1,000 endangered star tortoises found in luggage!

Discussion in 'Environmental' started by Matt Rogers, Aug 27, 2003.

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  1. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Rare tortoises escape hand-luggage hell

    Vigilant Indian airport officials have found nearly 1,000 endangered star tortoises crammed into three pieces of hand luggage aboard a flight to Singapore.

    Star tortoises are a delicacy in the far-east

    They believe the 960 rare animals were destined to become delicacies served up by restaurants in the far-east.

    Airport officials acting on a tip-off discovered the tortoises in the overhead locker of a plane that was about to leave the southern Indian city of Madras.

    Two Indian men were arrested for attempting to smuggle the rare species out of the country.

    Starry humps

    According to wildlife warden K. Reddy, the men confessed to having caught the tortoises in forests in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

    Mr Reddy said each tortoise could be expected to fetch a million Indian rupees, or roughly 22,000 US dollars, amongst far-eastern consumers who value them as culinary delicacies and household pets.

    He said over 2,100 star tortoises had been seized at Madras airport during the previous month and four arrests had been made.

    The animals, which are indigenous to India, are protected by international conventions against hunting endangered species.

    They get their name from the star-like patterns on the pyramidal humps along their shell.


    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3185773.stm
     
    Matt Rogers, Aug 27, 2003
    Matt Rogers, Aug 27, 2003
    #1

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  2. Gaspare

    Gaspare Astrea Snail

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    Re: 1,000 endangered star tortoises found in lugga

    I can't get over what some people will do for money. >:( Did the article say what kind of sentence they may receive?
     
    Gaspare, Aug 28, 2003
    Gaspare, Aug 28, 2003
    #2
  3. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Re: 1,000 endangered star tortoises found in lugga

    No it doesn't. I would be surprised if they get more than a slap on the hand.

    I did notice it said 2,100 of these endangered turtles have been seized there in the past month at that airport alone in addition to the 1,000 from this bust. [smiley=worried.gif]
     
    Matt Rogers, Aug 28, 2003
    Matt Rogers, Aug 28, 2003
    #3
  4. karlas

    karlas Fire Goby

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    Re: 1,000 endangered star tortoises found in lugga

    thats part of the problem they are not tough enough on poachers and smugglers thats one reason why there are so many of them. its amazing on what people would do for money >:( >:(
     
    karlas, Oct 15, 2003
    karlas, Oct 15, 2003
    #4
  5. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Re: 1,000 endangered star tortoises found in lugga

    Very true karla.
     
    Matt Rogers, Oct 15, 2003
    Matt Rogers, Oct 15, 2003
    #5