Thailand will return over 900 lemurs and rare turtles seized from the illegal wildlife trade to Madagascar this month, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
DNP chief Attapol Charoenchansa said on Monday a total of 963 animals, including ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, spider tortoises and radiated tortoises, are currently in the care of authorities, after they were seized from an illegal wildlife smuggler in Chumphon back in May.
"This is a form of international collaboration to protect and preserve threatened animal species. It also demonstrates our commitment to fighting crimes against wildlife," he said.
The seizure, which took place on May 1, took place after the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division received a tip from an informant about a smuggling attempt from Indonesia to Satun in the South.
A police team set up checkpoints along major roads in the province to monitor the movement of suspicious vehicles. The operation netted four vehicles containing 1,117 live and dead animals, and six people were taken into police custody.
According to the DNP, the animals confiscated in Chumphon are endemic to Madagascar. Many of the animals are classified as near-extinct or threatened, under Annex I of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Mr Attapol said that Madagascar will send its Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Max Andonirina Fontaine to oversee the repatriation of the animals, which will begin with a send-off at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on Nov 27.
The animals will be sent on three flights, departing on Nov 28 and 30, and Dec 2 on Qatar Airways. Mr Fontaine will return to Madagascar with the first shipment of wildlife, according to Mr Attapol.
From top left, radiated tortoises, spider tortoises, brown lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs that will be sent back to Madagascar at the end of this month. (Photo: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation)