PERTH: Authorities in Western Australian have stopped two Japanese men from attempting to smuggle 30 lizards out of the country.
The men were caught as they tried to fly out of the Perth International Airport after putting the lizards in their checked baggage. It is estimated the reptiles could fetch up to $130,000 on the Asian black market.
Rick Dawson from the Department of Parks and Wildlife says the lizards were taken from all over the state. “We believe that a lot were taken around the metropolitan area,” he said. “You can’t pick up Australian wildlife so if you see someone picking it up then you should inform the department.”