CANAIMA, Venezuela – Along Venezuelan roads, you come across a variety of wildlife, from parrots and parakeets to sloths and monkeys. The trade in threatened species has become so normalized that many locals don’t even realize that their roadside business may constitute illegal wildlife trafficking, often right under the noses of authorities who turn a blind eye. “People sell wildlife on the streets, right next to the police,” says a Venezuelan source speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals. They recall being invited to dinner somewhere in the country’s south, where they were shocked by what was served: a puma cub. The hosts kept the skins and bones in a freezer, ready for sale. Despite reporting the incident to the authorities, nothing changed: “They ignore this,” the source says, disappointment evident in their voice. Amid the worst economic collapse outside of wartime in nearly half a century, an ongoing political crisis, and a humanitarian crisis that has contributed to about one-fourth of the population fleeing the country, environmental concerns and wildlife preservation are often overlooked in Venezuela. In southern Venezuela, a troubling combination of gold mining, logging, agriculture, luxury tourism, and the consumption and trafficking of wildlife has intensified over the past decade, threatening one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Exploitation occurs with minimal oversight and few repercussions. Locals who scramble to cover basic needs vie with criminal transnational groups to reap profits from an already ravaged ecosystem. Illegal hunting and trafficking of rare birds,…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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