Endangered Turtles Sold in Singapore Pet Shops
Date: 26-Jul-05
Country: SINGAPORE
Author: Teresa Geow
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said its undercover investigation of 100 Singapore pet shops had revealed the presence of endangered species such as the Chinese stripe-necked turtle, the Chinese softshell turtle, the Australian snake-necked turtle and the pig-nosed turtle.
Acres said protected turtles were found in 20 shops and that several were repeat offenders, whose owners could be fined up to S$10,000 and jailed up to one-year if they were caught by police.
"The penalties are important because they send the traders a deterrent message. But they are insufficient," Acres president Louis Ng told a news conference.
He said that last month government agency Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority raided three pet shops, which were found selling endangered turtles, and confiscated 47 animals.
The turtles are smuggled into Singapore from Malaysia, Indonesia and China, some crushed into suitcases and cardboard boxes. Many die during the journey, and the surviving ones are mistreated or kept in squalid conditions, Ng said.
Despite having strict regulations on animal trade, Singapore is a hub of illegal wildlife trade because its location and busy harbour and airport make it a good transshipment point.
In recent years, the AVA has confiscated hundreds of animals, including turtles, tortoises, snakes, lizards and rare birds such as the cockatoo.
