MANILA, Philippines — Philippine authorities said Wednesday they cracked open a gift-wrapped package shipped from Poland to discover 757 tarantulas crammed into plastic containers. The seized tarantulas — priced at about $5,700 — are frequently sold to hobbyists as pets, Arnel Matreo, chief of the Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, told AFP. Matreo said two people who tried to claim the package were detained on charges of violating wildlife protection and customs laws. Customs officials turned over the tarantulas to the DENR's rescue center, which will take charge of the animals and identify its species. READ: 1,500 turtles seized at NAIA

Source: Philippine Star April 03, 2019 12:00 UTC