FW: Race to Rescue Endangered Turtles From Chinese Meat Market

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Saturday, 29 December, 2001, 00:10 GMT

BBC | Race to Airlift Dying Turtles

Sick and cold: 6,000 turtles still need rescuing

 

Conservationists are battling against time to airlift hundreds of sick

endangered turtles saved from China's illegal meat trade to a Miami

treatment centre.

 

More than 1,000 of about 10,000 turtles seized by customs officials in Hong

Kong over two weeks ago have already died of dehydration, cold or injuries

suffered as they were shipped from Singapore and Thailand to mainland China.

 

The surviving turtles are too ill to be released into the wild, but the

Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Hong Kong where they have been kept

until now cannot cope with such large numbers long-term.

 

" It's getting too cold, many are injured and we don't have the medical

expertise to rescue so many. I am afraid many will die if they don't get

proper help soon, " said a spokeswoman, Idy Wong.

 

Some tropical turtles are currently living in open pig-pens with

temperatures falling below 7C.

 

About 450 turtles were given free passage on United Airlines flights on

Thursday and Friday to the Alapattah Flats Turtle Preserve in Port St Lucie

in Miami.

 

Now Ms Wong is appealing for cargo space to transport 6,000 remaining

turtles.

 

The turtles which have arrived in Miami will be treated and catalogued,

before being found new homes by the Turtle Survival Alliance, the animal

rights group which has organised the operation.

 

MEAT TRADE

 

" The species we're working with, under the best of circumstances, have a

heavy mortality rate, so we're not sure how things are going to look

tomorrow morning, " said the head vet for the rescue mission, Barbara Bonner.

 

The consignment of 10,000 turtles, 90% of which are classed as " critical " ,

" endangered " , or " vulnerable " species, was estimated to be worth $3.2m.

 

It included some of the most endangered species in the world, such as the

river terrapin, Asian brown turtle, painted terrapin, box turtle and the

black marsh turtle.

 

The reptiles were destined for dining tables in China, where demand is so

high that local populations have been exhausted and importers look to

countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh to meet demand.

 

Conservationists say the animals were travelling in appalling conditions,

stacked in styrofoam and cardboard boxes, with the creatures at the bottom

of the crates supporting the weight of thousands of others above.

 

" When we opened up the boxes, turtles at the bottom of the pile were

completely smashed, " said Ms Wong.

 

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