KANPUR: Sixty-seven endangered
turtles, six from the rare Chitra-Indica species and each weighing 50kg were seized from four
poachers in
Etawah on Saturday. The wildlife traffickers were nabbed following a joint operation by foresters, members of
Society for Conservation of Nature and a special operation group of UP police.
At least 55 sundari (lissemys punctata), 6 chitraindica (narrow-headed softshell turtle) and one sonia (nilssonia gangetica) turtle were seized.
Foresters later confirmed that five of the 67 turtles had died. All three species are endangered and find mention in the Red List of the
International Union for Conservation of Nature. The smugglers were arrested from near the Pilua Mahaveer temple near Yamuna river in Civil Lines area of Etawah. “The poachers were transporting the turtles to Nepal via Uttarakhand, when the consignment was intercepted by police,” said Sanjay Singh, district forest officer Etawah.
Secretary, Society for Conservation of Nature Dr Rajiv Chauhan told TOI that such heavy-weight endangered turtles have been seized for the first time in two decades. An autopsy will be conducted on the dead turtles and remaining ones will be medically examined by released in water bodies. The poachers have been booked under the
Wildlife Protection Act.
Such heavy-weight endangered turtles have been seized for the first time in two decades