Thai Authorities Confiscate 225 Rare Turtles at Airport

Rhishja CotaAsia, Southeast Asia, Turtles & Tortoises
225 rare black pond turtles -- including babies -- were seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. Photo from a November 2013 seizure of the same species, at the same airport. PHOTO: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia
225 rare black pond turtles — including babies — were seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. (TRAFFIC Southeast Asia photo from a November 2013 seizure of the same species.)

An attempt to smuggle 225 protected black pond turtles into Thailand was intercepted by customs officials who investigated four unclaimed suitcases at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The turtles, including babies, were found stuffed inside the bags and wrapped in plastic. Although shocking, this is not an isolated occurrence. Since the beginning of 2014, more than 1,000 rare tortoises and freshwater turtles have been seized as a result of smuggling attempts in Thailand. This latest turtle smuggling incident occurred on May 4, according to the Bangkok Post.

Dr. Chris Shepherd of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia says Thailand is a hub for trafficking in tortoises and freshwater turtles, noting that the “massive scale of tortoise and freshwater turtle smuggling has dire conservation implications”.

The black pond turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonii) is found only in Pakistan, northern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. This species is listed under CITES Appendix I.

Just ten days after the Thailand incident, 158 black pond turtles were rescued in Uttar Pradesh when the smugglers were apparently involved in a highway accident. A forest official told the Times of India that it is the first large scale turtle trafficking case in the region.

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I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.