The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bloc remains a major wildlife trafficking hub, with 86% of seized contraband intended for destinations within the member states
ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | When two Belgian teenagers appeared before a Nairobi court with over 5,000 ants in their possession in April this year, the case initially seemed like a harmless prank involving obscure insects.
However, Kenyan conservation authorities revealed that the ants—intended for markets in Europe and Asia—were part of a growing trend in the trafficking of lesser-known wildlife species.
The suspects, Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19, were arrested on April 5 at a guesthouse in Nakuru County—an area renowned for its national parks. They had packed the ants in 2,344 test tubes lined with cotton wool.
Appearing before Magistrate Njeri Thuku at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, the teenagers claimed they were “just having fun,” while their lawyer argued they “did not know what they were doing.”
Nevertheless, on April 15, they were formally charged with violating Kenya’s wildlife conservation laws and fined US$ 7,700 each—or face 12 months in prison.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the country’s top conservation agency, noted that the case represented a “shift in trafficking trends… from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species.”
The agency said illegal export of the ants “not only undermines Kenya’s sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits,” KWS said in a statement.
Not a one-off incident
As it turns out, the young Belgians’ case was not a one-off incident. Apparently, the European Union remains a major hub for global trafficking of wild species, according to a report published this month by TRAFFIC, a leading non-governmental organization working to ensure that trade in wild species is legal and sustainable for the benefit of the planet and people.
The report, produced following an analysis of 2023 data under a service contract with the European Commission, provides an in-depth look at illegal wildlife trade trends based on seizures reported by EU member states to the Europe Trade in Wildlife Information eXchange (EU-TWIX) system.
According to the report, the illegal trade in wild species—now valued at a staggering US$23 billion annually—poses a critical threat to biodiversity, devastating ecosystems and fuelling organized crime.
The report titled: “An Overview of Seizures of CITES-Listed Wildlife in the European Union: January to December 2023,” underscores the urgent need for enhanced enforcement, increased public awareness, and strengthened international collaboration to combat wildlife trafficking.
“The EU remains a significant market for wildlife trafficking, as commercial entities and individuals continue to smuggle wild species and their products into, through, and from EU Member States,” said Anastasiya Timoshyna, Director of TRAFFIC’s European Programme Office.
“The report highlights key trends, species in trade, enforcement efforts, and areas for policy attention in this landmark year for the region—with the CITES CoP20 and the 20th anniversary of EU-TWIX on the horizon,” she added.
New findings
The EU remains a major hub for wildlife trafficking, with 86% of seized goods intended for destinations within the bloc. The United States and the United Kingdom were also frequent destinations for shipments originating in the EU and destined for countries beyond. Top exporters included Thailand, the U.S., Ukraine, mainland China, and India.
According to the report, airports and mail centres were the primary locations for seizures, while maritime ports emerged as key detection points for high-volume shipments, particularly timber.
The report notes that nearly 5,200 wildlife seizure records were reported across the European Union in 2023, involving more than one million specimens. Among the confiscated items were over 600,000 live animals and 10,000 live plants, along with 33,350 cubic metres of timber and more than 16,000 animal body parts and derivatives—including meat, caviar, and wildlife-based soups.
Authorities also intercepted more than 100,000 wildlife-derived items, along with 796 kilograms and 154 litres of medicinal products. Ornamental products were also seized, including nearly 5,000 corals and over 1,300 ivory items—among them an additional 80 kilograms of elephant ivory—across EU member states.
Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain accounted for nearly 75% of all EU seizure records. The total number of recorded seizures rose from approximately 4,550 the previous year, though it remained below the 2019 peak of 6,150.
European eels (critically endangered species of fish native to rivers, lakes, and coastal waters throughout Europe and North Africa) dominated seizures by specimen count, while timber ranked highest by total mass, with over 33,000 cubic metres confiscated. Other frequently seized items included plant-derived medicinal products, live birds, reptiles, and coral.
In total, 574 CITES-listed species were intercepted in 2023, comprising 489 fauna (animal) and 85 flora (plant) species. The scale and diversity of these seizures underscore the urgent need for enhanced enforcement, increased public awareness, and stronger international collaboration to curb wildlife trafficking across Europe.
“It’s important to note that these figures represent an absolute minimum number of seized species as around 45% of EU seizure records (2,319) were not reported to species levels. This means that additional species may have been involved but were not specified in the reports,” the report reads in part. Additionally, 28% of all fauna-related seizure records were believed to be linked to the exotic pet trade—one of the largest illegal wildlife trade sectors in the EU.
While not fully representative of all illicit activity, reported seizure data offers valuable insights into illegal wildlife trade patterns, enabling authorities to monitor trends and tailor interventions to address priority risks, the report noted.
Both transit hub and destination
Rebecca Sandoval, a Kampala-based technical expert on illegal wildlife trade told The Independent that Europe serves as both a transit hub for wildlife trafficking but also a destination market for different wildlife products ranging from exotic pets, reptile skins and some medicinal products.
