Dead turtle found: Third find in a few weeks
After two dead giant tortoises had already been found near Ellerbek in Schleswig-Holstein in recent weeks, a third dead animal has now been discovered in Hamburg. The spur-thighed tortoise was found in the Schnelsen district and seized by police forces, the police announced on Tuesday in response to an inquiry. Traces were secured on the shell and the carcass was then disposed of. The specialist department for animal protection offenses is now leading the investigation.
Spur-thighed tortoises are the third largest tortoise species in the world and normally live in dry and hot areas of North Africa. They need a lot of warmth in winter. Normally, the animals can live up to 110 years and weigh up to 80 kilograms.
Animal welfare activist Stefan Klippstein retrieved the third tortoise from the garbage container where it was discovered after a tip from a friend. It had previously been dumped by the side of the road - probably on Thursday or Friday - wrapped in a plastic bag. Her shell was broken and damaged. Klippstein therefore assumes that the animal was killed. "The sight of these beautiful animals in a garbage container is totally shocking," Klippstein told the German Press Agency.
The trained animal keeper has now offered a reward of 1000 euros - for information leading to the conviction of the animal's owner. "It's very mysterious and strange what's happening. I've been working as an animal rights activist for a long time. But I've never seen so many turtles being abandoned."
Christian Erdmann, head of the Wildlife and Species Conservation Center near Elmshorn, is also surprised at the accumulation of finds. The two men have their theories: Either the heat-loving animal has become too expensive for someone with a view to energy costs or a dealer is getting rid of the dead animals this way.
Both criticize the fact that it is so easy to keep such exotic animals illegally because they can easily be bought on the Internet. According to Erdmann, there simply needs to be mandatory labeling and training as well as a ban on these exchanges for trading animals.
In light of these findings, local animal welfare organizations are urging increased vigilance, as the spate of dead turtle incidents could indicate emerging emergencies related to animal neglect or illegal pet trading. To prevent such incidents, authorities are considering tighter regulations on exotic pet ownership and strict enforcement of existing wildlife protection laws.
Source: www.dpa.com
