A global operation has successfully returned nearly 1000 vulnerable and endangered animals to Madagascar, in what has evolved into one of the world’s largest repatriations in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.
Earlier this year, nearly 1000 tortoises and lemurs were seized as part of an international law enforcement operation while being trafficked through Thailand for likely sale into the international illegal pet trade. This operation was orchestrated by Thai authorities with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wildlife Justice Commission, resulting in arrests in both Thailand and Madagascar.
Once the seized animals were in the custody of Thai authorities, The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme convened and mobilised members of its Transport Taskforce, namely Qatar Airways Cargo and Airlink, who generously agreed to provide free transport to return the animals to Madagascar.
This undertaking marks one of the largest seizures and repatriations seen globally and is a complex, costly operation that wouldn’t be possible without the collaborative effort of multiple global organisations.
The final shipment of animals arrived in Madagascar on December 12th with all animals being assessed and rehabilitated before being released back into an appropriate environment.
The Prince of Wales said:
“This is an unprecedented feat for the fight against the illegal wildlife trade and demonstrates the immeasurable value of global cooperation in putting an end to these supply chains.
“Movements like this are only possible thanks to the work of United for Wildlife’s incredible partner organisations. We must look to this collaborative model for future operations to ensure we are acting swiftly and safely to remove animals from the hands of criminals and return them to their natural habitats.”
Max Andonirina Fontaine, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar, supported this saying "This operation is a resounding victory of virtuous forces over criminal networks and marks one of the largest seizures and repatriations we have ever seen. Through unwavering perseverance, conviction, and commitment, we have demonstrated that unity is our greatest strength. While significant challenges remain, we are poised to overcome them by advancing our systems and maintaining our solidarity. The tide of fear must turn.”
Madagascar is home to an extremely biodiverse environment, but this makes many of the island’s wildlife species vulnerable to illegal wildlife trafficking, particularly for the illegal pet trade.
Environmental and wildlife crime is the third-largest criminal activity in the world, costing billions of dollars per year with Southeast Asia seeing a high volume of animals being trafficked illegally from Madagascar.
The animals seized included ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), common brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus), Spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoids), and radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata). Ring tailed lemurs are considered endangered, and common brown lemurs are vulnerable. Radiated tortoises and spider tortoises are both classified as critically endangered, with the pet trade being the primary threat to their survival in the wild.
Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said: “I’m proud of UNODC’s contribution to this operation, including supporting the repatriation process.
“The nature of the operation highlights the importance of collaboration with the private sector, civil society, and international partners to combat wildlife crime, and I hope this success helps inform future efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.”
Mark Drusch, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo, said: “We are proud to have been able to support United for Wildlife in this very important operation of returning these animals back to their home in Madagascar. We are passionate about giving back where we can and setting new standards for animal transport. Our WeQare Rewild the Planet initiative is our commitment to returning wildlife and endangered species back to their natural habitat, free of charge.
“It takes a lot of planning and logistics for our team to organise moving so many animals, but at Qatar Airways Cargo, we recognise our responsibility extends far beyond the mere transportation of animals. We are committed to advocating for animal welfare globally, ensuring our operations respect and contribute positively to their overall well-being, and projects such as our state-of-the-art Animal Centre help us work towards this mission."
Hardus Kuschke, Airlink Executive Manager, Cargo, said: “It was without question a natural decision for Airlink Cargo to be part of the Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife’s Transport Taskforce in the repatriation of some of the world’s most vulnerable and endangered animals back to their natural habitats in Madagascar.
“Playing our part in the global fight against illegal wildlife trade underpins the values of our airline. Airlink is a responsible corporate citizen that engenders environmental sustainability across the entire transportation and tourism value chain – now, and for future generations,”
Edward Grace, Assistant Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement added: “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to working alongside our international partners to fight the scourge of illegal wildlife trafficking,”
“This operational success is the result of collaborative efforts between governments, law enforcement agencies, and non-government organizations. The repatriation of Madagascar’s protected wildlife resources demonstrates the power of global cooperation in dismantling illegal wildlife trade networks and protecting our planet's biodiversity. This landmark operation, involving the seizure of critically endangered tortoises and lemurs, highlights the importance of international coordination in combating transnational environmental crimes and safeguarding some of the world's most threatened species.”
Email: unodc-press[at]un.org
