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Pig-nosed turtles. (tnaqua.com)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) – As the illegal trade of wildlife continues to flourish, the government needs to work harder to crack down on pet trade to protect the endangered pig-nosed turtles (Carettochelys insculpta) from extinction.

Pig-nosed turtles are in constant danger of both human and environmental threats, as a result of which their population continues to decline. Therefore, the government needs to take measures to prevent smugglers from capturing these animals.

On Wednesday, the Bakauheni seaport police in South Lampung district, Lampung province, foiled an attempt to smuggle 41 pig-nosed turtles.

The protected pitted-shelled turtles were discovered in a truck with police plate BH 8888 GU, which was en route from Jambi province in Sumatra Island to Jakarta, according to Chief of the Bakauheni seaport police Adjunct Commissioner Feria Kurniawan.

“Even though these turtles are not categorized as protected and endangered animals, they cannot be transported without legal documents. Therefore, we seized them,” he remarked.

Kurniawan noted that the seized turtles were then handed over to the Bakauheni-based agricultural quarantine office.

According to the police chief, they were able to prevent the attempt to smuggle the undocumented animals due to the routine checks carried out at the Seaport Interdiction.

He added that the sender of the turtles was identified as Aping, a resident of Jambi province, while the person receiving them was identified as Aken, a resident of Jakarta.

TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network, reported on its website http://www.traffic.org in October 2014 that intensive illegal collection of the vulnerable pig-nosed turtles as pets, food, and for traditional medicine has reached an alarming level.

It said that the pig-nosed turtle was protected under a national legislation and listed under appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, which restricts international trade in wild-caught creatures.

A 2011 study of the pig-nosed Turtles in Papua found that the species was suffering a severe decline in population due to overharvesting.

The latest study found that pig-nosed turtle eggs are collected from river banks by villagers, who incubate them in hatcheries before selling the young turtles into the global traditional medicine and pet trades.

An estimated 1.5 to 2 million eggs are collected every year, although it is believed that current figures may be considerably higher and are continuing to rise.

Minimal law enforcement at the source allows such practices to continue unhindered, which leads to the exploitation of these turtles even along remote waterways.

Moreover, international demand for the turtles is also reportedly increasing. Survey respondents spoke of companies drying and grinding the turtles into powder to supply traditional medicine markets in China and Hong Kong and of the growing online marketplace for live pig-nosed Turtles.

More than 30 seizures, amounting to more than 80 thousand individual pig-nosed turtles, took place between 2003 and 2013.

They included a massive single seizure in 2009 of 12,247 pig-nosed turtles in Timika, Papua.

More recently, 8,368 animals were discovered in several suitcases in connected seizures in Papua and Jakarta in January 2014.

“Urgent law enforcement measures are needed in Papua province to target middlemen operating in rural communities,” Regional Director of TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia, Chris Shepherd emphasized.

“We also recommend monitoring ports such as Agats, Merauke, Timika, Jayapura and Jakarta, and increasing enforcement at international points of the trade chain in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, mainland China and Hong Kong,” he noted.

Furthermore, Mimika Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Mochammad Sagi confirmed that some 10,908 pig-nosed turtles were released into their habitat in the Wania river, Paumako harbor, Mimika Timur district, Papua province, in that last few years.

“We released them into the Wania river in Paumako harbor,” he affirmed, adding that pig-nosed turtles are protected under Law Number 5/1990 on Natural Resources and Ecosystems Conservation.

The Mimika police had foiled an attempt to smuggle out the 10,908 pig-nosed turtles from Timika in 2010, and arrested two people identified by their initials as A and YW.

The police had raided YWs house in the Kamoro SP1 Timika area and seized the pig-nosed turtles after receiving a tip-off from local people.

The turtles had been poached in the Asmat region and were supposed to be transported to Jakarta.

In addition, PT Freeport Indonesia, which engages in tin, gold and silver mining operations in Mimika district, still plays a key role in the preservation of fauna and flora, including releasing the rare pig-nosed turtles.

Spokesman for PT Freeport, Ramdani Sirait said that the mining company continued its efforts towards preserving the rare animals by facilitating their release into their natural habitat in Papua.

He noted that the task was carried out by Freeport in cooperation with the Animal Saving Center Network (JPPS) in Cikananga, Sukabumi, West Java, and the Directorate General of Forestry Protection and Natural Conservation of the Forestry Ministry.

