Malaysia Wildlife Trafficking Assessment

In 2019, reports of marine species and bird trafficking instances increased. The top origin countries for reptile trafficking instances, which usually involved live animals, included India, Madagascar, and China. Reptile shipments were primarily turtles, including black pond turtles, red-eared sliders, and Chinese pond turtles, as well as Indian star tortoises, radiated tortoises, and ploughshare tortoises. These trafficking instances frequently used checked luggage, although a significant number of live animals have also been smuggled through air freight and on the passenger’s body. The total numbers reflect the scale of the trade—almost 16,000 turtles and tortoises were smuggled in known Malaysian air trafficking instances over the five years.