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WWF warns: Animal souvenirs can be expensive

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Holiday souvenirs are a reminder of the most beautiful time of the year, but can lead to nasty surprises and severe penalties on the return journey. Countless souvenirs are confiscated every year at the national borders - in particular protected animals, plants or products made from them. 

"What attracts people as harmless souvenirs on the beach or at exotic markets contributes to rare species being pushed to the brink of extinction," warns Georg Scattolin, species protection expert at the environmental protection organization WWF Austria. Over 35.000 endangered animal and plant species are protected by the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Their import is either completely prohibited or only permitted with complex permits. Travelers face confiscation of the prohibited souvenirs, fines of up to 80.000 euros and, in extreme cases, even up to five years in prison. To avoid accidentally becoming a smuggler on vacation, the WWF recommends taking a look at its Souvenir guide.

Whether corals, reptiles, traditional medicinal products made from animals or tropical wood carvings - there are many souvenirs that you should keep your hands off of in order to avoid getting into trouble with the law and committing theft of nature. 25 million seahorses are killed every year for souvenir production or for use in traditional Chinese medicine. More than a million crocodiles and monitor lizards lose their lives every year for the fashion industry. "With exotic souvenirs, you generally need to be cautious. Even small and inconspicuous species can be threatened and therefore protected. If you don't buy any plant or animal souvenirs, you'll be on the safe side," advises WWF expert Georg Scattolin.

The List of problematic souvenirs is long. Memorabilia that are particularly frequently seized are:

  • Carvings, jewelry and other decorative items made of ivory, tortoise shell or protected woods
  • Various corals as well as jewelry or art objects made from them
  • Living ornamental plants such as orchids and cacti or medicinal plants such as the Indian costume root
  • Leather goods made from protected reptile species or fur products, e.g. B. the leopard
  • Sturgeon caviar (a can of up to 125 grams and CITES label may be imported for personal use without authorization)
  • Snake, scorpion or tiger bone wine
  • Seahorses, giant clams and large fencing snails over and above the permitted allowances

The WWF souvenir guide uses a simple traffic light system to inform you which souvenirs you should definitely avoid and gives tips for good alternatives: red means "keep your hands off", yellow means you need to show a permit, green means "recommended".

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