A Brazilian woman has been charged with wildlife trafficking following the discovery of 130 poisonous frogs in her luggage at Bogotá airport.
The frogs, found dehydrated and stressed in small film canisters, were intended to be transported to São Paulo via Panama.
The woman claimed to have received them as a gift from a local community in southern Colombia.
Local authorities highlighted the lucrative nature of trafficking these amphibians, with each frog potentially fetching up to $1,000.
Bogotá Environment Secretary Adriana Soto emphasized the severity of the offense, noting that fines for possession of such frogs could reach 56 million pesos.
The harlequin frogs, also known as poison-dart frogs (Oophaga histrionica), are critically endangered species found in humid forests along the Pacific coast of South America.
Their highly toxic skin secretion has historically been used by indigenous people for hunting purposes.
Due to their endangered status, these frogs are highly sought-after by private collectors in international markets, contributing to the prevalence of wildlife trafficking in Colombia and across Latin America.
Amphibians, small mammals, and marine animal parts are among the commonly trafficked items in the region, driven by the rich biodiversity of the area.
Source-BBC
