WASHINGTON - THE federal tribe has spoken: A contaminated monkey skull, termite-infested statues and other African artifacts of the so-called reality television show Survivor will not be allowed into the United States.

Officials disclosed on Monday that customs inspectors in Texas seized a variety of restricted items that were being shipped to the United States in a container belonging to the CBS reality show.

Among the items: the hide from an African cat suspected of carrying a dangerous disease, a mandrill monkey skull, civet hides, parrot, poultry and ostrich feathers, bones and cowrie shells.

The 17th edition of Survivor was taped in the West African nation of Gabon, from where the container was shipped. The final episode was aired on Sunday night.

The imports were seized on Nov 18 because of the possibility that they were contaminated with pests and disease that could harm US agriculture, according to officials.

Civet cats are mongoose-like animals that are a delicacy in China and are suspected of spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome - Sars - to humans. Inspectors also found wooden statues with termites.

The restricted goods were fumigated by the Agriculture Department, said Customs spokesman Yolanda Chaotes. She said the prohibited items were sent away from the US and no decision has been made about penalties on the importer.

Mr Jeffery Baldwin Sr, Customs' director of field operations at the Houston port, said: 'Introducing an exotic disease or pest could harm our citizens or devastate our agriculture crops.' Officials from Survivor did not return immediate requests for comment.

Contestants are eliminated from the show each week with the mantra: 'The tribe has spoken.' -- AP