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Jess Ma

A lawmaker and an expert have called for stronger monitoring of wildlife trafficking in Hong Kong after police arrested a woman upon discovering a crocodile on the balcony of her flat and another 63 animals inside.
Kenis Yang, chief operating officer of the non-governmental organisation Hong Kong Society of Herpetology Foundation, said on Thursday that authorities should increase inspections and public education given reptile smuggling had grown worse over the past two years.
“I hope they try to increase patrols and raids. Relevant laws should be enforced more strictly,” Yang said.
On Wednesday afternoon, a 66-year-old man reported seeing a green reptile on the balcony of the flat.

It was confirmed to be an estuarine crocodile measuring 1.5 metres (4.9 feet). It was suspected to have suffered a leg injury.
A source said police officers and staff from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) returned to the flat in Sham Shui Po at midnight after finding the crocodile hours earlier, only to discover more reptiles, amphibians and arthropods.
A police spokesman said the animals included turtles, lizards and snakes. The 35-year-old woman occupying the flat was arrested.
The case was passed to the department, and the animals were taken away for checks.
An AFCD spokesman said on Thursday evening that 63 other animals were discovered inside the flat and 29 were endangered species.
The endangered animals found were three rock iguanas, 10 turtles, 10 lizards and six snakes. They included Aldabra giant tortoises, a savannah monitor, a boa constrictor and a Burmese python.
“A 35-year-old local woman claimed to enforcement officers that she is the owner of the animals, and claimed that they were possessed for education purposes,” the spokesman said.
“To protect public safety, the AFCD strongly urges residents not to keep dangerous or aggressive animals at home.”

Yang noted that anyone who wanted to import endangered animals needed to show a legal certificate of origin, while those seeking to bring in reptiles deemed not endangered would also need to obtain a licence from the government.
However, many types of common pet reptiles are classified as endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international treaty ratified by more than 180 parties.
According to Yang, all tortoises are listed in Appendix II – species not necessarily threatened by extinction but that may become so if trade is not controlled.
While the case in Sham Shui Po captured citywide attention, Yang said illegal reptile smuggling had been worsening over the past two years.
“Since 2014, I had been getting a few AFCD inquiries per year, but in the past two years, I have received inquiries to keep sometimes 30 animals or even 100 every two months,” Yang said.
The foundation now houses more than 100 animals, mostly foster cases for authorities as animal smuggling criminal cases proceed.
Yang said she was aware that customs officers had been clamping down on wildlife smuggling at border checkpoints, but authorities should also consider boosting public education as residents might not know which species were endangered.
Lawmaker Gary Chan Hak-kan said authorities had been intercepting more smuggled reptiles in recent years, reflecting greater demand.
Chan urged law enforcement agencies to increase monitoring at border checkpoints and smuggling black spots, as well as boost intelligence collection to tackle smuggling at the origin.
“Authorities should also proactively boost online surveillance and arrange for officers to conduct undercover operations to crack down on illegal sales chains,” Chan said.
The maximum punishment for violating the city’s endangered species protection law is a HK$10 million fine and 10 years’ imprisonment.


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A juvenile crocodile was found injured at a residential building on Wednesday afternoon. Photo: Handout

The juvenile crocodile found in the flat. Photo: SPCA

A seized Burmese python. Photo: Handout

One of the seized rock iguanas. Photo: Handout

Seized Aldabra giant tortoises. Photo: Handout

The juvenile is a hybrid of Siamese crocodile and a saltwater crocodile. Photo: SPCA

Man arrested after 14 endangered reptiles found in Kwai Chung industrial site

Six turtles – a big-headed turtle, three Indochinese box turtles, a black-breasted leaf turtle and a keeled box turtle – were also found on the premises. Photo: Handout

During the operation, officers found reptiles including a rock iguana (pictured), a crocodile, two pythons, three monitor lizards, and a Chinese water dragon. Photo: Handout

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Law and Crime

Woman arrested after authorities alerted to crocodile on balcony and find endangered iguanas, tortoises, savannah monitors and snakes inside


Woman arrested after authorities alerted to crocodile on balcony and find endangered iguanas, tortoises, savannah monitors and snakes inside.


Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Calls for harsher crackdown on wildlife trafficking after 64 animals found in flat

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Woman arrested after authorities alerted to crocodile on balcony and find endangered iguanas, tortoises, savannah monitors and snakes inside

Woman arrested after authorities alerted to crocodile on balcony and find endangered iguanas, tortoises, savannah monitors and snakes inside