Peruvian monkey arrives in New York undercover

A man successfully smuggled a small monkey from Peru into the United States this week by hiding it under his hat.

The man, who has not been identified, flew from Lima to Fort Lauderdale with the fist-sized marmoset under his hat. His companion was not detected until his flight from Florida to New York when other passengers noticed the primate holding onto his pony tail.

When the flight landed, the man was met by authorities with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents; the monkey with NYC Animal Care & Control. Authorities said the monkey seemed to be the result of a spontaneous purchase by the man the day he left Peru.

The incident highlights a serious problem Peru and other South American countries grapple with - wildlife smuggling. While most interdiction efforts are aimed at trapping drug smugglers, the extent of illegal wildlife trafficking also seems to be growing.

In 2004, a German man was arrested by Peruvian authorities after police found some 400 live miniature toads and dozens of insects in his luggage. That same year US authorities won a conviction against a man who was smuggling endangered orchids into the country for sale.

The sheer scope of the problem suggests not only are there international smuggling rings that specializing in the transport of rare wildlife articles out of the region but that there is also a collusion with drug traffickers as well.


Find out more about Peru, South America and my varied interests over on Klephblog.

Technorati Tags: Peru, monkey, wildlife trafficking, brazil