By: Aaron Li

What do corals, elephant horns, and corals have in common? They are all commonly smuggled. More on the coral’s elusive smuggling history.

Contrary to public belief, corals are minuscule invertebrates that live in colonies, not colorful rocks. They grow slowly, and only in certain climates, making them prized for their pristine colors and unique texture. As a result, they are often trafficked.

Smugglers often pose as fishermen, and illegally chip off pieces of coral from _. They then put the coral in bags of seawater and ship them to countries such as America, where they will be acquired by aquariums and collectors for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Corals are very fragile, and the small bags are very dangerous for corals. When a coral is stressed, it surrounds itself with a thick layer of mucus. Normally, this is beneficial, but when in an enclosed environment, the mucus will change the water pH and lower oxygen levels, further stressing the coral in an endless cycle.

When corals are apprehended, the authorities’ first course of action is to try to return the animals. However, returning the corals has been difficult, because it is usually unclear where the corals come from, and even if you do know, some countries aren’t willing to take them back. Thus, corals are typically sent to trusted aquariums through certain middlemen, where they will be cared for and rehabilitated.

Corals might be the most common smuggled animal, but there are also sharks, stingrays, and seahorses that are illegally imported. More and more smuggling could potentially lead to the endangerment of such animals, and even extinction.