Colombian authorities successfully intercepted a trafficking of 130 toxic frogs at the Bogota airport on Monday and detained the Brazilian woman responsible for smuggling them.
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While on her way to Sao Paulo with a layover in Panama, a woman was found transporting the vibrant harlequin poison frogs (oophaga histrionica) stored in film containers.
In a video shared with the media, Bogota Environment Secretary Adriana Soto said that the woman claimed the frogs were a gift from a local community. Harlequin frogs, which are less than five centimeters long and reside in humid forests along the Pacific coast from Ecuador to Colombia, as well as in various countries in Central and South America, are known for their venomous nature.
Bogota Police Commander Juan Carlos Arevalo said that the demand for this endangered species is high in global markets. He mentioned that private collectors are willing to pay a substantial amount, up to $1,000 for each specimen.
The police apprehended the woman who was transporting the frogs on charges of engaging in illegal wildlife trade. She was subsequently transferred to the prosecutor's office for further legal proceedings.
Colombia, known as one of the most diverse countries in terms of biodiversity, frequently experiences cases of animal trafficking. Amphibians, small mammals, and marine animal parts like shark products are particularly targeted in this illicit trade.
Colombia is currently engaged in battle to fierce wildfires
Therefore, the raging wildfires in Colombia, which have already consumed over 40,000 acres since November, are expected to intensify and persist until March, according to Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
On Saturday, UNGRD reported that there are currently 17 fires still burning, with one dangerously close to a residential neighborhood in Bogotá. Local reports says that at least two people have lost their lives since the fires broke out.
Although El Niño has exacerbated the drought, a study revealed that the main catalyst for the fires and their severity is the higher temperatures resulting from human-caused climate change. While most of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil, it spans a total of eight countries, including Colombia. The combination of abnormally dry conditions and hotter-than-normal temperatures has made the landscape highly susceptible to these devastating fires.
