attorney General’s Office.
The inventory of rescued wildlife included 7 white-fronted parrots, 3 yellow-cheeked parrots, 20 black-chested parrots, 4 green iguanas, and 6 swamp crocodiles.
All of these species are listed in NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, which catalogs Mexican species at risk and establishes criteria for their protection and management. Furthermore, yellow-cheeked parrots are listed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), so their international trade is strictly regulated to prevent a dangerous decline in their population.
The operation was carried out in response to citizen reports about the illegal sale of wildlife in the area, considered a critical point for bird trafficking. It has been reported that, in some cases, peroxide is applied to the heads of specimens sold in the area to simulate yellow-headed parrots, a highly sought-after species, causing blindness and skin lesions in the manipulated animals.
The rescued specimens will be transferred to authorized Wildlife Conservation Management Units (UMAs), where they will receive medical care and their fate will be determined according to conservation protocols.
Profepa (National Institute of Natural Resources) reported that it will continue to intensify operations in the region and reiterated the importance of combating illegal wildlife trafficking, which not only constitutes a violation of environmental laws but also endangers the survival of species that enjoy national and international protection.
Source: infobae
