Turtle trafficking rife despite ban

 Kathmandu, June 15: Turtles do not feature in protected species list under National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act but officials state that the reptile’s sale is illegal. Authorities regularly confiscate a number of trafficked turtles but the illegal trade is still rampant. Moreover, turtles are even sold online as officials remain unaware.

On Sunday evening, a team from Metropolitan Police Sector, Koteshwor, arrested two individuals from Koteshwor-based Portobello Café House with 10 live baby turtles.

The duo, identified as 25-year-old Raj Deula and 20-year-old Rahul Deula, residents of Kirtipur Municipality, had planned to sell the turtles to the families seeking the reptile to keep it in aquariums.

“The duo had bought the turtles from someone, whom they didn’t identify. They planned to sell the turtles to families or hotels wanting it for decoration in aquariums,” said Inspector Nirmal Paneru, in-charge of Police Sector, Koteshwor. The duo and confiscated turtles were handed over to the Division Forest Office, Kathmandu, for further legal process and investigation.

Similarly, on Monday, 45-year-old Anandalal Temani, a resident of Ward No. 7 of Kalaiya Sub-metropolitan City, was arrested while entering Nepal from India with 113 live turtles from Ward No. 16 of Birgunj Metropolitan City of Parsa district.

“Temani was handed over to us with 113 live turtles by the police while he was entering Nepal from the border check point with India in Inaruwa village of Birgunj,” said Farman Miya, chief of Divisional Forest Office, Parsa.

Miya informed that the turtles were sent to Parsa National Park as it had habitat for the reptiles’ safety. Turtles are smuggled from India in large numbers as their demand has increased in Nepal since families and hotels seek them for decoration or to keep them as pet. Turtle organs are also used for medicinal and cuisine purposes, said Miya.

In 2016, Nepali authorities had arrested Mohammad Usman, an Indian national, from Kathmandu while smuggling 109 tortoises and 162 birds of different species from India to be supplied to restaurants in China and Vietnam.

India is the major source of smuggling turtle to Nepal. There are different types of turtles and tortoises smuggled. Security personnel have been active in preventing wildlife trafficking into Nepal and poaching and hunting is being regulated within the country as well, said Dil Bahadur Purja Pun, information officer at Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). Turtles are smuggled and sold for various amounts as per their kinds. 

During the first week of May, Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested 23-year-old Ashish Thapa Gharti from Chabahil-based Khotang Halesi Guest House with a gold-coloured turtle.

According to police, Gharti was arrested while he was planning to sell the turtle at Rs. 2 million. The daily news bulletin by Nepal Police Headquarters showed that around a dozen traffickers were arrested with a couple of turtles, which were gold in colour, in the past one year from Kathmandu alone.

When searched for turtles online, the reptile is available for purchase. Hamrobazar.com, a website for second-hand buy and sale, has three advertisements on availability of turtles for sale in the last four days. The prices of turtles range from Rs. 3,299 to Rs. 7,000. 

Sastoramro.com, an online trade portal, also shows that turtles are sold online. Several shops selling pets and related products are also seen advertising about turtles for sale.

“Turtles and tortoises are not allowed for sale. It is illegal. Poaching the reptiles or buying them is illegal. We will look into the online sales of the reptiles at the earliest and take necessary action,” said Ganesh Pant, a senior official under investigation department of DNPWC.

Pant requested the public to not buy turtles or tortoises for decoration purpose as it is illegal since the country lacked a law regarding their purchase and the reptile is prioritised for conservation.

Officials at DNPWC also informed that there is a need to inspect hotels as reptiles are being used for decoration while the sale 

is illegal. “We will launch an intensive inspection soon as turtles are being trafficked and public are buying them despite being illegal,” said Pun, DNPWC’s information officer.