Colombian authorities intercepted 130 poisonous frogs at Bogota airport on Monday, leading to the arrest of a Brazilian woman who was transporting them; the colorful harlequin poison frogs (Oophaga histrionica) were concealed inside film containers as the woman traveled to Sao Paulo via Panama.
She "claimed that a local community had given them as a gift," Bogota Environment Secretary Adriana Soto said in a video shared with media.
Harlequin frogs are venomous, measure less than 5 centimeters (2 inches), and live in damp forests along the Pacific coast between Ecuador and Colombia, as well as in other countries in Central and South America.
"This endangered species is sought after in international markets," said Bogota Police Commander Juan Carlos Arevalo, adding that private collectors might pay up to $1,000 for each.
The police reported that the woman carrying the frogs was arrested "for the crime of wildlife tracking" before being handed over to the prosecutor's office.
Animal trafficking is common in Colombia, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, especially among amphibians, small mammals and marine animal parts, such as those of sharks.
