Rare Striped Rabbits Seized in India and Thailand Smuggling Crackdown
Wildlife authorities in India and Thailand have intercepted 10 live striped rabbits and one dead specimen between April and July 2025. Four of these seizures took place at Indian airports, raising concerns about illegal trade. The rabbits belong to two rare species—one found in Sumatra, the other in the Annamite Mountains—both facing severe threats in the wild.
Two species of striped rabbits exist in Southeast Asia: the Sumatran striped rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri) and the Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi). The Sumatran species lives in Indonesia’s rainforests, while the Annamite rabbit inhabits the mountainous borderlands of Vietnam and Laos. Both are nocturnal, marked by distinctive black stripes, and so similar that scientists struggle to tell them apart.
The seizures highlight the growing pressure on two of Asia’s rarest rabbits. Without stronger protections, including CITES listings and tighter enforcement, their survival remains at risk. Conservationists stress that immediate steps are required to prevent their extinction in the wild.
