RESEARCH ARTICLE

SEIZURE OF THE BIGGEST ILLEGAL SHIPMENT OF STAR TORTOISES (Geochelone elegans) BY THE SRI LANKA NAVY

Abstract

Two thousand eighty nine live star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) packed inside seven traveling bags were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy officers about five nautical miles from Kalpitiya at 19:30 hours on 17th June, 2017. Subsequently, the seized animals were handed over to the Sri Lankan Customs Department, Colombo on 18th June, who in turn handed the animals over to the Department of National Zoological Gardens on 19th June, 2017. Six tortoises were found dead when the zoo received the animals at the Gonapola, Horana animal holding facility of the Department of National Zoological Gardens. The tortoises were in a highly stressed, dehydrated and malnourished condition and additionally, some had upper respiratory tract infection and eye infections. Thus, within a span of 36 days from the receipt, 479 animals were found dead, at an average of 13 animals per day.

Keywords: star tortoise, smuggling mafia, pet trade, animal trafficking, management.

How to Cite: Malsinghe,D,Anslem de Silva,,Priyadarshanie,H.A.A,Dassanayake,D,Rodrigo,K,Kithsiri,D.M.D,Kilathunga,D.G.B.D,Kumarathunge,V,Jinadasa,T.N, (2017). SEIZURE OF THE BIGGEST ILLEGAL SHIPMENT OF STAR TORTOISES (Geochelone elegans) BY THE SRI LANKA NAVY.WILDLANKA, 5(2):Pages 078-083

Published On:2017-07-31

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