Nearly 30,000 trafficked animals were rescued in a monthlong global operation led by Interpol

(Alligator Wildlife and Discovery Center)

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Nearly 30,000 live animals were rescued in a monthlong global operation against wildlife trafficking that resulted in a record number of seizures, the international police body Interpol said on Thursday.

Operation Thunder 2025 from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 involved law enforcement agencies and wildlife and forestry authorities from 134 countries and resulted in more than 4,600 separate seizures that included tens of thousands of protected animals and plants and tens of thousands of cubic meters of illegally logged timber.

The animals rescued included 6,160 birds, 2,040 tortoises and turtles, 1,150 reptiles, 208 primates and 10 big cats, including endangered tigers, Interpol said.

Wildlife trafficking for animals’ body