(24 Jul 2004)
1. Exterior of animal refuge
2. Mid shot of woman feeding animals in cages
3. Various of monkeys in cages
4. Various of squirrels in cages
5. Various of turtles
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carmen Rocio Gonzalez, Veterinarian, Fund for Animal Welfare, Colombia:
"What this centre does is basically give animals all the medical assistance they need so we will know what will be the best future for each animal. It could be permanent captivity in zoos or staying here at this refuge or releasing them into the wild."
7. Various of animals in cages
8. Mid shot of turtles and small crocodile in corner of enclosure
9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carmen Rocio Gonzalez, Veterinarian, Fund for Animal Welfare, Colombia:
"Well, when we talk about insect collectors the greatest demand is in Switzerland and Germany. For example, the beetle, the greatest demand is in Japan, they use it as pets or just for food. In the United States they use iguanas and snakes as pets."
10. Various of birds in cages
STORYLINE:
The illegal trafficking of wild animals in Colombia may not receive as much international attention as drug smuggling.
But every year thousands of species captured from their natural habitats in dense jungles, mountain forests and coastlines end up in the US, Europe and Asia.
Colombia's Fund for Animal Welfare, known by its Spanish acronym DAMA, is now home to at least 2,600 mostly wild birds and reptiles - animals rescued from the black market.
According to Carmen Rocio Gonzalez, a veterinarian for the fund, the aim of the centre is to determine where to place the animals, whether to keep them in zoos and refuges or release them into the wild.
The refuge could help save some species from extinction.
Often, the smallest species of birds, reptiles and insects fetch the highest prices and are therefore the most sought after, increasing their risk of their extinction.
Only one in ten animals trafficked actually arrives at its intended destination alive.
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