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John Dean Baby alligators are being smuggled into Britain by holidaymakers taking part in the burgeoning illegal trade in exotic animals. A North-East rescue organisation says it has heard of the creatures being wrapped in socks concealed in luggage to avoid detection by Customs. Peter Heathcote, chief executive of the Reptile Trust at Burnopfield, County Durham, said some holidaymakers sold exotic creatures on the black market to pay for their sunshine breaks. He said tourists were being offered young caiman alligators - small enough to fit in a suitcase - on breaks to Central and South America. Another concern are tortoises, already endangered in the wild. Mr Heathcote said holidaymakers visiting Greece and Tunisia could buy four for £50, making a significant profit when they sold them in Britain. The campaigner, whose rescue centre takes creatures including alligators and snakes, said: "There is a problem with people bringing animals back from holidays. People get to the airport and someone peddles them some of these animals, and people think that if they can sell an alligator or three or four tortoises when they get back home they can probably cover the costs of their holiday abroad. "However, they do not realise that the chances of an animal dying while being carried in that way is very high. "We believe that there are many kinds of animals coming into this country which we are not hearing about. We are certainly seeing an increase not just of crocodiles and alligators but also creatures such as venomous snakes." Mr Heathcote, whose trust has handled four abandoned alligators from the North-East in the past two years, said: "Caiman alligators start small but they grow into powerful animals which can be up to six or seven feet long. When people decide they do not want them they simply abandon them." He said that some innocent holidaymakers who failed to check their bags had accidentally brought back lizards and venomous spiders. |