Wildlife and forest exploitation is the fourth largest illegal trade in the world. Between 14 September and 15 October, the international Operation Thunder took place around the world. The cooperation combats poaching, illegal harvesting, illegal trade and cross-border wildlife crime. It was coordinated by the World Customs Organisation and Interpol and supported by national CITES authorities and experts. VUB biologist Professor Marc Kochzius, an expert on marine animals based at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, supports the FODPublic Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, which monitors the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (www.cites.org) in Belgium: “International illegal trade in protected plants and animals is a growing problem not only for biodiversity, but also for society, public health and the economy.”

In four days of checks at Zaventem, the luggage of 72 passengers from West and Central Africa was checked. Among the items found were 3 kg of crocodile meat and two dead monkeys. In total, 1,3 tons of other products of animal origin and 5,4 tons  of products of plant origin were seized during these checks.

A confiscated shipment of 'bush meat'. Kochzius, Marc. 

“With many flights from Central and West Africa, the illegal import of so-called ‘bush meat’ at the airport in Zaventem is of particular concern,” says Kochzius. “This bush meat is sold illegally in Matonge, the Congolese district of Brussels. It is said that small pieces of bush meat, cooked with other food, will give the ‘special flavour’ of African dishes. The illegal trade in bush meat threatens biodiversity in Africa, but it is also a public health problem because these illegal products do not meet food safety standards. Moreover, illegally traded animals and plants can bring diseases and pests into our country.”

The global figures for plants and animals seized during Operation Thunder in 2020 have increased dramatically compared to 2019. This year, 1.3 tonnes of ivory were confiscated, more than doubling the figures from the previous year. The seizure of tropical timber has also increased by one third to 950 tonnes. The weight of detected protected plant species is almost 10 times greater than in 2019, totalling 15.9 tonnes. Marine species such as corals, shells, sharks and sea turtles totalled 56.2 tonnes. More than 45,500 live animals and plants were also confiscated, including 1,400 turtles, 1,160 birds and 1,800 reptiles.

“It is striking that in corona times, with less international trade and air traffic, much more was seized than last year,” Kochzius says of these numbers. “In general, I would say that things are getting worse in the long term worldwide, but better in Europe, for example, because the legislation is strictly applied there and there are more controls. There is a common approach between the authorities of the EU countries, with regular meetings of the scientific advisory bodies, in which I also participate. So, I think that less protected species are coming into Europe from outside.”