Peruvian authorities have confiscated approximately 4,000 turtles originating from the Amazon region at the nation’s primary international airport, as revealed by the National Forestry and Wildlife Service on Thursday. 

The interception occurred at the Jorge Chavez airport, targeting a shipment intended for export to Indonesia.

The seized turtles included juvenile Arrau turtles, the largest river turtle in South America, and yellow-spotted river turtles, all housed in small transparent plastic containers within cardboard boxes. 

Both species fall under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora Appendix II, necessitating stringent monitoring and regulation of their trade. 

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

Highlighting the severity of the issue, Interpol estimates the black market for illegal wildlife products to be valued at up to $20 billion annually, contributing to the perilous decline of various species. 

CITES underscores the precarious situation faced by tortoises and turtles, labeling them as one of the most endangered animal groups globally.

#MaltaDaily