From the Alaska Dispatch News comes this head-scratcher:
Inspectors with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service made an unusual
discovery at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in September:
more than 200 live baby turtles.
Because of the young age
of the turtles, and the way they were being shipped, about half of the
animals have died, according to Nicole Abeln, the Anchorage Museum's
animal care technician, tasked with caring for the turtles.
Most
of the turtles belonged to species that are protected from illegal
poaching and export, according to Fish and Wildlife officials. The
reptiles were stuffed into boots, hidden away inside luggage bound for
China, according to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa, one of the facilities to receive some of the animals. Currently, about 35 turtles remain at the Anchorage Museum, where they are being cared for until federal officials find homes for them.
7 comments:
Baby turtles are a hot commodity all over the world. For a few years here in Missouri you almost never saw any because people were poaching em to sell. Seemed everyone wanted a baby turtle in an aquarium.
I doubt the Chinese wanted these for the same thing though.
Preppy - I didn't realize how "hot" they were in smuggling circles, but when we saw this story I said, "I smell soup."
Unfortunately a high percentage of smuggled animals die in the process.
Apparently not, PH. It's not right, but then crime never is.
When I was a young child I had two turtles that resembled these, but were green. (I called them Gilbert and Sullivan) At the time, this type was available at many pet shops. Later in my youth, they disappeared from the pet shops as animal rights activists took on their cause and laws were enacted which better protected them.
Even though I took excellent care of mine, both died before their normal life expectancy was reached,most likely because the frigid Northeast was simply not the right habitat for them, even indoors.
What a shame that a market for these creatures still exists. I would rather they enjoy a normal lifespan than time with me.
Cute little fellers. When we were kids we always had turtles. Could buy them in Woolworth's. They lived in an oval plastic bowl that had water, gravel, a ramp and a plastic palm tree. They even had special food and sure were fun to watch.
Jane, I think nearly everyone of a certain age had one or two of those, back then - and you're right; they didn't live very long in captivity. Like most critters, we should admire them from a distance.
Chickenmom, I don't think the smugglers had cute pets in mind. And they are cute. :)
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