Malaysia’s airports have become hotspots for wildlife trafficking, with thousands of animals smuggled through Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in just the last few months. Endangered primates, turtles, reptiles, and even bats have been packed into luggage and flown out of the country, often only intercepted at other airports outside the country. What’s allowing this illegal trade to thrive, and what needs to be done to stop it? We speak to Kanitha Krishnasamy, the Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, to understand the scale of the problem, and the urgent action needed to stop it.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Juliet Jacobs

Presented by: Juliet Jacobs

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Categories:  environment

Tags:  the bigger picture,  earth matters,  wildlife trafficking,  illegal wildlife trade,  poaching,  wildlife smuggling,  traffic,  Kuala Lumpur International Airport,  transboundary crime,