Climate

Scientists call on Ecuador to stop the rising trafficking of Galápagos iguanas

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 04/11/2026, 12:09:24 UTC.

Briefings

Ecuadorian authorities intercepted a Russian woman attempting to smuggle 32 live marine iguanas from the Galápagos to Iceland in August 2026. The lizards were bound in plastic boxes and transferred to a conservation center in Pichincha, where 24 survived and were released back on the islands in May. This incident occurred alongside earlier arrests of Thai nationals with 12 lizards destined for Asia, following mysterious sightings in Guayaquil. The species, a threatened endemic, is protected under Ecuadorian law and listed as Appendix I under CITES, yet continued international trafficking persists.

Key points

• In August 2026, Ecuadorian authorities intercepted a Russian woman at Quito airport attempting to smuggle 32 live marine iguanas bound for Iceland.
• Of the 32 lizards, 24 survived the journey and were released back on the Galápagos Islands in May 2026 after being held in a Pichincha conservation center.

Context

Marine iguanas are a threatened species endemic to the Galápagos, with 11 subspecies known to science. Ecuadorian law prohibits removing wildlife from the islands, and the species was added to CITES Appendix I in 2025, banning international commercial trade. Despite these protections, international collectors in Europe and Asia continue to smuggle them, with authorities confiscating nearly 50 specimens this year.

Limitations

Evidence covers only two confirmed smuggling incidents (Russian woman in August 2026 and Thai nationals in May 2026) and does not include data on total annual trafficking volume, specific numbers of lizards smuggled to Asia, or details on the lizards' survival rates during the journey from Ecuador to Iceland.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 04/11/2026, 12:56:11 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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