Florida officials arrested and charged seven people in an “elaborate organized enterprise” to smuggle flying squirrels out of the state and sell them.
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said in a release that 10,000 traps were set across the state to capture 3,600 animals.
- The animals were shipped overseas “to be sold as exotic pets for hundreds of thousands of dollars,” according to the FWC.
The investigation began after the FWC received an anonymous call with a tip.
- “Southern flying squirrels are usually found in areas containing mature hardwood trees throughout much of our state. They are active only at night and have a special membrane between their front and back legs that allows them to glide from tree to tree,” according to FWC.
Interested buyers would travel to the United States from South Korea to purchase the animals, according to NBC News.
- The buyers would then venture to Chicago, where they were concealed and shipped to Asia.
- In Georgia, a courier would fly to Orlando, drive to Atlanta and then make their way to Chicago.
- So yeah, a lot of movement.