₱1M worth of exotic, protected wildlife seized off GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 10 December) — Authorities here intercepted a motorized banca off Bagong Katilingban, Lower Makar, on December 7 carrying protected and exotic wildlife valued at ₱1 million, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 12 (DENR-12) reported.

The exotic and protected wildlife seized by authorities off Bagong Katilingban, Lower Makar, General Santos City. Some of the animals were already dead or deformed. Image from DENR SOCCSKSARGEN’s Facebook page

“The operation was launched after a report from a concerned citizen alerted authorities to a vessel carrying alleged Indonesian nationals along with suspected wildlife cargo,” DENR-12 said in its December 9 report.

Personnel from the General Santos City Maritime Police Station (GSC-MPS), the Regional Intelligence Unit-12 (RIU-12), and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) GenSan intercepted the vessel before it reached the city shoreline.

Authorities seized a total of 78 exotic and protected animals.

The haul included one Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica), 15 leopard tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis), five sulcata tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata), and 37 blue-tongued skinks (Tiliqua scincoides), 12 of which were already dead.

Other reptiles included one black-and-white tegu (Salvator merianae) and seven pythons: three blood pythons (Python brongersmai) and four reticulated pythons (Malayopython reticulatus). 

Among the reticulated pythons, one was dead and another had a severe spinal deformity known as a kink.

The seizure also included four green tree pythons (Morelia viridis), three Indonesian pit vipers (Trimeresurus insularis), four Madagascar ground boas (Acrantophis madagascariensis), and one green iguana (Iguana iguana).

DENR-12 estimated the total market value of the seized wildlife around ₱1 million, saying it reflects the “high-value nature of transboundary wildlife trafficking and the increasing threat posed by illegal wildlife trade networks in the region.”

The individuals onboard, whose identities were not released, may face charges under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (Republic Act 9147) and possible violations of the Philippine Immigration Act (Republic Act 6132).

The confiscated animals were turned over to CENRO GenSan for documentation, care, and proper disposition.

DENR-12 said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb wildlife trafficking across Sarangani Bay. (Guia A. Rebollido / MindaNews)