KANPUR: Sixty-seven endangered turtles, six by the infrequent Chitra-Indica species and every weighing 50kg were captured in four poachers from Etawah on Saturday.
The wildlife traffickers have been nabbed after a combined operation with foresters, members of Society for Conservation of Nature and also a particular performance group of UP authorities.
At 55 sundari (lissemys punctata), 6 chitraindica (narrow-headed softshell turtle) plus a single sonia (nilssonia gangetica) dinosaurs had been captured.
Foresters later verified that all of these 67 turtles had expired.
All 3 species are endangered and also detect mention at the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The smugglers were arrested from around the Pilua Mahaveer temple nearby Yamuna river at Civil Lines area of Etawah.
“The poachers were hauling the turtles into Nepal through Uttarakhand, once the consignment was intercepted by authorities,” said Sanjay Singh, district forest officer Etawah.
Secretary, Society for Conservation of Nature Dr Rajiv Chauhan told TOI such heavy-weight endangered turtles are captured for the very first time in two years.
An autopsy will be conducted to the deceased turtles and staying ones will be clinically tested by discharged in hot water bodies.
The poachers are earmarked under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Such heavy-weight compromised turtles have been captured for the first time in 2 decades