In an arachnophobe’s worst nightmare, a 28-year-old man was arrested for attempting to smuggle 320 tarantulas, along with 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants, out of Peru.
The unusual incident unfolded at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, when airport officials grew suspicious of the man’s unusually bulky waistline. According to SERFOR, Peru’s national forestry and wildlife service, further inspection revealed hundreds of insects nestled inside ziplock bags attached to the man’s abdomen.
The tarantulas, which are a protected species in Peru, are believed to have been illegally taken from the Madre de Dios region in the Amazon. An investigation has been launched by Peru’s environmental crimes prosecutor. Walter Silva, a wildlife specialist for SERFOR, stated, “They were all illegally extracted and are part of illegal wildlife trafficking worth millions of dollars globally.” The attempted smuggling highlights the thriving illegal wildlife trade and the ongoing threats to biodiversity.
