Fourteen juvenile keel-billed toucans seized from an illegal wildlife trafficking operation have been successfully rehabilitated at the Bronx Zoo after nearly a year of care. The birds arrived in July severely malnourished and injured, following their rescue at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on the California-Mexico border, where they had been smuggled into the United States.

Federal authorities uncovered the toucans—aged three to four months—concealed in a vehicle’s dashboard, where they were sedated, wrapped in cloth, and secured with duct tape. Many were found in poor condition, suffering from malnutrition as well as broken tails and legs, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Carlos Abundez, 35, pleaded guilty to smuggling the birds, which are considered near threatened and have an estimated black-market value of $5,000 each. In April, Abundez was ordered to pay $74,330 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund, which supports whistleblowers combating illegal trafficking of wildlife and plants.

The Bronx Zoo’s Wildlife Conservation Society led a months-long rehabilitation effort involving its Ornithology and Zoological Health Departments. “These toucans arrived in a severely compromised state after enduring stressful and inhumane conditions during illegal transport,” said Chuck Cerbini, the zoo’s curator of ornithology. He credited the animal care and veterinary teams for stabilizing and restoring the health of the birds.

Now fully recovered and capable of independent flight, the group consists of ten males and four females. Most have been relocated to other zoos across the United States, while four will remain at the Bronx Zoo for public viewing and breeding purposes. Two of the males, previously treated for broken legs, are on display in the zoo’s “World of Birds” exhibit. The remaining male-female pair is being housed separately as a potential breeding pair.

This rehabilitation project follows other notable cases at the Bronx Zoo, including the recent recovery of a red fox that boarded a cargo ship from England and was discovered after a 14-day journey when the ship docked in New York. Zoo officials reported the fox appeared healthy following screening.

The toucan rescue highlights ongoing challenges in combating illegal wildlife trafficking and the efforts of conservation institutions to provide care and sanctuary for animals affected by these criminal activities.