Conservation success: Madagascar to welcome home 1,000 rescued lemurs and tortoises

David Newton, TRAFFIC Country Director for Southern Africa, said:

“This has been one of the finest examples of cooperation between Thailand where the animals were confiscated, and Madagascar where the animals were smuggled from. Even the airlines—Qatar Airways and Airlink—which are returning the lemurs and tortoises home are doing so for free. We applaud the authorities involved for their commitment to returning these animals to their natural habitats, and urge continued action to dismantle trafficking networks.”

The groundbreaking repatriation effort, involving nearly 1,000 individual animals belonging to rare, endemic species such as radiated tortoises, spider tortoises, and ring-tailed lemurs, was announced earlier this month by Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and is the largest ever between the two countries.

These highly endangered animals were rescued by Thai Police during anti-trafficking operations in the southern province of Chumphon in May 2024, with these efforts being supported by UNODC, Wildlife Justice Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In total, 1,117 animals, both alive and deceased, were confiscated in a record seizure for the area.

TRAFFIC, which has long monitored wildlife trade between Madagascar and Southeast Asia, hailed the decision as a huge victory for conservation and critical step toward addressing the exploitation of Madagascar’s irreplaceable biodiversity.

Richard Scobey, Executive Director at TRAFFIC, said:

“Madagascar’s biodiversity is globally unique, but many of the island’s rarest species face relentless pressure from illegal trade. This repatriation effort is a true testament to the power of international collaboration in addressing the wildlife trafficking crisis."

A 2023 TRAFFIC report revealed the alarming scale of trade between Madagascar and Southeast Asia, including how species such as tortoises and lemurs are targeted for the exotic pet market. The report highlighted how Thailand is the biggest legal importer and exporter of CITES-listed wildlife from Madagascar in the whole of Southeast Asia.

With over 90% of its biodiversity found nowhere else on Earth, the illegal trade of Madagascar’s wildlife threatens to drive many of these natural treasures to extinction.

However, landmark seizures and repatriations like this offer hope. They underscore the importance of robust enforcement measures and cooperation among nations to protect threatened species, and a model for tackling illegal wildlife trade.