Indonesia rescues over 8,000 pig-nosed turtles.

On January 10, Indonesian officials announced they had rescued more than 8,000 baby pig-nosed turtles, hidden in suitcases being smuggled into China and Singapore.

Indonesia rescues over 8,000 pig-nosed turtles.

According to Zaenal Abidi, an Indonesian quarantine official, a total of 2,968 baby turtles were discovered in four suitcases at Jakarta airport after they arrived from a remote area in eastern Papua.

He said: “These suitcases were full of plastic boxes, each containing 15 to 20 baby turtles. Sadly, 14 died in transit.”

Officials at Jakarta airport were instructed to look for endangered pig-nosed turtles after 5,400 more were discovered in seven other suitcases in Papua. Mr. Abidi said the rescued baby turtles have been returned to their natural habitat in Papua.

The pig-nosed turtle lives only in Australia and New Guinea, an island under the joint control of both Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. This species is protected under Indonesian conservation law. The turtle has a very distinctive nose located between its toes.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the pig-nosed turtle as endangered and banned the trade of individuals of this species. Pig-nosed turtles are often smuggled into Singapore and China to be sold as pets or even to specialty restaurants.

According to NDĐT