The pig-nosed turtle, also known as the pitted-shelled turtle or the fly river turtle, is a species of turtle native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea.

This species is the only living member of genus Carettochelys, subfamily Carettochelyinae and family Carettochelyidae, although several extinct carettochelyid species have been described from around the world.

The pig-nosed turtle is unlike any other species of freshwater turtles. Their feet are flippers, resembling those of marine turtles, and their nose resembles that of a pig, with nostrils that end in a fleshy snout, hence the common name.

The carapace is typically grey or olive, with a leathery texture, while the plastron is cream-colored.

Males can be distinguished from females by their longer and narrower tails.

Unlike the soft-shelled turtles of the Trionychidae family, pig-nosed turtles retain a domed, bony carapace beneath their leathery skin, rather than a flat plate.
(.TO001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Source : antaranews.com

The thwarting of attempted smuggling of contraband pig-snouted turtles in Mozes Kilangin Airport some time ago subsequently led to the uncovering of an illegal trafficking ring  in Bali and Jakarta. After the pig-snouted turtle hatchlings were seized, they were immediately sent to Timika. In conjunction with Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA) and the local Animal Quarantine agency, PTFI by way of the environmental and nature conservation section of its Environmental Department again assisted and facilitated efforts to return this wildlife to their natural habitat in Papua.

Following their seizure, the turtles were held and restored to health in an animal quarantine compound for several weeks. Having recovered, they were ready to be returned to their natural habitat in the waters of Asmat Regency. The release of the turtles into the wild was carried out under a collaboration between the Environmental Ministry’s Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation and Papua BBKSDA, with support from  PTFI.

On Saturday (7/2), the pig-snouted turtles were put aboard an Airfast helicopter belonging to PTFI, and flown to Asmat Regency. Upon arriving in Asmat Regency’s Ewer Airport, the turtles were then transported by speedboat to Agats. The release into the wild of 6,350 pig-snouted turtle hatchlings was carried out on Sunday (8/2) in the Rawa Baki marshlands in Kampung Atsi, Agats District, Asmat Regency.

Papua BBKSDA chief Gulung Nababan who personally oversaw the release-into-the-wild effort in Asmat said, “Pig-snouted turtles are vulnerable to illegal trafficking because of the high price they fetch. This rare and endangered animal is even smuggled abroad, to China, Thailand and Japan. This imposes on us a great and challenging responsibility. Pig-snouted turtles are only found in the waters of southern Papua. If massive trafficking of the pig-snouted turtles is allowed to continue, at some point they will become extinct. Maximum collaboration is needed among the police, the quarantine agency, BKSDA and the government. We (BKSDA) exercise extreme caution in handling this matter in light of the interests involved; a protection and conservation system is needed to allow us to conserve the turtles, which are endemic to the Asmat region, in their natural habitat.”

On the same time, Gulung Nababan also like to thank to PTFI who have helped and cooperated since the last few years. “I as a representative of Papua BBKSDA thank to PT Freeport Indonesia which has been facilitated, ranging from the delivery from Jakarta, Bali and until the release in their home areas.” He said.

The release into the wild of the pig-snouted turtles has elicited positive response from the Asmat government. Asmat Regency Third Assistant to the Regional Secretary, Muhammad Iqbal greeted the arrival of the pig-snouted turtles at the Agats port on Saturday (7/2). Muhammad Iqbal thanked all involved for their hard work, and PTFI for its support in returning the animals to their natural habitat.

Since 2006, PTFI has been facilitating the repatriation of pig-snouted turtles, as part of commitment by the company operating in Papua towards conserving the region’s high level of biodiversity. PTFI has been working together with the Forestry Ministry’s Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation by way of BBKSDA Papua since 2006. In 2013, 26,000 pig-snouted turtles were released into the wild. In early 2014, the company again participated in a collaboration to release 2,534 turtles into the Otakwa waters in Mimika Timur District,  and another 5,553 into the Rawa Baki marshland in Asmat.

