While the documents and permits were collected, the turtles continued to be cared for at ACRES. Another challenge is the fact that, in many countries, legal protection is limited to native species. Although smuggling an Indian star tortoise into a country is illegal even thanks to CITES, once a star tortoise has invaded many countries – including Thailand and Indonesia – it is not protected. This means that authorities may not be able to investigate and prosecute the purchase, sale and possession of smuggled animals. “Animals are often wrapped in cloth and packed in suitcases,” the authors write. “However, in order not to be detected by law enforcement, some are also placed in boxes filled with a top layer of `mask` made from other legal products such as fruits, vegetables, shellfish and fish.” The Indian star tortoise is not currently classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the international body that sets the conservation status of species worldwide. But it is on track to be classified as “vulnerable,” said van Dijk, who is also part of IUCN`s expert group on turtles and turtles, which assesses the conservation status of India`s star tortoise. It took a lot of time and effort to get so close to this man. In these communities, everyone knows everyone and foreigners stand out.
Our field investigators in India have a history of coverage, which means they can spend time with him without arousing too much suspicion. But it took weeks to get close enough to the illegal trader feared by residents of small communities in these remote villages. Dr Neil DâCruze, Head of Wildlife Research at World Animal Protection, said: “We were shocked by the scale of the illegal trade in turtles and the cruelty inflicted on them. More than 15 years ago, wildlife experts warned that the domestic trade in Indian star tortoises must be curbed before it could establish itself as an organized international criminal operation. During a seizure in Bangkok, Thailand, Indian star tortoises were part of a shipment of 521 tortoises worth about $70,000. That`s about $159 per animal. Investigations targeting actors higher up the trade chain – rather than simply punishing often vulnerable (and replaceable) actors – have been repeatedly highlighted by wildlife trade experts as an important missing piece of the law enforcement puzzle. But tracking money to dig up such groups can be difficult, Louies said, as traders often negotiate regarding the product rather than exchanging money.
“I`ll send you star turtles, you`ll give me fish.” One study provided evidence of the flourishing illegal trade in turtles smuggled into crates, hidden under foods such as vegetables or fish. Photo: AP Along the way, turtle shipments sometimes receive false documents stating they were bred in captivity. This facilitates trade with Americans and Europeans, who are also big customers of the type where wildlife laws are enforced. World Animal Protection researchers have found that more than 55,000 turtles are poached each year at a single site in southeastern India. Working closely with the Karnataka Forest Department and other government agencies and departments, Wildlife SOS and ACRES facilitated all necessary documents and permits to facilitate a unique repatriation mission that will bring 51 Indian star tortoises back to their natural habitat in Karnataka. My husband started chatting with his ex during lockdown Indian star tortoises are found in forested areas near villages in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. After passing through a number of middlemen, these turtles are then transported by rail or road to the East Indies, from where they are shipped to other Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and China. Sometimes international passengers also act as couriers, the researchers write. Now, reptile experts and the wider conservation community are worried.
The illegal trade in Indian star tortoises has exploded. In 2004, it was estimated that approximately 10,000 to 20,000 were illegally taken from the wild throughout the turtles` range, which includes India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Pednekar believes that illegal trade will decrease if India launches a selective breeding program and monitors it. You are pretty. They are harmless. And they don`t give you salmonella, unlike the once popular pet, the red-eared sliding turtle. Indian star turtles are now the stars of the pet trade. The team found that in the western Indian state of Gujarat, star tortoises were openly kept as pets, largely because people saw them as a good omen. Researchers, for example, found more than 100 baby star turtles in a single household. Lord.
Gajender Sharma, Director of World Animal Protection for India, said: “Although India has been protected since the 1970s, legal `loopholes` in other Asian countries such as Thailand and China appear to be undermining India`s enforcement efforts. They smuggle out of the country in a confined space. It is clear that there is little or no concern for the welfare of these reptiles. The turtle is protected both in India, where it is illegal to possess or trade it for commercial purposes, and internationally. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which governs international trade in wild fauna and flora, requires an export permit from their country of origin to ensure that their trade does not affect population numbers. The survival of the Indian star tortoise is threatened by the booming illegal trade, which is increasing due to international demand for them as exotic pets, wildlife experts have warned.