Voodoo Market Reveals Wildlife Trafficking’s Grim Reality | National Geographic

so if you care about wildlife crime you

so if you care about wildlife crime you have to understand culturally how a

have to understand culturally how a

have to understand culturally how a country thinks about wildlife you know

country thinks about wildlife you know

country thinks about wildlife you know and one of the unique aspects of togo is

and one of the unique aspects of togo is

and one of the unique aspects of togo is that voodoo is real and alive here and

that voodoo is real and alive here and

that voodoo is real and alive here and this fetish market is known around the

this fetish market is known around the

this fetish market is known around the world they told me the first time all

world they told me the first time all

world they told me the first time all our animals are roadkill they’ve died of

our animals are roadkill they’ve died of

our animals are roadkill they’ve died of natural causes and of course you don’t

natural causes and of course you don’t

natural causes and of course you don’t really believe that but you don’t want

really believe that but you don’t want

really believe that but you don’t want to disbelieve it you want to say okay

to disbelieve it you want to say okay

to disbelieve it you want to say okay there’s some mix there isn’t the pain

there’s some mix there isn’t the pain

there’s some mix there isn’t the pain behind these animals this is a cultural

behind these animals this is a cultural

behind these animals this is a cultural anthropological moment for me and

anthropological moment for me and

anthropological moment for me and they’ve got dozens and dozens and dozens

they’ve got dozens and dozens and dozens

they’ve got dozens and dozens and dozens of white face towels these beautiful

of white face towels these beautiful

of white face towels these beautiful little birds you might read how the

little birds you might read how the

little birds you might read how the Beatrix Potter and now they’re laid out

Beatrix Potter and now they’re laid out

Beatrix Potter and now they’re laid out they’re not laid out for the togolese

they’re not laid out for the togolese

they’re not laid out for the togolese religious practitioners they’re laid out

religious practitioners they’re laid out

religious practitioners they’re laid out for tourists like I was the first time I

for tourists like I was the first time I

for tourists like I was the first time I came you know they charge a fee as you

came you know they charge a fee as you

came you know they charge a fee as you come in and they’re recycling these

come in and they’re recycling these

come in and they’re recycling these animals when they weren’t paying

animals when they weren’t paying

animals when they weren’t paying attention to me I walk behind these rows

attention to me I walk behind these rows

attention to me I walk behind these rows into one of the little huts and

into one of the little huts and

into one of the little huts and immediately a boy came up to me carrying

immediately a boy came up to me carrying

immediately a boy came up to me carrying a live chameleon and I said oh I just

a live chameleon and I said oh I just

a live chameleon and I said oh I just showed the smallest interest and he

showed the smallest interest and he

showed the smallest interest and he pulled me over and he had a bucket full

pulled me over and he had a bucket full

pulled me over and he had a bucket full of live chameleons now I knew that they

of live chameleons now I knew that they

of live chameleons now I knew that they were about that they were gonna kill

were about that they were gonna kill

were about that they were gonna kill those chameleons I said what else do you

those chameleons I said what else do you

those chameleons I said what else do you have they pulled out there were boxes

have they pulled out there were boxes

have they pulled out there were boxes that people had been sitting on covered

that people had been sitting on covered

that people had been sitting on covered with rags pulled up the rags full of

with rags pulled up the rags full of

with rags pulled up the rags full of tortoises about to be killed

tortoises about to be killed

tortoises about to be killed there was a Pangolin pulled from a

there was a Pangolin pulled from a

there was a Pangolin pulled from a backroom Pangolin was already dead but

backroom Pangolin was already dead but

backroom Pangolin was already dead but not dead long and they kept it in the

not dead long and they kept it in the

not dead long and they kept it in the back room which told me they knew that’s

back room which told me they knew that’s

back room which told me they knew that’s a trafficked animal

a trafficked animal

a trafficked animal it makes me wonder if there is an ivory

it makes me wonder if there is an ivory

it makes me wonder if there is an ivory bit back there as well this is one of

bit back there as well this is one of

bit back there as well this is one of the painful things about being a

the painful things about being a

the painful things about being a wildlife investigator you’ve learned the

wildlife investigator you’ve learned the

wildlife investigator you’ve learned the truth behind lots of things that have

truth behind lots of things that have

truth behind lots of things that have this sort of novelty