This aquatic animal is native to Indonesia, specifically to Papua. The pig-snouted turtles (Carettochelys insculpta), also known as fly-river turtles are to be found in the rivers of Papua. The turtles are full aquatic animals in that they live their entire lives in water. The turtles only venture on land when they are about to lay eggs. A distinct feature of the turtles is their webbed feet, similar to those of sea turtles, which make them well-adapted to aquatic life.  The turtles acquired their ‘pig-snouted’ name from the similarity of their snouts with those of pigs. They have thicker shells (carapaces) than most other turtles, although they are closer to the soft-shell species. Also like other turtles, their upper bodies are covered by a carapace, and they have dark grey feet, while their lower bodies are of a brighter color, providing them with camouflage against predators. Pig-snouted turtles grow to a considerable size, and can weigh up to 22.5 kg and attain a length of 56 cm. (Hendrikus)

Source : ptfi.co.id

A pig-nosed turtle on display at an aquarium in Singapore. The aquarium in the Chinese Gardens holds the biggest selection of turtles in the world Credit: Flickr/wilth

This amazing animal is the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta), a native to the freshwater rivers, streams and lagoons of the Northern Territory in Australia and parts of southern New Guinea. With its delicate piggy snout, webbed flippers and beautiful colors, this turtle gives to show yet again why Australia is home to some of the world’s wackiest creatures. And although it might not be as cute or majestic as an arctic fox, the pig-nosed turtle is as adorable as they get.

The sex is the animal is determined by the egg’s temperature, and when matured it can grow to 70cm in size and 20kg in weight. But what’s the deal with the snout? Apparently it pokes it out above the water’s surface, while keeping the rest of its body submersed. While less striking, its paddle-shaped flippers are also interesting and sort of atypical. These are usually seen in marine turtles, yet the pig-nosed turtle dwells in freshwater. In fact, some researchers believe its family, Carettochelyidae, represents an evolutionary link between freshwater and marine turtles. Sadly, the pig-nosed turtle is the only species left in its family, and it too is in danger of disappearing.

Its unusual appearance makes it particularly vulnerable since many seek to keep the turtles as pets. Demand is kept high also by rumors of their supposed medicinal properties among Asian communities (the rhino is another species being slaughtered in the name of superstition and pseudo-science). According to Traffic, an international watchdog group that monitors the wildlife trade, some two million wild pig-nosed turtle eggs are illegally collected by the locals of Papua in New Guinea every year and sold internationally as hatchlings, which can sell on the international market for $39-$56 each. Carla Eisemberg from the University of Canberra reports that in some areas of Papua, locals are harvesting more than 95 percent of the content of these wild nests (study).

To avoid the extinction of the species, Chris Shepherd, regional director of Traffic in Southeast Asia, is calling for “urgent enforcement action in Papua”. Governments must increase the number of inspectors along the international points of trade chain in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, mainland China and Hong Kong, he says. Shepherd also advocates for international public awareness campaigns and “efforts to address socio-economic issues that drive the illegal trade in this distinctive but imperiled species”.

Source: www.zmescience.com

Pig-nosed turtles have a face that only a mother could love, but that doesn’t stop hundreds of thousands of the rare reptiles from being illegally traded around the world every year. According to a new report from TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, as many as 2 million pig-nosed turtle eggs are illegally collected from the wild each year so the reptiles can be grown in captivity and then sold as exotic pets or meat. Many are ground up for use in traditional medicine in China and Hong Kong.

Pig-nosed turtles, which are considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, are the sole remaining species in their taxonomic family. Native to northern Australia and the island of New Guinea, the turtles have large nostrils at the end of their fleshy snout, the origin of their name. They are also the only freshwater turtle species to use flippers instead of feet.

Export and import of the species are heavily regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but this hasn’t been enough to protect the animals, according to TRAFFIC. The sheer number of turtles rescued from smugglers illustrates the point: More than 11,000 newborn turtles were confiscated in Indonesia and Hong Kong in January alone.

TRAFFIC’s investigation found that foreign traders pay Papuan villagers to collect eggs by the thousands from the island’s rivers and swamps. The eggs are then stored in hatcheries.

One informant told TRAFFIC that “five local traders in the area were incubating 3,000 to 5,000 eggs each.” Another told the organization his village collected 50,000 to 60,000 eggs every year. The traders pay as little as 11 cents for eggs and up to $1.33 for hatchlings, although sometimes they trade large numbers of turtles and eggs for “modern commodities” and provisions such as outboard boat motors and fuel (which in turn help villagers to collect more eggs). Prices go up as the turtles travel through several middlemen.