“It features as a transit hub because it has a pretty good geographical location and then it also has really good, well-developed transport infrastructure; so it’s easy to move products because its location is ideal.”
“For example, from South America, the products can transit through Europe and then travel farther to Asia or from Asia, they stop in Europe and then they go to other places in North America. So, that is one of the possible explanations.”
Emerging trends
According to the report, TRAFFIC researchers identified an emerging trend in 2023, with 88 species seized for the first time. These included visually striking or exotic animals such as three look-alike poison frog species—the Mimic Poison Frog, Blessed Poison Frog, and Fantastic Poison Frog—all protected under Annex B of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation.
In contrast, 111 species were consistently seized each year over a seven-year period from 2017 to 2023. These included 1,000 live African Grey Parrots; more than 4,200 live Hermann’s Tortoises, and 67 lions.
“For several of these consistently seized species, both live animals-derived products were involved, “noted the report. One striking case is the Blue and Gold Macaw. Over the seven-year period under review, the EU authorities seized 299 live Macaws (including 34 live birds in 2023 alone), 567 feathers, often used for ceremonial headdresses, five bodies and one garment.
Birds also represented the group with the highest number of different species seized in the EU in 2023, with 196 distinct CITES-listed bird species recorded. This is just below the peak of 200 bird species seized in the EU in 2020. Of the 196 species seized in 2023, nearly 40% were classified as “Species of Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, with stable or increasing populations.
According to the report, between 2017 and 2023, EU member states seized over 10,000 live birds, reflecting the scale and persistence of illegal bird trade in the region. Nearly 1,200 live birds were seized in 2023 alone, accounting for 10% of all EU wildlife seizures that year.
These seizures were reported by 18 different EU member states, underscoring the widespread nature of illegal wildlife trade across the region. The high number of interceptions likely reflects, in part, the impact of targeted enforcement actions and joint operations aimed at disrupting trafficking networks. Many of the seized birds are believed to be destined for the exotic pet trade—one of the largest illegal wildlife trade sectors in the EU.
The majority of these seizures involved turtles and tortoises (1,618 individuals), including Hermann’s Tortoise and the Spur-thighed Tortoise, both of which are strictly protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
According to the report, these two species have consistently been the most frequently seized reptiles in recent years, with most of the illegal trade originating from North African countries—namely Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco—and destined for Mediterranean nations such as Spain and Italy.
The majority of seizures, the report notes, occurred within the EU, often at private residences—suggesting that unlawful ownership, rather than cross-border trafficking, is a significant issue. These species remain popular among hobbyists and reptile enthusiasts.
In response to these growing concerns, the European Commission commissioned an exploratory study in late 2023, published in May 2025, to assess the need, added value, and feasibility of criminalizing all trade in illegally sourced wildlife across the EU. The study confirms that such trade often escapes regulatory oversight, especially when non-CITES species are involved.
While this type of trade is not currently regulated or systematically recorded at the EU level, the study acknowledges it is likely extensive and facilitated by online platforms and links to organised crime.
Beyond conservation concerns, the trafficking of wild species for pet trade also poses significant public health and biosecurity risks. Illegally traded animals often evade essential veterinary inspections, increasing the likelihood of disease transmission or the introduction of invasive species that could harm native European ecosystems.
The EU hosts some of the world’s largest reptile fairs, such as the Terraristika Hamm Fair in Germany and Terraria Houten in the Netherlands, which attract reptile enthusiasts and sellers from around the globe. While these events are legal, illegal activities and private transactions can still occur in and around these major gatherings.
To address this issue, the report emphasizes the importance of raising awareness among traders about the required CITES documentation and encouraging buyers to verify the origins of the animals they acquire. These measures, the report notes, are crucial to reducing the presence of illegally traded species at such fairs.
Sandoval told The Independent that considering the fact that Europe , for a long time, hasn’t been seen as a destination or transit hub, thanks to Western thinking that these challenges do not exist in their jurisdictions, attitudes are probably beginning to change. “Initially they didn’t think Europe was a transit hub for all these wildlife products,” she said.
“People are now picking up on this (illegal wildlife trade) and the EU is starting to, you know, have new laws and policies and, of course, new training for the law enforcement officers and the custom officers so that they know what they have to look for.”
“They now know what products are going through their countries. What red flags they should be looking into because I don’t think law enforcement officers understand these things.
Sandoval, however, told The Independent that the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking is probably just beginning. “Europe (itself) possesses some of the very-much sought after wildlife in its seas. “So, you know if there is appetite (for these products), there is definitely demand and, there’s always going to be some illegality linked to it.”
“Even if trade in these products is illegal, if there is money in it, and there is demand for it, then you will always find that there is an illegal provider for these things,” she told The Independent.
