Eels on the Loose: Live Eels Break Out of Cargo Plane at Vancouver Airport

July 12, 2024 TruthUSA

Live eels were seen writhing on the tarmac at Vancouver airport on July 7 after the container they were being transported in broke during handling.

The shipment had originated from Toronto and was en route to Vancouver, as stated by Air Canada in a media release. The incident occurred on Sunday, July 7, according to YVR’s media relations as reported by The Epoch Times.

The incident gained widespread attention after a video of the eels on the tarmac surfaced on the social media platform X. The video depicted multiple eels squirming around the plane’s apron, with one eel even sliding down the ramp. In the background, someone could be heard screaming.

The eels were promptly collected and safely repackaged, causing no disruptions to airport operations, according to an email response from YVR to The Epoch Times.

Air Canada also reached out to the customer regarding the incident.

Air Canada Cargo’s policies allow for the shipment of warm- and cold-blooded live animals, with exceptions for certain species, as detailed in the company’s guidelines.

In Ontario, a special licence is required to transport live fish from the province’s waters, unless they are baitfish. British Columbia mandates a permit for the import, possession, and transport of live wildlife in the province.

Eels are fish characterized by their long, snake-like bodies and fins that run along their entire length. In Canada, two common eel species are classified as species of concern.

The American eel (Anguilla rostrata), primarily found in Eastern Canada, is currently listed as threatened by Ontario and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Consideration is being given to including it on the list of wildlife species at risk. More information can be found here.

Less common than the American eel, the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has a level 2 (Appendix II) protection status under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international wildlife protection agreement.

Permits are required for trade to ensure the conservation of this species, as unregulated trade may pose a threat of extinction, in accordance with the treaty.

At the time of publication, Air Canada had not responded to an inquiry about the species of eels involved in the incident or the purpose of the shipment.

Source link