Hundreds of tortoises seized at Thai airport

Thai authorities have found nearly 400 protected tortoises in unclaimed bags at an airport in Bangkok, according to an official. The Indian and Burmese Star tortoises had been in luggage for about 10 days by the time they were found late Friday at Suvarnabhumi airport, said a senior customs official, who declined to be named. Loading tags suggested they had originally come from Dhaka in Bangladesh, according to the Freeland Foundation, a counter-trafficking organisation, before going to Japan via Bangkok and returning to the Thai capital when they were not collected. The foundation estimated the tortoises could fetch up to $31,000 on the black market. Out of 370 found, four had died during the journey, it said. The star tortoise, which is popular in Asia as an exotic pet, is listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and a permit is required to export them. It is the second large seizure of the creatures in a little over a week and officials believe the same gang was behind both incidents. "These consecutive seizures highlight the continuing high volume illicit wildlife trade link between South and Southeast Asia... If we can't stop (smugglers), we'll lose these species forever," said Freeland senior programme officer Onkuri Majumdar. Last September Thailand home to some of the world's largest wildlife trafficking operations seized more than 1,000 star tortoises that were smuggled into the country on a flight from Bangladesh. "These beautiful animals are destined for Chatuchak market and would have become the pets of well-to-do people," said the customs official, referring to a huge market in Bangkok notorious for openly selling endangered species.