taxidermy
© Spanish Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty ImagesPolice inspect some of the stuffed animals seized in Bétera.
Police in Spain have seized one of the largest hauls of taxidermy animals in Europe as they investigate potential smuggling, after a warehouse in Valencia was found to contain stuffed rhinos, polar bears, elephants and other animals.


Comment: And expertly done too; likely for discerning, and wealthy, clientelle. It's probably no surprise that we rarely see them convicted.


The Guardia Civil discovered more than 1,000 specimens in a 50,000 sq metre (538,000 sq ft) industrial warehouse in Bétera, Valencia, on Wednesday, it said in a statement on Sunday.

The haul included more than 400 protected species, including some that have been extinct in the wild, such as the scimitar oryx, or severely threatened, such as the Bengal tiger. Others included lions, leopards, cheetahs and lynx.

taxidermy
© Spanish Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty ImagesInvestigators estimate the stuffed animals are worth nearly €30m (£25m).
The warehouse owner was under investigation for smuggling and crimes against flora and fauna, police said. He has not been arrested.

Investigators estimate the stuffed animals are worth €29m (£24.2m).

The discovery was the culmination of an investigation by Valencia police's nature protection team that began in November 2021 when agents became aware of a possible private collection in Bétera.