Madrid, Europe Brief News – Spanish authorities have seized over 1,000 taxidermy animals, including hundreds of endangered or extinct species.
The operation is considered one of the largest hauls of its kind.
The Civil Guard said the private collection, estimated to be worth nearly €29 million, was discovered in a shed in Betera, near Valencia in eastern Spain.
Among the 1,090 animals seized, 405 are classified as protected, endangered or extinct, including the scimitar-horned oryx once found in parts of Africa.
A stuffed Bengal tiger, considered near extinction, was also found, along with cheetahs, lynxes, polar bears, white rhinos and 198 elephant tusks.
The Civil Guard said yesterday it was the country’s “largest haul of nationally-protected taxidermy animals and one of the largest in Europe”.
The owner of the collection is under investigation for smuggling and several environmental crimes.
The taxidermy animals were found in two warehouses extending more than 50,000 square metres on the outskirts of Bétera, near Valencia.
It included the extinct scimitar oryx that once roamed in parts of Africa. Other animals believed to be close to extinction were also found, including a Bengal tiger and an addax antelope.
According to the police, other species included cheetahs, leopards, lions, lynxes, polar bears, and white rhinoceros along with 198 elephant tusks.
The Civil Guard said it would investigate whether any documents exist justifying the ownership of the collection.
