07-02-2024, 02:26 PM
A Chinese woman was caught getting into a kayak on a Vermont lake that borders on Canada. She had a bag containing 29 Eastern Box Turtles each one stuffed in a sock. Her husband had started from the Canadian side in a kayak. His departure is what tipped off the border patrol agents.
Eastern Box Turtles can fetch $1000.00 each on the Chinese black market.
She is now facing charges.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business...es-across/
I am glad they rescued the turtles while they are still alive. Smuggled animals don't always make it. The conditions they travel under are so poor.
Sadly those turtles were probably taken from the wild. It may not be possible to return them to the wild. Certainly they won't go back where they were taken from because we don't know where that is. That is a significant number of turtles to be removed from an area. It puts the species at risk.
I am glad they caught her and I hope the penalties are suitable. She endangered 29 little turtles. That is no small thing.
Eastern Box Turtles can fetch $1000.00 each on the Chinese black market.
She is now facing charges.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business...es-across/
I am glad they rescued the turtles while they are still alive. Smuggled animals don't always make it. The conditions they travel under are so poor.
Sadly those turtles were probably taken from the wild. It may not be possible to return them to the wild. Certainly they won't go back where they were taken from because we don't know where that is. That is a significant number of turtles to be removed from an area. It puts the species at risk.
I am glad they caught her and I hope the penalties are suitable. She endangered 29 little turtles. That is no small thing.
Catherine