Inside Türkiye’s booming wildlife smuggling crisis

From baby gorillas at Istanbul Airport to crocodiles stuffed in luggage at Sabiha Gokcen, Türkiye has become a critical junction in the global wildlife trafficking network, with seizures more than doubling in the past two years.

Between 2010 and 2024, Turkish customs officials intercepted over 1.2 million live animals and animal products across 482 separate operations, according to exclusive data provided to BBC Turkish by the Ministry of Trade.

“This isn’t just a conservation issue anymore,” says Dr. Cagdan Uyar of Istanbul University. “It’s become a sophisticated criminal enterprise with economic motivations driving demand.”

The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network placed Türkiye among the top five illegal wildlife exporters to the European Union in its latest assessment, highlighting the country’s strategic position between source regions and European markets.

Wildlife trafficking now ranks as the fourth most profitable illicit trade globally, generating approximately $20 billion annually, trailing only behind drugs and human trafficking, Interpol reports.

Goldfinches, medicinal leeches are most confiscated species

Customs data reveals goldfinches and medicinal leeches top the list of confiscated species, with African grey parrots and small water turtles also frequently seized. The value of animals and animal products confiscated since 2010 exceeds 147 million Turkish lira.

The digital marketplace has revolutionized illegal wildlife trade, with e-commerce platforms, social media, and messaging apps serving as primary sales channels. Online, protected tarantulas can fetch up to 7,000 Turkish lira each, though sellers risk fines exceeding 60,000 lira per specimen if caught.

Smugglers display remarkable creativity, concealing live animals in passenger luggage, clothing pockets, and even inside toys. In one notable case this year, authorities apprehended a traveler attempting to smuggle over 100 living snakes in his pants.

Despite administrative fines ranging from 11,000 to 60,000 Turkish lira per animal, experts question whether current penalties deter sophisticated trafficking networks. Professor Osman Devrim Elvan argues that Türkiye’s fragmented legal framework fails to clearly define wildlife crimes or establish consistent sanctions.

Traffickers take advantage of Türkiye’s rare application of international conventions

An October 2024 peer-reviewed study found that Turkish courts rarely apply international conventions effectively when prosecuting wildlife trafficking cases, with existing forestry laws primarily focused on hunting rather than commercial trade.

For the animals caught in this trade, prospects remain grim. Wildlife photographer and science writer Pedram Turkoglu notes that confiscated animals “almost never” return to their natural habitats due to the complexity and cost of repatriation efforts.

“Unfortunately, very few administrations can handle that burden,” Turkoglu explains. “Consequently, these animals inevitably remain in captivity or are released locally, becoming invasive species.”

Beyond ecological damage, the surge in wildlife trafficking also elevates the risk of zoonotic disease transmission from animals to humans, potentially fueling future epidemics.

As Türkiye strengthens enforcement through specialized environmental protection teams, international cooperation initiatives like Operation Thunder continue to target trafficking networks across 138 countries, resulting in 365 arrests worldwide in 2024 alone.