An attempt of illegal export of 15 Australian lizards concealed in parcels has been prevented by the Australian Border Force, or ABF, at the Perth International Mail Gateway in October. Officials said that the native lizards were bound for Slovakia for the blackmarket.

The rescue comes after ABF officers have tried to check three parcels upon noticing inconsistencies in x-ray images. They have found the parcels containing books and 10 spiny concealed tailed geckos, three bearded dragons and two thorny devils.

The ABF is encouraging the community to be alert on the presence of smuggling of native wildlife out of the country. The black market trade in Australian wildlife is lucrative, according to ABF Regional Commander WA Rod O’Donnell.

“Native Australian lizards such as these are highly sought after overseas and can be sold for a tidy profit by people who have little regard for their welfare,” O’Donnell said in a press release.

According to Queensland’s Department of Environment and Heritage protection, one of the critically endangered reptiles in Australia is the Gulbaru gecko, which was just discovered in 2001 and named in 2003.

The ABF aims to protect the wildlife from illegal collectors by urging the public to inform the authorities with possible attempts of wildlife smuggling. People can contact the authorities through the community hotline 1800 009 623.

The government is highly considering export of native wildlife without a permit as an illegal act. The maximum penalty of offences is a 10-year imprisonment and/or a fine of $180,000 for individuals and up to $900,000 for corporations.

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