396 Turtles Rescued from Traffickers At Visakhapatnam Railway Station

In a recent development at the Vizag Railway Station, authorities apprehended two individuals involved in illicit turtle trafficking, as confirmed by an official.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), acting on credible intelligence, conducted surveillance operations at the Visakhapatnam Railway Station on March 27. The operation led to the identification of two passengers originating from Shalimar station.

Upon interrogation, it was discovered that the suspects were in possession of 396 turtles, all of which are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, as stated by the DRI official.

The official further elaborated, “Upon consultation with a wildlife expert, it was determined that the 396 turtles comprised 151 Indian-raised turtles (Pangshura tecta), 220 Indian tent turtles (Pangshura tentoria), 9 Indian-crowned turtles (Hardella thurjii), and 16 brown-raised turtles (Pangshura smithii). These turtles, sourced from West Bengal, were intended for transport to Chennai.”

The Indian tent turtle, Indian roofed turtle, and Indian crowned turtle, all found among the seized turtles, are listed in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby granting them the highest level of protection.

In a demonstration of effective inter-agency coordination, the live turtles were promptly seized and entrusted to the Andhra Pradesh State Forest officials, added the official.

The suspects were detained and transferred to the custody of forest officials for further investigation, as per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Despite this incident of turtle trafficking Vizag, the city has demonstrated its appreciation and love for these shelled creatures through conservation efforts. Recently, the Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation (GVMC) made a significant decision to protect the endangered Olive Ridley turtles. Instead of relying on mechanical cleaning, they have opted for manual beach cleaning. This move aims to preserve the rare Olive Ridley turtles that visit the coastal areas of Visakhapatnam each year. These turtles arrive in October and November to lay their eggs, raise their offspring, and then return to the sea with their hatchlings in May. The manual cleaning initiative, part of the EcoVizag program, will continue until the end of May according to officials.