Western Washington Man Found With Prohibited Newts

A Whatcom County man may face charges after Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police seized 16 illegally trafficked newts carrying a potentially transmissible disease.

Authorities say the unidentified man from Everson, possessed prohibited Anatolia and marbled newts.  State law prohibits the Anatolia newt and marbled newt from being possessed, introduced, or trafficked without authorization in Washington. These newt species are classified as prohibited Level 3 invasive species, which categorizes non-native aquatic animals that pose a moderate-to-high risk to the environment and require management to prevent their spread.

Investigators linked the case to a larger national concern.  Federal officials say a Boston-area amphibian dealer had been importing infected animals from Europe, exposing hundreds of reptiles and amphibians to a potentially deadly pathogen not previously found in the U.S.  Some of those animals were shipped across the country including to Washington.

Working with federal and Massachusetts officials, WDFW Police traced the shipments and located the newts.

“These coordinated state and federal efforts prevented the introduction and spread of a high-risk invasive species and a potentially devastating amphibian pathogen in Washington,” said Justin Bush, WDFW Aquatic Invasive Species Division Manager. “If introduced to the wild, either could have caused severe ecological damage and triggered costly long-term management efforts. This case underscores the importance of early detection and rapid response.” 

The suspect now faces two gross misdemeanor charges of unlawful use of invasive species.  If convicted, he could face up to a year in jail and fines of up to $5,000 per count.

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