Seized Illegal Taxidermy and Animal Products end up in Colorado

The unfortunate and sad truth is that there is a pretty large black market for products made from protected animals. Endangered species are poached around the world and their hides, skins, tusks, and sometimes entire bodies are made into items that are illegal in the United States.

Smuggling these items into the country is a risky task, and many times results in the products being seized. Once seized, they are typically sent to a warehouse in Colorado known as the National Wildlife Property Repository.

Colorado's National Wildlife Property Repository

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The National Wildlife Property Repository is located just outside of the Denver metro area at 6550 Gateway Rd Bldg. 128, Commerce City, CO 80022.

Believe it or not, the repository is open to the public but is by appointment only. However, because of the nature of the items inside, it is quite the opposite of a happy place to visit.

What's Inside of Colorado's National Wildlife Property Repository?

Colorado's National Wildlife Property Repository has an estimated 1.3 million seized and confiscated items which are products of once-living, protected animals.

The seized items include taxidermied animals such as big cats, bears, monkeys, and many others.

There are products made from ivory, bones, teeth, and various other parts of animal bodies as well, in addition to heads, feet, and sometimes even full bodies of protected and endangered animals.

Keep scrolling to take a look at some of the items currently inside the National Wildlife Property Repository in Colorado but be warned, many of these items are hard to even look at: