NParks seizes 101 illegally kept wildlife in largest raid since 2021

SINGAPORE - A gecko with a ruptured and infected eye and a number of lethargic axolotls were among 101 wild animals seized by the National Parks Board (NParks) on Sept 14, during a raid conducted by its officers at six homes here.

This marked its largest such operation since 2021, when about 120 illegally kept wild animals were seized. Other animals found in the recent raids, which took place simultaneously across the island, include snakes, turtles and sugar gliders, all of which are not allowed to be kept as pets in Singapore.

Speaking to the media during a briefing on the case on Sept 16, NParks’ director for enforcement and investigation Joshua Teoh said six people are being investigated for illegally possessing and selling these animals on social media platforms.

Thirteen of the animals were found dead at the residential premises, possibly due to poor living conditions.

Many others were found in bad health. This included an emaciated leopard gecko that had to be euthanised after it was found to have a ruptured and infected eye, as well as the inability to shed its skin fully due to its weak state.

NParks said these symptoms showed that the animals were kept for a long time in captivity in poor conditions such as cramped containers, poor ventilation, as well as the lack of access to food and water.

Teoh said the seizures were not indicative of a trend of more wildlife being smuggled into Singapore or kept as pets.

Such raids are conducted based on whether NParks has collected enough information, he added.

Teoh said: “It is very premature for us to even comment whether (this operation involved) illegal breeding, or whether (the animals came from) illegal imports or if they had been given by friends.”

Erin Tan, one of three veterinarians at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation, recounted how some of the axolotls and leopard geckos were extremely skinny and lethargic.

Given the scale of animals seized, it took staff roughly 12 hours to check and quarantine all the animals, which included tarantulas and scorpions, she noted.

The animals will have to be quarantined for between one and six months to make sure they do not carry any diseases that can spread to other animals.

After that, they will be evaluated for their suitability for repatriation or donation to animal establishments such as zoos, with euthanasia as the last resort, NParks said.

Under the Wildlife Act, those found to illegally sell or export any wildlife can be fined up to $50,000, jailed up to two years, or both.

Those who illegally import wildlife face a fine of up to $10,000, jailed up to a year, or both.

Several of the animals found were also protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

These included the armadillo girdled lizard, the ball python, the blue beauty anole and the rosy boa.

Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, the maximum penalties for those found guilty of illegally importing such specimens are a fine of $50,000 per specimen and an imprisonment term of four years.

Said Teoh: “I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that illegal wildlife trade has a serious and far-reaching consequence. So, when you purchase any illegally imported product, smuggled product, for example, it will fuel demand, and this will eventually drive endangered species to the brink of extinction.”

Senior director for Wildlife Trade Anna Wong noted that many smuggled animals also carry infections like salmonella and rabies, which can be transmitted to humans, posing a risk to public health.

When present in large numbers, illegally imported species can potentially threaten the survival of native biodiversity by competing for resources and upsetting the ecological balance, said NParks.

The statutory board uses a host of means to enforce against the illegal sale and possession of wildlife.

This includes working with partner agencies to conduct security checks at Singapore’s borders, monitoring physical and online marketplaces as well as sharing intelligence with international partners.