Vacationers warned about bringing home illegal souvenirs

Visiting the Caribbean? Be careful when it comes to souvenir purchases, warns World Wildlife Fund.

Every year, U.S. law enforcement officials seize thousands of illegal items from travelers returning from vacation and sometimes impose fines on violators.

Many illegal souvenirs are made from endangered species; often, wildlife products sold overseas cannot be brought into the U. S., or require permits to do so.

"Unsustainable trade is wiping out some of the very wildlife and habitat that travelers go to the Caribbean to enjoy," said Leigh Henry of TRAFFIC, WWF’s wildlife trade monitoring network.

More than 4 million Americans visit the Caribbean yearly, spending an average of $2,362 each. A new brochure called "Buyer Beware" published jointly by WWF’s TRAFFIC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, lists products to avoid in the Caribbean:

•all sea turtle products

•all spotted cat skin products

•certain leather products from caiman, crocodiles, lizards and snakes

•most live birds

•some corals and coral products

•certain orchids and cacti

To learn more, visit www.worldwildlife.org/buyerbeware.

This story was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.