Pangolins are believed to be the most trafficked mammal on Earth due to the demand for pangolin scales.
COLLABORATING TO STOP A CRISIS Zoos, aquariums, and government agencies work together to address the ongoing problem of wildlife trafficking and confiscations. By RoxAnna Breitigan, Chief Operating Officer
IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU to know that, until recently, when illegally trafficked live animals are confiscated at the border, airports, or shipping docks, there has been no process put in place to care for those animals. There is a process in place for live plants, run by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), but shockingly not for animals. Each time an animal is confiscated, the government agencies typically have reached out to their local zoo or aquarium to provide that animal with a safe place. These zoos and aquariums have stepped up to help, time and time again — because caring for animals is a vital part of our shared mission. Over the years, organizations such as The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens have cared for these animals when there was nowhere else to turn, often without compensation, credit for their efforts, or plan in place for the future of that animal. This disjointed process has been an ongoing challenge for the animals, the government agents, and the relocation institutions involved. In August of 2019, The Living Desert received an invitation to a first-of-its-kind meeting to discuss A Framework for Managing Wildlife Seizures and Confiscations in Southern California. This meeting brought together stakeholders who rarely, if ever, are all in the same room together. For the first time zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, universities, and state and federal government agencies were all coming together to develop a framework that would allow for an efficient way to identify, medically triage, and place confiscated animals with qualified and capable holding foxpaws | SPRING 2024 5
