International Shipping with Long transit time

Hello Everyone!

I have a collaborator in Pakistan that has been willing to catch and send me several Indian Skitter Frogs (Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis), which are a small aquatic/semi aquatic frog species (about 50 cm SVL). My lab is having world courier handle the actual transport of the frogs from Pakistan to the US.

However, neither I nor my collaborator have ever shipped frogs before, nevermind internationally. In addition, I have been informed the transit time will probably be a minimum of 3 days. Do any of you have any advice as to how the frogs should be packed to ensure maximal survival? I know shipping in the summer months isn't the best, and if necassary the shipping can be postponed to fall, but I am very worried about them being in transit for so long.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!

There's more involved than just the transport of the frogs.
First off as long as they're not the Indian Bull Frog, then they're not CITES species. Meaning no special (CITES) permit is required from the U.S. or Pakistan.
However, a US Fish and Wildlife inspection will still need to be done at a designated port in the U.S. once the shipment arrives to comply with wildlife laws. The price is around $150-$200 for this inspection.
If it's a commercial import then you'll be required to have your US Fish & Wildlife import/export license which is $100. You'll need to have this setup BEFORE you plan any importation as it does take months to get.

Your source in Pakistan would also need to check as to what (if any) is required to export these frogs out of the country.

Now that's the legality end of it all. With regards to transit time, I'm thinking 3 days is certainly pushing it for such fragile species. How come you can't have it sent via a major airline within 1 day instead of a courier service? I certainly would not risk 2+ days in transport.

As for packing techniques, there are several "how to" videos on YouTube that are fantastic.

Thanks for the advice!

We have the permit stuff almost entirely figured out. The species is not CITES listed, and there is no special permission required for bringing into the US. To leave Pakistan, we needed a No Objection Certificate from the Pakistan Ministry of Climate Change, which we have arranged. The shipment is for a non-profit research institution as well, so that removes some of the permit requirements.

Would 3 days transport really be pushing it that much? I am really not sure how fragile the species will be to transport, but they are the junk species of Asia, so I am hoping they are pretty hardy. My adviser has used world courier in the past for shipping reptiles, which is part of the reason we want to use them. Its also nice to have ensured that the frogs will always be in a temperature controlled environment, which world courier said they do their best to arrange.

I guess I'm just looking for any tips (if there really are any) for long transit times. I will try to look into seeing if there is any way to cut it down, however.

Thanks again!

Great to hear you've done a check on what's required from Pakistan.

With that said, I personally wouldn't be comfortable with 3 days transit (and I believe you said 3 days 'minimum').

How come you can't use a major airline as most do for international shipments so that it's 1 day transit, and at the most 2.

Provide moistened moss in their individual containers; use a well constructed insulated box, label it well (ie. Keep at room temp / Live Amphibians - wildlife etc), and provide cold packs if necessary, and I believe it would be.

Hope this helps.