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Increased Likelihood of Extinction for Protected Animal Species; Trafficking of Their Skeletons on the Rise

Jun 22, 2026 June 22, 2026 1 min read 📰 VOA Persian
📋 Key Takeaway

French customs seized 392 packages of protected animal skulls and bones, primarily trafficked from Cameroon to collectors in the U.S. This illegal trade, which has been growing since 2022, poses a significant threat to primate species and highlights the lucrative nature of wildlife trafficking.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The seizure underscores the ongoing battle against wildlife trafficking and the need for stricter enforcement.

👥 Key Players

Fabrice Gait QUOTED
customs expert in animal trafficking
"Fabrice Gait, a customs expert in animal trafficking, said that primates are usually hunted for meat."

⚡ Actions

French customs SEIZE 392 postal packages containing skulls, jaws, and horns
"French customs reported on Thursday the discovery of 392 postal packages containing skulls, jaws, and horns of protected animal species."
Confidence: 90%
French customs ALERT skull trade
"customs officials were first alerted to the skull trade in May 2022"
Confidence: 90%
French customs DISCOVER dozens of other cases
"They intensified their searches and found dozens of other cases, primarily involving macaques, baboons, mandrills, and chimpanzees."
Confidence: 90%

📰 What Happened

French customs seized 392 packages of trafficked animal skulls from Cameroon intended for US collectors.

  • French customs seize 392 postal packages containing skulls, jaws, and horns
  • French customs alert skull trade
  • French customs discover dozens of other cases

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: Not directly relevant but highlights global wildlife trafficking issues.
🌍 Regional: Reflects broader regional challenges in wildlife protection and trafficking.
🌐 International: Indicates a significant black market for protected species, raising international conservation concerns.

📚 Background

The seizure underscores the ongoing battle against wildlife trafficking and the need for stricter enforcement.

📝 Key Evidence

"the sale of their skulls and skeletons is a secondary trade that generates annual profits between 8 to 20 billion euros."
→ This highlights the scale and profitability of wildlife trafficking.
📡 Source: INTERNATIONAL
📊 Confidence: 90%
VOA Persian is generally considered a reliable source for news.

French customs reported on Thursday the discovery of 392 postal packages containing skulls, jaws, and horns of protected animal species. According to Agence France-Presse, these packages, displayed on Thursday, September 21, at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, had been smuggled primarily from Cameroon over the past seven months for collectors in the United States and were seized by French customs. AFP stated that customs officials were first alerted to the skull trade in May 2022 when they discovered seven skulls sent from Africa. They intensified their searches and found dozens of other cases, primarily involving macaques, baboons, mandrills, and chimpanzees. Fabrice Gait, a customs expert in animal trafficking, said that primates are usually hunted for meat, but the sale of their skulls and skeletons is a secondary trade that generates annual profits between 8 to 20 billion euros. These skulls are set to be delivered to the Natural History Museum in Aix-en-Provence in southern France for scientific evaluation. The black market for skulls is prevalent in Burundi.

🌐

Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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