The capital's customs officers prevented the illegal export of stuffed otters and two owls to the USA and Belgium via postal channels. These species are protected by several international conservation agreements.
This was reported by Kiev Customs.
The river otter and the Eurasian owl are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are also safeguarded by the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.
The stuffed animals were found in three international postal shipments. The stuffed otter was being sent from a sender in Zaporizhzhia to the USA, while the stuffed owls were being shipped to Belgium and the USA by a resident of Chernihiv region.
According to the examination conducted by specialists from the National Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the river otter is included in the Red Book of Ukraine. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes the otter as a species at risk of extinction. In Ukraine, it primarily inhabits the rivers of Polissia and Forest-Steppe regions.
The stuffed owls belong to the species of the Eurasian owl, a resident and migratory bird in Ukraine. This species plays a crucial role in regulating the population of rodent-like mammals and could face extinction if the trade of such specimens is not strictly regulated. In Ukraine, the Eurasian owl nests almost everywhere except for the Carpathians, where it does not winter.
Experts note that all confiscated specimens have significant museum and educational value, and therefore, their inclusion in the Museum Fund of Ukraine is recommended.
According to the CITES Convention, it is necessary to obtain permits in advance for the export of any animal or plant, whether alive or dead, as well as any easily recognizable part or derivative thereof. These documents are issued by the administrative authorities of Ukraine responsible for enforcing the Convention's requirements. In this case, such documents were not provided to customs.
All stuffed animals have been confiscated, and the customs authority will refer the case materials to the court.