A Canadian individual found himself in hot water after attempting to slip a crocodile skull into his luggage at a Delhi airport, leading to his subsequent arrest. The 32-year-old, whose identity remains undisclosed, was endeavoring to make his way back to Canada on a Monday when the illicit animal artifact—complete with its characteristic scales and formidable teeth—was stumbled upon during the check-in process.
Upon close scrutiny, a skull bearing sharp teeth, reminiscent of a baby crocodile’s jaw and weighing in at approximately 777g (1.71lb), was unearthed concealed within a cream-colored fabric, as delineated in a social media post by the Delhi customs authority on Thursday, which also featured a striking image of the rather hefty specimen.
The incident has now piqued the interest of India’s Department of Forests and Wildlife, which has initiated an investigation into the matter. The agency has unequivocally affirmed that the specimen’s texture, tooth arrangement, well-defined bony structure, and nostril configuration unequivocally mark it as the skull of a juvenile crocodile. While the precise species awaits conclusive identification pending further examinations, initial analyses have established that the skull originates from a category of baby crocodile that falls under the ambit of protection provided by India’s stringent Wildlife Protection Act. Violations of this Act, particularly pertaining to the illegal possession of rare species, can potentially lead to severe consequences including up to seven years of incarceration. It is noteworthy that the hunting of all three of India’s indigenous crocodile species has been prohibited since 1972.
According to statements provided by Rajesh Tandon, the deputy forest range officer, the implicated individual purportedly procured the skull during his sojourn in Thailand and neglected to acquire the requisite permissions mandated for the transportation of wildlife-related items. This revelation underlines the gravity of the situation, with the contravention of established regulations casting a pall over the individual’s actions.
This episode bears resemblance to a prior incident dating back to March of the preceding year, wherein the luggage of six Indian nationals attempting to traverse from Bangkok to Mumbai was discovered to harbor a cache of 87 animals, among them a red panda and three leopard cubs, the majority of which were classified as endangered species. Such occurrences underscore the pervasive nature of wildlife trafficking, a nefarious global industry estimated to generate between $100 billion to $150 billion annually, thereby ranking as the fourth largest illicit trade worldwide.
Moreover, data sourced from Traffic, an organization dedicated to monitoring and combating illegal wildlife trade, reveals that the decade spanning from 2011 to 2020 witnessed the interception of over 70,000 native and exotic animals being illicitly trafficked through India’s airports. This alarming statistic underscores the urgency of addressing the systemic challenges posed by wildlife trafficking and the imperative of bolstering enforcement measures to curtail this pernicious trade.
