Peruvian authorities seize 4,000 live Amazon turtles at international airport

Peruvian authorities on Thursday (Dec 21) seized approximately 4,000 turtles that originated in the Amazon at the main international airport, the country's wildlife service said.

The National Forestry and Wildlife Service released a statement saying that it has thwarted "a shipment of live turtles at the Jorge Chavez airport that was going to be exported to Indonesia."

"They do not have permission to export this species (Charapa turtle). This is Podocnemis unifilis or Taricaya, but this species is different, there are beards under the beak of the turtle, in the Taricaya there is only one beard, and here there are two, that is one of the characteristics helping make an easy distinction," Peruvian National Forestry and Wildlife Service staff said.

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Among the ones seized were baby Arrau turtles which are considered the largest river turtle in South America, and the yellow-spotted river turtle, which were found in small transparent plastic containers inside cardboard boxes.

Both turtle species are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora Appendix II. These require the tracking and regulation of trade.

The yellow-spotted river turtle, which is the second largest freshwater turtle in the Amazon, is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable to extinction.

As per Interpol, there is a black market for illegal wildlife products worth up to $20 billion per year, which is forcing species to the brink of extinction.

According to CITES, tortoises and turtles are one of the most threatened groups of animals in the world.

(With inputs from agencies)