Tahiti: Two alligator heads discovered in a suitcase at Faa'a airport

Customs officers at Tahiti-Faa'a International Airport discovered two taxidermied Mississippi alligator heads in an unclaimed suitcase on Tuesday, August 18. The two specimens were kept in a plastic box wrapped in bubble wrap. The luggage was on board a flight from Los Angeles.

The owner of the suitcase was identified and questioned by officers from the External Surveillance Brigade. She explained that she was unaware of the regulations governing the transport of protected species and that the heads had been given to her as souvenirs by an acquaintance. This explanation did not prevent their seizure or the imposition of a fine.

A permit is required to transport this species.

The Mississippi alligator is a species protected by the Washington Convention, known as CITES, which regulates the international trade in wild animals and plants. Crossing a border with a live, dead, or taxidermied specimen therefore requires the presentation of specific documents. The traveler did not have any permit authorizing the importation of these two heads into French Polynesia.

The species lives primarily in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Its population has recovered thanks to several conservation programs, but its trade remains strictly controlled. This seizure serves as a reminder to travelers that an item presented as a simple souvenir may belong to a protected species and be subject to an import ban.