At Lima Airport, the capital of Peru, customs officers seized 4001 live turtles, which were intended for departure to Indonesia.
In some regions of the world, eggs and meat of freshwater turtles are considered to be a sophisticated taste source.
Officials found that the export documents for the cargo were incorrectly indicated the type and age of some animals.
The turtles were transported to the authorized breeding center in Lima, where, according to officials, they will be looked after to determine their final destination. It is noted that none of the reptiles have been injured at the moment.
Environmental officers reported that more than 400 animals are South American river turtles (Podocnemis Expansa), whose legal origin remains uncertain.
In 1996, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCS) did not consider the South American river turtle threatened, but later recommended to redeem it as a species that is at risk of extermination.
The rest of the turtles are Tarnamis unifilis, also known as river turtles with yellow spots, but their age did not correspond to the specified in the documents.
The National Forestry and Conservation Service of Peru regularly rescues thousands of animals from illegal merchants, noting that monkeys, turtles and parrots are among the most popular human trade objects.
