The carettochelys insculpta, commonly known as the pig-nosed turtle, is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The freshwater reptile is restricted to the Northern Territories of Australia and the southern lowlands of New Guinea.
Despite the legal protection, the turtles are in high demand internationally for the exotic pet trade, food market and for traditional medicine.
Source : theturtleroom.org
Reptiles would have been worth £28,000 in black market exotic pet trade
Some of the thousands of pig-nosed turtles seized after the Malaysian bust (Reuters)
Malaysia has seized 3,300 rare pig-nosed turtles after intercepting an attempt to smuggle the highly endangered species into the country by sea.
Seven packages of the turtles were found during a boat inspection near Johor on Malaysia’s southern coast on Wednesday.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, which carried out the swoop, also said two people had been arrested.
Authorities believe the smugglers hoped to sell the aquatic reptiles as exotic pets.
Their unique snout-shaped nose has made them popular but also put them at risk.
Because of rising demand for the turtles – which can grow to 28cm in length and weigh up to 20kg – the species is becoming increasingly endangered.
As well as feeding the exotic pet trade, pig-nosed turtles are also hunted for meat and used in traditional medicine in some Asian countries.
One study by researchers at the University of Canberra in Australia estimated the global population of the turtles has plummeted by 50% since 1981.
A report in 2014 by the conservation group Traffic concluded as many as two million pig-nosed turtle eggs were collected each year, and more than 80,000 live turtles had been seized from smugglers between 2003 and 2013.
Malaysia is considered a major transit point for the illegal trafficking of endangered species to other parts of Asia.
Source : independent.co.uk
Pig-nosed turtles confiscated by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) off the southern coast of Johor, are shown by an officer in Johor, Malaysia February 27, 2019. Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency/Handout via REUTERS
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian authorities seized about 3,300 rare pig-nosed turtles on Wednesday suspected of being smuggled into the Southeast Asian country.
The turtles, found in Australia and on the Indonesian island of Papua, are endangered due to high demand from exotic pet traders, wildlife experts said.
Seven packages of turtles were discovered during a boat inspection near Johor on Malaysia’s southern coast, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement, adding that two people were arrested.
The value of the seized turtles was estimated at 150,000 ringgit ($36,909), the agency said.
“We believe they were brought into the country to be sold as exotic pets,” an MMEA spokesman said.
Apart from being sold as live pets, conservationists say the pig-nosed turtle is often hunted for meat consumption and for use in traditional medicines in some Asian countries.
Malaysia is considered a major transit point for the illegal trafficking of endangered species to other parts of Asia.
Source: reuters.com
Smugglers were arrested in Malaysia on Wednesday with some 3,300 endangered turtles aboard their boat, officials said, as the country battles to clamp down on the burgeoning illicit wildlife trade.
Malaysia has in recent years developed a reputation as a transit point for trafficked animals. This haul comes two weeks after authorities seized a record 30 tonnes of pangolins and their scales.
The two unidentified smugglers were stopped by the coastguard just after midnight off the southern state of Johor.
“Seven packages containing about 3,300 turtles were believed to be… brought in to be sold in the country,” senior coastguard official Commander Mohammad Othman said.
The seized turtles were estimated to be worth about 150,000 ringgit ($37,000) and the case is now being handled by wildlife officials, he said in a statement.
Othman did not say where the smugglers might have come from.
The animals were identified as the pig-nosed turtle, a freshwater species classified as “endangered” by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and found in the south of Indonesia’s Papua and Papua New Guinea as well as in northern Australia.
The species is in high demand in Singapore and China, where they are sold as exotic pets and sometimes end up in food markets.
Wildlife trafficking watchdog Traffic Southeast Asia called the number of turtles seized “incredible”, adding that it was a big concern for the species, which is only found in a limited area and is heavily threatened by trade.
“There is a need to look into whether there is a demand for these pets here and whether it would be sent further on to other markets,” said the group’s senior communications officer Elizabeth John.
“We hope the investigation into the case leads to more intel on smuggling patterns from Indonesia and neighbouring countries,” she said.
©Daniil/AdobeStock
Malaysia seizes 3,300 rare turtles from a boat in suspected trafficking case
Malaysian authorities seized about 3,300 rare pig-nosed turtles on Wednesday suspected of being smuggled into the Southeast Asian country.
The turtles, found in Australia and on the Indonesian island of Papua, are endangered due to high demand from exotic pet traders, wildlife experts said.
Seven packages of turtles were discovered during a boat inspection near Johor on Malaysia’s southern coast, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement, adding that two people were arrested.
The value of the seized turtles was estimated at $36,909, the agency said. “We believe they were brought into the country to be sold as exotic pets,” an MMEA spokesman said. Apart from being sold as live pets, conservationists say the pig-nosed turtle is often hunted for meat consumption and for use in traditional medicines in some Asian countries.
Malaysia is considered a major transit point for the illegal trafficking of endangered species to other parts of Asia.
(Reuters reporting by Rozanna Latiff; editing by Darren Schuettler)
Source : marinelink.com
