Already the first reports of interference in a villa near the town of Amethi Gauriganji hinted that it will be something extraordinary. The initial estimate of the number of turtles found was in fact the first time expressed only their masses: four tons. Up following reports further specify that it is primarily a thousand specimens kožitky spotted turtle and Chinese. Comparable catch the Indian police for years failed.
Excellent result on the one hand while muddying that during the action persons two suspects managed to flee the scene, but police have fortunately improved balance immediately. Within a villa with mostly live contraband is seized Bahadar Raja Singh, an Indian boss of a smuggling organization. And his interrogation got the police and environmental issues much valuable information.
Thousands of turtles that have been collected just prior to deportation to Calcutta. Indian metropolis with five million inhabitants, is one of the most important business hubs in the Asian black market. Their fate would be extremely uncertain. India is equally turtles exported abroad, like consuming. Literally. The meat of the turtles is particularly popular during celebrations of the winter solstice, Makar Sankranti, when the purchase of turtle meat odhodlávají especially people from communities in the east and north of the country. It is fine and aromatic.
In Calcutta they are processed and dead turtles that survived drastic harvest conditions and transport. Their empty shells with a smuggling network forwarded to China and Bangladesh. "There are drying up and crushed into a powder that is used in the kitchen and as a traditional aphrodisiac," says an official of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), who participated in the intervention.
Not all of caught turtles end up as a meal or powder. "Many people who follow the principles of Feng Shui believe that each turtle with a nail twenty - five on each foot - brings good luck to the house," says another man from WCBB. "That is why it regularly on the black market, buying, although trade has since 1972 banned." Experts on the ecology of turtles to these superstitions and myths remain silent but nevertheless added that "happiness and balance" definitely brings turtles wild in river Ganges. "They care because of the decomposition of various floating debris, destroying crabs and shellfish, dead fish and dead animals. Contribute to maintaining water purity. Without the turtles would be water quality in the river is much worse. "As it sees Arvind Chaturvedi, head of the riot police units" is not just a crime against the people, it is a crime against nature and ecological balance. "
Bahadar detention Raja Singha is bad news for all those who are in India are somehow involved in illegal animal market. Mob boss is reportedly willing during interrogation "sprinkled" not only collectors of turtles Gauriganje, Jagdispur and Salwan, but also their coupling to Kolkata and specific marketeers and receiver. Police also revealed much about smugglers and poachers in the state of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odis, including their contacts to Bangladesh, Myanmar - Myanmar, China, Thailand and Hong Kong. No wonder that with such interest poachers, smugglers and collectors of Indian tortoise is 14 out of 28 local species kept as endangered. Catch a big fish would be a threat to their time could be stopped.
Source: Ekolist.cz
