600 Illegally Smuggled Endangered Turtles Finally Return to the Wild! (PHOTOS)

Almost 600 protected pig-nosed turtles that were seized in Hong Kong during a failed smuggling attempt in January 2018 have finally been returned to their home in Papua! The turtles who fell prey to the illegal wildlife trade are believed to have been poached in Indonesia. Fortunately, the animals did not arrive at the destination the traffickers intended – instead, thanks to the efforts of the Governments of Indonesia and Hong Kong SAR as well as a team from Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden (KFBG) and International Animal Rescue (IAR) Indonesia, the turtles are now back in their natural habitat.

The 599 turtles were accompanied on their journey back to Papua by representatives from the Indonesian Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE), KFBG, IAR Indonesia, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), IAR reports. To get to the release site, the turtles had to spend nearly three days en route – but it was more than worth it.

Once the animals arrived safely in Papua, they were released in the Digoel River. The event was overseen by government officials, as well as members of the community who were happy to welcome the animals back home.

“The government and the people here are very appreciative and enthusiastic about the release of the turtles,” said Wempi Hutubessy, a representative from the district government who attended the release. “The pig-nosed turtles are an asset to our district so, together with the local community, we are ready to help maintain and conserve them so they are no longer smuggled out of the village.”

In January, three separate interceptions and confiscations of pig-nosed turtles were carried out at the Hong Kong International Airport. The first included 658 turtles and two others of more than 1,500 animals. All of the turtles were on direct flights from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Hong Kong, either as check-in luggage or in cargo.

“We must not concede like this anymore – not just for CITES Appendix listed species that are entering this country, but also for those that are leaving. We have to protect our own resources so they do not become commodities in other countries,” emphasized Erwin Situmorang, the Head of Customs Service, during a press conference.

The pig-nosed turtle is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The species lives in rivers, lakes, and estuaries in the southern lowlands of Papua, Papua New Guinea, and the Northern Territories of Australia. In spite of this, the species is a target of the illegal live animal trade, as the animals are high in demand as exotic pets, for food, and for traditional medicine.

“Until the civil society realizes the extent of the part they play in this lucrative and cruel illegal business when they buy, keep or consume wild animals, we will not be able to stop the illegal wildlife trade that threatens much of the world’s unique biodiversity,” said Karmele Llano Sanchez, Programme Director of International Animal Rescue Indonesia.

According to IAR, more than 35,500 pig-nosed turtles have been confiscated by authorities in Indonesia and Hong Kong since 2010. Most alarmingly, the animals seized during transport probably account for just a small percentage of the total number of pig-nosed turtles smuggled annually – a number which could be huge and directly threaten the species as a whole.

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All image source: International Animal Rescue/Facebook