By: Serena Zhang

Corals are one of the many wild animals targeted by traffickers and U.S officials are looking for ways to prevent smuggling and save corals.

Corals are not plants, but actually sea creatures that live in large groups in many of the world’s coral reefs. Corals provide a habitat for other marine life as well as filtering the ocean waters in reefs all over the world. They form the foundation and are keystone species of the ocean ecosystems around the world.

The loss of healthy corals impacts the whole ecosystem relying on them. Coral reefs are home to nearly a quarter of marine life, including millions of species of fish, clams, lobsters, turtles, crabs, and much more. The loss of living corals means the loss of many other marine plants and animals.

“Wildlife trafficking is a serious crime that impacts imperiled species throughout the world,” said Martha Williams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director.

The growth of illegal coral smuggling in the U.S concerns marine researchers and wildlife officials. More than 25 coral species are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and thus under federal law.

This makes coral smuggling and trading illegal. Still, illegal coral trading is done all over the United States. Ashley Skeen, wildlife inspector for the U.S. The Fish and Wildlife Service says, “The U.S. is the primary market for marine corals.”

Until the smuggling case is dismissed, wildlife officials continue to work towards reducing the demand for illegal coral trade and caring for the smuggled animals. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service works with aquariums all over the United States that help house the corals.

Wildlife inspectors have also worked with other federal agencies to process over 160,000 legal shipments of wildlife products to seize the illegal shipments at U.S ports of entry and exits. According to U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Confistications Network allows workers to coordinate the placement and care of the smuggled live animals. This service will enhance the efforts to effectively reduce the amount of illegal wildlife trafficking including corals.