Authorities in Sicily discovered a man who had packed containers full of
parrots and tortoises, as he attempted to illegally smuggle the animals to Malta. Nearly all of the parrots (76 in total) belonged to protected species due to their endangered status.
In total, he had squished 77 parrots and 300 tortoises into a tiny space without sufficient temperature regulation. It's likely that this man was participating in the illegal black market trade of exotic animals, and hoped to sell these now-captive birds and tortoises.
Demand an investigation, in order to prevent future trafficking of innocent wildlife!We're grateful to the Italian authorities for catching this man before he could sell these animals, further condemning them to a life of captivity. It turns out that organized criminal networks frequently use Italy as a transportation hub while illegally trafficking exotic animals, so that makes the Italian officials' work here even more important. For example, last year, authorities successfully rescued a chimpanzee who was being illegally trafficked.
Italian authorities said the rescue of these 300 tortoises and 77 parrots was one of the most significant interventions they've undertaken for protected, trafficked animals.
The man in question has been arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including inflicting suffering on animals and illegal international trading of protected species. But it's important to know where these animals came from, and where they were going, as it's deeply unlikely that this man was operating alone.
Sign a petition to demand an investigation into the criminal network this man was a part of! We must keep animals safe from human greed and exploitation!