Sydney Morning Herald
Colombia exports exotic creatures
Jun 19 -- Colombia, one of the world's most biologically diverse countries, has begun selling rare animals to other countries, a "biocommerce" viewed with unease by environmentalists.
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The fledgling exports of exotic local fauna - especially butterflies, beetles, fish and frogs - to countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates - is being undertaken by 1250 small Colombian companies, according to figures kept by the state-run Export Promotion Fund.
But they have competition from illegal traffickers.
"Tinny", a trumpet beetle born in a nursery in the central province of Boyaca, has been a denizen of Kairakuen park in the Japanese city of Mito for the past two months. Its owner, Keiko Sato, travelled last week to a farm in rural Tunja, Colombia to find it a mate.
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