Peru seizes more than 3,000 tarantulas at Lima airport

Peruvian authorities seized more than 3,000 tarantulas from luggage belonging to three travelers at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport on November 3, detaining two German nationals and one Polish national in a suspected wildlife-trafficking case. Customs officers searched the travelers’ suitcases after authorities received an anonymous tip. The spiders were concealed in socks and plastic containers, according to officials. The three were preparing to travel from Peru; reports said the Germans were bound for Düsseldorf and the Polish traveler for Krakow. Authorities said the passengers’ flights were linked. The seized animals included eggs, young spiders and adults. Cora Suárez, a wildlife control technician with Peru’s National Forestry and Wildlife Service, said the specimens represented different species and stages of development, including some that may not yet have been described scientifically. She said tarantulas can attract collectors because of their colors and size. Authorities have not established the travelers’ individual roles, whether they had wildlife permits or who the intended buyers were. The suspected purpose of the shipment remains under...