United States Wildlife Trafficking Assessment

US air trafficking instances most frequently included birds (38%) and reptiles (20%), followed by marine products (18%) and mammals (16%). Known US trafficking instances of birds and reptiles overwhelmingly involved live animals. Known bird trafficking instances along US air routes, which most commonly involved shipments of finches, frequently originated in Guyana and were transported in checked luggage or on the passenger’s person. Known reptile trafficking instances along US air routes, including shipments of box turtles, black-breasted turtles, pythons, and cobras, primarily originated in Asia (particularly China) and were transported through air freight and mail.