Thai Customs officials have confiscated 1,800 Bengal monitor lizards on the border between Thailand and Malaysia, reports the AFP. Officials said the lizards were likely headed to China for consumption.
While Bengal monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis) are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, global trade is banned by CITES and the species are protected in Thailand. Bengal monitor lizards are in decline over their range largely due to hunting and poaching. Other threats include pesticides, habitat loss, and the traditional medicine.
Customs official, Seree Thaijongrak, told the AFP that this was “the largest seizure ever”.
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