Eventually they reach mainland China, where they sell for $28 to $39. Buyers keep them as pets, eat them, or grind them into a powder for use in traditional Asian medicine. Hard-shell turtles are used in traditional Chinese medicine to “treat” conditions ranging from fever to skin blemishes and for “replenishing vital essence.” None of these treatments is supported by science.

All of this collection and trade is banned by international law and laws in each country where the turtles live, but local enforcement in Papua is almost nonexistent, TRAFFIC found.

“Urgent enforcement action in Papua province targeting middlemen operating in rural communities is needed,” TRAFFIC regional director Chris Shepherd said in a statement.

TRAFFIC is also calling for increased monitoring at ports in Indonesia and other countries, as well as community-awareness programs and economic initiatives to encourage villagers to stop collecting the eggs.

The most important step, according to the report’s authors, is to find ways to reduce the numbers of consumers seeking out pig-nosed turtles.

“Without mitigation of the high demands of consumer nations,” they write, “illegal over-exploitation will continue to be a serious threat to this unique species.”

A pig-nosed turtle, which is becoming a favorite as an exotic pet.

They aren’t teenaged, mutant or ninja-like, but pig-nosed turtles are still pretty cute.

The unique freshwater turtles have pig-like snouts and flippers like marine turtles, and their cuteness has made them popular as pets. But that’s created a black market industry of turtle smuggling.

According to a newly-released report by Traffic, an international watchdog group that monitors the wildlife trade, the pig-nosed turtle is under threat from exotic pet traders. The new report on the state of the species finds that between 2003 and 2013, more than 80,000 of the turtles were confiscated in 30 seizures. That includes a massive bust of 8,368 turtles found smuggled inside suitcases in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia in January 2013.

But those seizures are only a slice of the overall market: “It’s a little bit like the drug trade,” says Eric Goode, the president of the Turtle Conservancy. “They probably apprehend or find five to 10 percent of [pig-nosed turtles] going through airports.”” The illegal animal trade as a whole constitutes an estimated $10 billion global industry, according to the Humane Society.

Smuggled animals are usually transported as babies thanks to their smaller size, and that’s when the pig-nosed turtles at their cutest. But buyers don’t think about what happens when the turtles grow up, Goode says.

“Like many pets, the cute factor is extremely cute — when they’re little,” Goode says. “But [pig-nosed turtles] grow up to be quite large and aggressive with one another, and they need a very large aquarium or pond with very warm water.”

In fact, they can grow up to 50 pounds and two feet in length over the course of their 40-year lifespan.

“So somebody sees one in a tank, it’s this adorable little turtle, nearly four inches long, and thinks ‘Wow, I can keep this incredible, rubbery, cute little thing’”, says Goode. “And you know, if they keep it long enough, it gets large and it becomes this disposable pet and they give it away or it dies or they throw it away.”

And that’s a big problem for the pig-nosed turtle, which is already on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

In the US, the turtle was almost unknown for a long time. “The Bronx Zoo had an animal which they still have today, he’s called Freddy and he’s the only pig-nosed turtle in the US that anyone knew about — so it was kind of the Holy Grail,” Goode xplains. “It was the most bizarre and odd-looking turtle … But in the last 10-15 years they did start coming into the United States in bigger numbers — mostly smuggled.”

Pig-nosed turtles are indigenous to Australia and Papua New Guinea but most of the turtle smuggling industry is based in the latter country.

“The local people collect the eggs on the banks of these big rivers, and they can collect literally thousands of them and distribute them,” Goode says. “And with the newfound wealth of Asia, there is a very, very large market in recent years.”

Source: www.theworld.org

The pig-nosed turtle is a wonderful evolutionary mash-up: a fleshy snout with porcine nostrils, a soft shell and, unusual for a freshwater turtle, long webbed flippers. But the turtles’ unique characteristics means, unfortunately, these vulnerable reptiles have found themselves in the crosshairs of the illegal international wildlife trade.

A pig-nosed turtle may seem cute, but demand for pet turtles and folk medicine is driving down their population in places like Papua, Indonesia. Wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC reports that local residents collect as many as 2 million wild turtle eggs each year – illegally – and then sell the hatchlings, as the turtles are difficult to breed in captivity.

