436 baby Indian Tent turtles were taken from a person who was illegally transporting them across state lines by Zonal Unit, Lucknow, acting on specific intelligence gathered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
The individual had received a shipment of young Gangetic turtles in Kanpur and was driving a bus through Varanasi to deliver them to West Bengal so they could be sold in the black market. Early yesterday morning, the DRI officers in Varanasi stopped and searched the aforementioned bus. They found 436 baby Indian Tent turtles and rescued them. One person was arrested.
Following the first seizure made in accordance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the case was given to the Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Forest Department for additional investigation. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972’s Schedule 1 lists the Indian Tent Turtle as a protected species.
DRI, Lucknow has saved 1721 baby Gangetic Turtles in 5 different cases as part of its environmental rescue efforts.
The two biggest threats to these species are habitat degradation and illegal trade.
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