Ecuadorian authorities detained a Russian citizen at Quito airport this Friday while trying to leave the country with 32 marine iguanas hidden in her suitcase. The woman was intercepted during a security check at the airport.
The reptiles were found distributed across eight plastic containers inside the traveler's suitcase. The marine iguanas, an endemic species of the Galápagos Islands, were in a state of weakness and dehydration at the time of discovery.
Following the detention of the Russian citizen, the 32 iguanas were sent to a conservation center, where they received the necessary care. Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the circumstances of the case.