Traditionally, pig-nosed turtles were a food supply to these groups, but, according to TRAFFIC, wildlife traders have begun offering monetary rewards in exchange for juvenile turtles.

Pig-nosed turtles have only left Indonesia legally once, with 57 turtles destined for the U.S. in 2006, TRAFFIC reports. It’s much cheaper to attempt to smuggle the turtles across international borders. In the previous decade, busts have recaptured 80,000 turtles, with a staggering 12,247 reptiles found in a single seizure. The turtles, often juveniles kept in suitcases, perish at a rate of about one in five during transit.

In 2011, Australian biologist Carla Eisemberg at the University of Canberra called for the establishment of local programs that encourage the protection of these turtles while respecting the needs of human populations to collect food.

Source : thedodo.com

One of more than 2,000 Pig-nosed Turtles repatriated to Indonesia by authorities in Hong Kong. © Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6th February 2014—Over 2,000 smuggled Pig-nosed Turtles seized in Hong Kong last month have made the long trip home to Indonesia where authorities have foiled the trafficking of thousands more of these sought-after turtles since early January.

This case represents almost a quarter of the 11,122 Pig-nosed Turtles reported to have been seized in Indonesia and Hong Kong in just the first month of this year.

This huge figure, which amplifies the growing threat of illegal wildlife trade, includes a seizure of 2,968 Pig-nosed Turtles in Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport on 7th January and 5,400 more in Papua province shortly before that.

The 2,264 live Pig-nosed Turtles repatriated on Tuesday were part of an original seizure of over 2,754 turtles by the Hong Kong by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department on 12th January.

The turtles that survived the smuggling attempt were cared for by the Kadoorie Farm and Botainic Garden before being repatriated to Jakarta.

The Pig-nosed Turtle Carettochelys insculpta is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. While threatened by habitat loss and collection for local consumption in Papua, the turtle’s greatest threat remains illegal trade for the international pet market.

The turtles are listed in Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), but are protected in all three range States – Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea – making any international trade illegal. However, TRAFFIC’s research has revealed that thousands of Pig-nosed Turtle hatchlings continue to be collected for the trade, aided by poor regulation of laws, weak enforcement and poor governance.

“The numbers are damning for Pig-nosed Turtles and for Indonesia which continues to be one of the world’s most significant hubs of illegal wildlife trade,” said Dr Chris R. Shepherd, Regional Director for TRAFFIC in South-East Asia.

Although authorities in Indonesia traced one shipment to an address in Jakarta, including a contact number, they have yet to make any arrests. Similarly, no arrests have been made in Hong Kong, which is fast turning into the preferred destination for Pig-nosed Turtle traffickers.

In recent years Indonesia stopped two Hong Kong bound shipments of Pig-nosed Turtles – one carrying 687 turtles last April and another with 3,500 turtles in February 2010. In October 2011, Hong Kong seized an Indonesian shipment of 800 Pig-nosed Turtles.

“While the seizures demonstrate that authorities are vigilant, how long are we to sit and watch this cycle of seize-and-return? There is little hope for the Pig-nosed Turtle if we don’t see a more co-ordinated and concerted effort by both Indonesia and Hong Kong to address the main players in the demand and supply of these turtles, ” said Shepherd.

TRAFFIC calls on Indonesia to track down the individuals perpetuating the large-scale collection and trade in Pig-nosed Turtles and put an end to their business. TRAFFIC would also like to see Hong Kong investigate the importers and businesses that receive and illegally sell these turtles to consumers.

Source : traffic.org

More than 8,000 baby pig-nosed turtles being smuggled out of Indonesia were intercepted this week by officials, according to an AFP report.

The turtles were found hidden in suitcases thought to be destined for Singapore and China, where the reptiles are sold as exotic pets and occasionally end up in food markets.

Friday officials at Jakarta’s main airport discovered nearly 3,000 of the turtles in four suitcases after being told to be on the lookout for turtle smuggling. Thursday officials in Papua, one of the few places in the world where pig-nosed turtles occur naturally, found a cache of about 5,400 of the turtles hidden in seven suitcases, the AFP reported.

