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Singapore authorities seized 8.8 tons of smuggled ivory from nearly 300 African elephantsin a record $48 million haul over the weekend.
The shipment also contained 11.9 tons of pangolin scales from an estimated 2,000 of the critically endangered mammals, the National Parks Board said in a statement on Tuesday.
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The elephant tusks, the largest seizure of ivory in Singapore, was valued at $12.9 million. The pangolin scales, worth an estimated total of $35.7 million, marked the city-state’s third such seizure this year. Officials have now hauled in 37.5 tons of pangolin scales since April, the agency said.
The pangolin, which resembles a scaly anteater, is said to be the most widely trafficked mammal in the world. Its scales are made of keratin and are used in traditional medicines. They are also believed to possess magical qualities that nullify witchcraft and evil spirits, according to the African Wildlife Foundation.
The African elephant is listed as a vulnerable species. The growing demand for ivory has led to a surge in poaching and threatens their recovery, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
The confiscated elephant ivory and pangolin scales will be destroyed to keep them from being put on the market, the agency said.
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Singapore seizes 8.8 tons of elephant ivory in record $48 million bust
Singapore authorities seized 8.8 tons of smuggled ivory from nearly 300 African elephants in a record $48 million haul over the weekend.
www.foxnews.com
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