Wildlife smugglers stopped near Ecuador, receive minimum sentence
by Katie Pfaff
Leaders of the Galápagos Conservancy have expressed disappointment after two wildlife traffickers received a minimal sentence in Ecuador. The pair of would-be smugglers received one year in prison after attempting to export a handful of iguanas and 84 juvenile giant tortoises. The Attorney General's Office in Ecuador also imposed a fine of more than $29,000.
"We hoped the maximum penalty would be applied in this environmental crime to set a clear precedent in the fight against species trafficking,” said Washington Tapia, general director of Conservando Galápagos, a partner of Galápagos Conservancy, in a news release. “Organized crime groups have set their sights on Galápagos species, so we cannot afford to be flexible with this type of crime. We will provide resources to the Galápagos National Park Directorate to bring these animals safely back home and care for them during the quarantine process."
In June, the two traffickers were stopped miles off Ecuador with the threatened species. The animals were examined by veterinarians and are being cared for at the Valdivia Marine Park in Manglaralto, Santa Elena, until they can be repatriated to Galápagos.
"Galápagos Conservancy is staunchly opposed to wildlife trafficking and is working to assist the Galápagos National Park Directorate and Ecuador's Ministry of Environment to capture and prosecute perpetrators and ensure strong jail sentences and fines are applied," said Dr. Paul Salaman, president of Galápagos Conservancy. "Our team is also working to help the swift repatriation of the smuggled wildlife."
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