A number of illegal species of turtles, snakes and newts were seized by Israel Police and Nature and Parks Authority in a black market raid in the Jerusalem area, the Nature and Parks Authority said Tuesday.
The animals seized are worth tens of thousands of shekels. Some of them were particularly dangerous species that could pose risks to humans and the environment, transmit zoonotic diseases, could become invasive or were just very rare and exotic animals smuggled into the country.
Some of the animals rescued were set to be sold, while others were kept by individuals.
"Thanks to the cooperation of the Israel Police and Border Police, we were able to stop a breeder that was illegally keeping a large number of animals, some of which were kept in poor condition," Nature and Parks Authority National Wildlife Crime Prevention Unit official Yaniv Shalom explained.
He added that the suspect was taken in for questioning and will be the subject of a criminal investigation, while the animals found in poor condition were sent to receive veterinary care and rehabilitation.
Which animals were seized by Israeli authorities in the black market raid?
Some of the animals seized in the raid include, but are not limited to:
- Red-eared slider, a type of turtle infamous for being one of the single worst invasive species in the world
- Albino slider turtle
- Snakes belonging to the Boiga genus, also known as cat snakes or cat-eyed snakes
- Newts
There are different types of reptiles and amphibians that can be legally sold or kept by individuals, and a list of them is available on the Nature and Parks Authority website.
However, as Shalom affirmed, it is important that sellers have a valid trade permit from the Nature and Parks Authority and that the animals be kept in good condition.