You may find these animal products on vacation, but the consequences can be dire.
By Andrea Sachs
Sometimes costing upward of $500 a pound, civet coffee is one of the world’s most expensive coffees, a splurge sold in tourist shops throughout Southeast Asia. It’s also one of the most unethical souvenirs a traveler can bring home, according to animal welfare groups.
Advocates for sustainable and eco-friendly travel say the coffee, which originated in Indonesia, is produced inhumanely. The tourist attractions confine the palm civets — a catlike carnivore — in small, barren cages and force-feed them coffee cherries, which they partially digest and expel, creating the supposedly rare bean. Last spring, the Civet Project released a short film exposing the cruel conditions inflicted on the animals. The nonprofit group urges travelers not to buy the coffee, a message that applies to a wide range of products aimed at unsuspecting tourists.
When shopping for souvenirs, experts say, travelers can unwittingly cross ethical or legal lines, especially when purchasing items made from plants or animals.
“Some souvenirs are marketed as ‘traditional foods,’” Rob Perkins, a writer at Responsible Travel, a U.K.-based tour operator, said by email, “but products like shark fin, civet coffee, whale meat and pangolin involve cruelty and, in some cases, illegal poaching and may threaten endangered species.”
A handful of materials are unquestionably illegal, such as elephant ivory and tiger skins. But even legal products from wild animals can have a dire “trickling effect on the health and survival of their habitats and other species that depend on their ecological functions,” said Sarah Veatch, director of wildlife policy for Humane Society International.
In its Travelers’ Health section, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises travelers “to avoid contact with unfamiliar animals and their products, including gifts or souvenirs made of animal products that might not have been treated to ensure their safety.”
Even if a shopkeeper guarantees the souvenir is legitimate, the United States might not agree.
“Many travelers assume that wildlife products sold openly must be legal, but this is not the case,” Veatch said. “Travelers attempting to bring these products into their home countries can face legal trouble, including seizures, fines or even jail time.”
Before travelers purchase a souvenir, the World Wildlife Fund recommends that they ask the retailer about the item’s materials and provenance, whether the country allows the item to be exported, and whether the United States requires documents.
For import rules, check with Customs and Border Protection, which has a list of banned and regulated products, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which covers more than 40,000 species. Individual states might have their own wildlife regulations as well.
Here are four other common travel souvenirs you should pass on.
Queen conch shells
In the Caribbean and Bermuda, markets and shops sell piles of queen conchs, their interiors as pink and glossy as nail polish. The gastropods might appear abundant, but they are under duress in certain waters.
CITES bans conchs from countries that have not addressed their diminishing stocks, such as Grenada and Haiti. In Florida, you cannot purchase a shell with a living conch inside or with an off-center hole larger than a sixteenth of an inch in diameter through its spire.
Earlier this year, NOAA Fisheries listed the queen conch as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The agency said it is likely to become in danger of extinction “within the foreseeable future.”
As for other seashells, Veatch said, commercial collectors may sweep the ocean floor, capturing unintended creatures and disrupting the aquatic habitat. Some of the shells might be the current — or future — residences of sea life.
If you fancy some shells, don’t go overboard, or you could attract the attention of Customs and Border Protection. In December 2021, authorities seized more than 500 aquatic items from a pair of Caribbean cruisers. Their stash included five queen conch shells.
Hummingbird charms
In some traditional markets and shops in Mexico, travelers might come across “chuparosa,” small packets of dried hummingbird parts sold as love charms. According to ancient lore, the tiny birds possess magic powers that rival Cupid’s bow. In the United States, however, they will bring you bad luck — or worse. The trinket violates a host of U.S. laws, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Lacey Act and the Wild Bird Conservation Act, as well as CITES.
In an online post about chuparosas, Lori Choquette, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Intelligence Unit, warned that “illegal importation of wildlife into the U.S. also risks the spread of zoonotic diseases to endemic wildlife and human populations.”
Keep in mind that the avian preservation laws cover all bird body parts, including eggs, bones and feathers.
“Feathers are a huge draw for tourists,” Veatch said, “but any product from a species listed under the Endangered Species Act, including a feather, falls under that kind of protection.”
Camel hides and bone
Over the years, animal welfare groups have raised the alarm on camel rides in the Middle East and North Africa, pointing out how some of the pack animals are sick, dehydrated and overworked. Veatch expands that warning to tourists to include products made of camel parts, such as hide and bone.
Though camels are primarily domesticated, she said, without a deep investigation, travelers can’t confirm whether the farms are treating the animals humanely.
“Farming animals — domesticated or wild — still has a lot of welfare concerns and issues, and a lot of violations,” she said. “In many places, animal welfare regulations are still inadequate.”
Veatch said to beware bags, shoes, jewelry and mirrors accessorized with camel parts, which might be labeled as such or might not identify the type of animal at all. Ask the vendor if you’re suspicious, and if you don’t feel confident in the answer, walk away.
Caviar
Roughly 20 years ago, the United Nations banned the export of caviar from the beluga sturgeon, whose Caspian Sea population was rapidly dwindling. A year later, the agency reversed its decision. The United States, however, still forbids bringing in the roe from this critically endangered species.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which publishes the Red List of Threatened Species, estimated that beluga sturgeon catch has declined by more than 90 percent in the last three decades. Its numbers are still “decreasing,” the agency stated. The industry is experimenting with no-kill egg extraction for caviar, but the process is still in its infancy.
When entering the United States, travelers can carry 125 grams of caviar, but they must prove that the eggs came from an approved fish species. To avoid confusion or confiscation, make sure the label is nonreusable and features the name of the processing or packing plant. The tin must be sealed shut to assure the officer that the contents are as advertised.
More travel tips
Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness. Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.
Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare, including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.
Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario, from canceled flights to lost luggage. Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.
Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas, including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed. Submit your question here. Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves.