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Once officials began investigating, they uncovered 10 Asian scorpions hidden inside a toy intended for wildlife trafficking.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made an unusual discovery while inspecting packages traveling from Hong Kong to Tennessee.
Inspectors in Memphis received a tip about a suspicious package shipped from Hong Kong in February, according to a press release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Once officials began investigating, they uncovered 10 Asian scorpions hidden inside a toy intended for wildlife trafficking.
All 10 of the confiscated venomous scorpions in Memphis, Tennessee.
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Facebook)
Officials found five species of the Mesobuthus genus, a venomous scorpion.
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All 10 of the scorpions were found dead, and wildlife personnel seized and froze the creatures for evidence for further investigation.
Wildlife officials uncover 10 venomous scorpions in Memphis.
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Facebook)
The estimated number of scorpion stings to occur in the U.S. is 1.2 million per year, according to the National Library of Medicine.
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"Shipping venomous animals without the proper licensing, documentation and package marking and labels poses serious safety risks to express carrier workers, inspectors and the public," a statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
![Male venomous scorpion found by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.]()
Image 1 of 2A male venomous scorpion found by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Facebook)
![Wildlife officials seize and freeze the creatures for use as evidence in wildlife trafficking cases.]()
Image 2 of 2Wildlife officials seize and freeze the creatures for use as evidence in wildlife trafficking cases. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Facebook)
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This type of wildlife smuggling can not only harm the animals themselves, but also seriously threatens the lives of workers transporting these packages.