The suitcases contained plastic boxes, each containing 15-20 turtles. All of the living turtles were collected and will be released back into their natural habitat in Papua. At least 14 of the turtles were dead when officials found them, according to the AFP.

The pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which reports that the species is only found in Papua New Guinea, northern Australia and Indonesia’s Papua region.

The IUCN states that the species is exported in large numbers as part of the international live animal trade. “It is heavily exploited and locally consumed in Papua New Guinea and endangered by habitat loss and degradation in Australia,” the IUCN said of the major threats to the pig-nosed turtle.

According to EarthTimes.org, the population of Indonesia’s pig-nosed turtles has fallen by 50 percent in the last three decades, adding that 11,000 of the reptiles were illegally transported out of Indonesia last year.

Smuggling turtles out of Indonesia carries a penalty of as many as 3 years in prison and fines of up to 150 million rupiah (about $12,300), according to the Jakarta Post.

However, the payoff for a successful smuggling operation may be too tempting for some to pass by.

A 15-centimeter specimen can sell for $20 and juvenile and adult pig-nosed turtles can fetch between $500 and $2,000, according to the Jakarta Post.

Source : natureworldnews.com

In this picture taken on Jan. 9, 2014, an official holds baby pig-nosed turtles in Tangerang, Banten province. The vulnerable creatures were destined for markets in Singapore or China. AFP photo

Indonesian officials said Jan. 10 they have rescued more than 8,000 baby pig-nosed turtles hidden in suitcases and thought to be destined for China and Singapore. A total of 2,968 were discovered in four suitcases at the airport serving the capital Jakarta after arriving from the remote eastern Papua region, said Zaenal Abidi, quarantine official.

“The suitcases were full of plastic boxes holding 15 to 20 turtles each. Sadly, 14 of them were dead on arrival,” he said.

Airport officials were asked Jan. 9 to be on the look-out for pig-nosed turtles — classified as vulnerable — after 5,400 of the creatures were discovered in seven suitcases in Papua, he said.

Abidi said that pig-nosed turtles smuggled through Jakarta are usually sent to Singapore or China, where they are sold as exotic pets and sometimes end up in food markets.

All the turtles would be returned to their natural habitat in Papua, Abidi said. He added that police knew who had checked in the luggage but their whereabouts were now unknown.

The pig-nosed turtle is only found in Australia and New Guinea, an island shared between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, and is protected under Indonesian conservation laws.

It has a distinctive snout-like nose and webbed feet. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the pig-nosed turtle as vulnerable and trade of the species is restricted.

Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com

Officials at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have confiscated 687 endangered baby pig-nosed turtles reportedly intended to be smuggled to Hong Kong. Jakarta Fish Quarantine, Quality Control and Fishery Products Safety Agency (BKIPM) head Teguh Samudro said on Monday that the turtles were found in packages registered as hold baggage on a Sriwijaya Air flight from Papua via Makassar, South Sulawesi, to Jakarta, on March 15.

“The packages were broken when they arrived at the airport, so we could tell what was inside,” Teguh said, declining to specify why the BPKIM waited two weeks to reveal the case. Teguh said the owner of the packages remained unknown, despite that all luggage checked as hold baggage is registered in airline systems, along with the owner’s identity. The shipment lacked proper documents, making it difficult to determine the sender, receiver and final destination of the turtles, Teguh said, declining to speculate on how a package could be placed into the hold of an aircraft without appropriate paperwork. The pig-nosed turtle is near to extinction, partly due to smuggling and the exotic pet trade.

The species is found only in southern Papua, southern Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. According to reports, 15-centimeter-long specimens can fetch prices ranging from US$15 to $20, while juveniles and adults can be sold for as much as $550 to $2,000. The turtle smugglers face stiff penalties, Teguh said: Violators of the 1992 law on animal, fish and plant quarantines or the 1990 law on biodiversity and ecosystem conservation face up to three years’ imprisonment and fines of up to Rp 150 million ($15,400).

Meanwhile, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s director for conservation of areas and fish species, Tony Ruchimat, said that the turtles would be handed over to the Jakarta Natural Resources Center for treatment prior to their repatriation and release in their original habitat in Papua. Chairul Saleh of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Indonesia said that the illegal trade in wild animals in Indonesia was the second-biggest factor contributing to the loss of rare species in the country.

Source : thejakartapost.com