Woodland Park Zoo, Coal City Applauds Customs for Seizure of 347 Snakes, Scorpions
The Woodland Park Zoo is more than a tourism venture; it is a testament to the belief that conservation and economic development can coexist,” The Founder of Woodland Park Zoo, Coal City Enugu, and Chairman of Tenerife Hospitality Group, Dr. Josef Onoh , has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for intercepting and seizing 17 live scorpions and 340 snakes at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. In what has been described as a major breakthrough in the fight against illicit trafficking of endangered species, the NCS stopped the reptiles packaged for export out of Nigeria. According to the NCS Area Controller, Mike Awe , the attempt was a violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Reacting, Onoh described the seizure as a “significant victory in the battle against illegal wildlife trade,” stressing that such activities undermine Nigeria’s biodiversity, tarnish its global reputation, and destabili...