Spain warehouse bust: 1,000 stuffed animals found

A Spanish businessman is reportedly under investigation by Spain's Civil Guard for possible illegal possession of specimens of species under threat, or already extinct.

Of the 1,000 stuffed animals found in the under-investigation collection, over 400 are reportedly from protected species. At least one is a North African oryx, which have already gone extinct.

Stuffed animals from protected species reportedly include the addax, or white antelope, and the Bengal tiger. Cheetah, leopard, lion, snow panther, lynx, polar bear, white rhinoceros, and elephant were also found.

Almost 198 ivory tusks from elephants, and stools made from their legs were found at the collection. The stuffed animals were reportedly kept in two warehouses spread over 5,000 square metres near Valencia.

The owner could be charged with trafficking, and other crimes against the environment if legal ownership cannot be proved, as per Spanish officials quoted by news agency Associated Press.

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