Some of the species you may often expect to see on a trip to the ZSL London Zoo are monkeys, penguins, and lions.
However, if you visit the reptile house to look for the endangered Siamese crocodile, you will find something that appears far too inert to attract many zoo visitors to see it “in action.” It is a handbag created from the skin of a particular crocodile.
The bag was confiscated in 2018 at a London airport by UK border officers, who then donated it to the zoo to draw attention to the global effects of the illegal wildlife trade.
Since there are believed to be only 500 to 1,000 Siamese crocodiles left in the world due to habitat loss and hunting, the lack of live specimens at the zoo is somewhat understandable.
Even though the display ha being a while, a visitor’s recent post with a picture of the bag becoming viral on Twitter has reignited interest in the illicit trade.
Dr Ben Tapley, the curator of reptiles and amphibians, expressed his happiness that awareness was growing.
Although it’s lovely to have so many amazing animals here, Dr Tapley notes that the handbag has drawn attention.
“We wanted to make it a conversation topic and educate our tourists about it. Anything that draws attention to the illicit trade is a good thing.”
Siamese crocodiles are native to southeast Asia and Indonesia, where they can be found swimming in slow-moving rivers.
However, the trade “struck particularly hard” on the populace in the mid-to-late-20th century, when many people were sought for their skin for commercial purposes, according to Dr Tapley.
He continues that their populations are dispersed, and it is uncertain how functional they are.
According to Dr Tapley, London Zoo collaborates with governments and communities worldwide to safeguard wildlife, aid in prosecuting trafficking organizations, and lessen consumer demand for threatened animals.
At the London Zoo, there are a variety of critically endangered species, many of which are those that illegal wildlife merchants are after.
Over 3,000 animals that the UK Border Force had taken as part of its work at ports and airports have found homes at the zoo since 2000.
The 196-year-old zoo in Regent’s Park is home to hundreds of corals, Egyptian tortoises, scarlet rain frogs, green tree pythons, and other exotic animals.