At New York airport, every day is wild for US Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors

Every day at airports, seaports and other points of entry across the nation, more than 100 wildlife inspectors examine suitcases, backpacks, purses and boxes arriving from overseas. The government employees are seeking organisms that individuals may have innocently — or intentionally — carried or shipped into the country. Their job, “to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people,” is not for the squeamish. “You gotta leave your stomach at the door,” said Aziz, who wears blue disposable gloves in the field. Although the officers’ arrows are precise, their target is expansive. They hunt for flora and fauna that rogues are trying to sneak into the country through common channels such as commercial airlines and the U.S. Postal Service. They confiscate illegal souvenirs from ill-informed tourists. They scrutinize documents and licenses required for specific plants and animals, and — cue the “Law and Order” theme music — will chase down the perpetrators if necessary...more