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Lion Paws turned into Bottle Openers
Seizure of a hunting trophy, London, 2023
Category - Humanity vs Nature
Two lion paws were turned into bottle openers for a trophy hunter and seized by customs during a global law enforcement operation at Heathrow Airport, London. Operation Thunder is an annual initiative led by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO) to combat illegal wildlife and forestry trafficking. It brings together customs, police, border control, and environmental authorities worldwide to disrupt criminal networks, seize endangered species and illegal timber, and identify suspects. The operation involves officials from over 100 countries working across borders. In 2025, Operation Thunder recorded its highest participation rate since the campaign was launched in 2017. Over just three weeks, coordinated enforcement efforts resulted in around 500 arrests and thousands of confiscations of animals and plants protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
32 mm f/2.8 Lens - 1/60 sec at f/3.2 ISO 200