LONDON (AFP) - British officials have seized an illegal shipment of 50 live crocodiles at London's Heathrow Airport, the UK Border Force said on Friday (May 4). The year-old reptiles, which arrived on a flight from Malaysia, had fought each other during the journey due to their cramped circumstances. Image copyright Home Office Image caption The crocodiles were intended for a farm in Cambridgeshire, where they were to be bred for meat

Fifty crocodiles have been seized at Heathrow airport after their transport conditions breached regulations. The animals, weighing around 40kgs, had not been packed in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations, invalidating their permit and making the importation illegal. Each of the five transportation boxes used had room for four crocodiles - but 10 foot-long animals were in each one. Image copyright Home Office Image caption Fifty crocodiles were transported from Malaysia but one has since died

Grant Miller, head of the national Border Force CITES team at Heathrow, said: "It is just not acceptable for reptiles to be transported in this way." "The crocodiles had started to fight each other during the flight as space was limited, so little attention had been paid to their welfare. “We will seize anything that contravenes CITES regulations, so this should serve as a warning to those thinking about transporting wildlife in such conditions.”

One crocodile has died since the discovery on April 27 and the remaining animals are being cared for before being re-homed. One crocodile has died since the discovery on April 27 and the remaining animals are being cared for before being re-homed.
Fifty juvenile crocodiles are seized at Heathrow Airport, London, after officials discover that they were being kept in inhumane conditions.