4,000 freshwater turtles from the Amazon, which were to be sold illegally in Indonesia, were seized by Peruvian authorities at Lima airport. They were found in small clear plastic containers inside cardboard boxes.
Peruvian authorities seized 4,000 Amazonian freshwater turtles at Lima International Airport, which were to be sold illegally in Indonesia, the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Serfor) announced on Thursday. “Serfor intercepted at Jorge Chavez airport a shipment of live turtles which were to be exported to Indonesia,” said the organization attached to the Ministry of the Environment in a press release.
The cargo included young freshwater turtles of two species, Podocnemis unifilis And Podocnemis expansa, according to their scientific name. They were found in small clear plastic containers inside cardboard boxes. They were taken to a breeding center in Serfor.
Two species threatened with extinction
Both species are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which requires the regulation of their trade. The species Podocnemis unifiliscommonly known as the yellow-spotted Amazon tortoise or Cayenne Podocnemid, is classified as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
The species Podocnemis expansa, commonly known as the arrau turtle, is the second largest freshwater turtle in the Amazon. Its carapace can reach 51 cm long. Illegal wildlife trafficking is worth around $20 billion worldwide. It is considered one of the four most lucrative crimes, according to Interpol. According to CITES, turtles are one of the most endangered groups of animals in the world.