Chennai: 3,000 red-eared slider turtles rescued

Chennai: Chennai airport officials on Wednesday rescued a total of 3,000 red-eared slider turtles from a city-based passenger commuting in Sri Lankan airlines.

The passenger, whose name was not revealed by the customs department of the city airport, has a history of frequent visits to South Asian countries, where the turtle is adequately found. As the animal is not listed under the scheduled list of the Wild Life protection Act, 1972, both the customs department and wildlife crime bureau decided to deport the animals.

There have been earlier incidences where indigenous fishes were deported back to the respective countries. According to an official from customs department, the passenger who travelled to Hong Kong through a tourist visa denied the regular customs check, stating that he possesses no such articles.

However, the tensed passenger caught the suspicion of a customs official, who checked his briefcase and a travel bag, only to find the reptiles. “He went through the green channels. As he was rushing towards the exit gate and seemed tensed, we checked his bags,” said an official.

Popularly called as Singapore turtle or American turtle, the animal does not belong to the native Indian species. Highly used as pet animals, the reptiles are associated with a common belief among the Indians, who consider that their sight would brush aside bad luck.

A senior forest official, “Chennai is again emerging as a transit point for the exotic marine species and red sanders. Of late, there are also cases of small reptiles being poached and smuggled to Asian countries, particularly the monitor lizard and anteaters.”

As the animal is not listed in the Wild Life Protection Act, the animals could not be seized. However, a case is slapped on the passenger, for transporting the animals without obtaining a Non Objection Certificate from World Health Organisation.

“As the certificate is amiss, the reptiles would be deported on the same flight that commences on Thursday morning. In the case of importing live animals, there is a necessity for quarantine certificate to ensure they are free from zoonotic infections,” said an airport official.

The passenger has brought a mammal, which is little over the size of a Rs 10 coin sells the same for Rs 1000 (per animal) in India. They are used in fish tanks and swimming pools in high end residences and hotels.