335 turtles seized at Mumbai airport to be released back into their natural habitat

On the ocassion of the World Turtle day that is on Saturday , the 335 that were rescued from International airport few months back will board a flight on Saturday morning for Uttar Pradesh where these turtles will be safely released back into their natural habitat

On the ocassion of the World Turtle day that is on Saturday , the 335 that were rescued from International airport few months back will board a flight on Saturday morning for Uttar Pradesh where these turtles will be safely released back into their natural habitat.

These turtles were seized from International airport last month by the Air Intaligance Unit of Customs. The first batch of rescued turtles, valued at Rs 1.83 lakh and are listed under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. One set of 183 turtles were seized in April 12 and another setof 161 turtles was seized on April 25.

Of these 335 turtles which survived will be going to Lucknow on Saturday by fight. On Friday the members of NGO RAWW, Thane SPCA and TSA packed all the turtles as per IUCN guidelines. "This was for the first time that government and non government departments coordinated and made this rehabilitation of abused endangered species possible.

We will soon be approaching the ministry for preparing a standard operating procedure for such cases so that the protected species reach back to their natural wild habitat soonest." Said Pawan Sharma, President of NGO RAWW. At present the turtles are safely kept at the Mumbai Range office of Thane Forest Department.

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