Jamshedpur Forest Division Seizes Two Indian Star Tortoises From Pet Shop, Following PETA India Complaint
Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, PETA India worked with the Jamshedpur Forest Division of the Jharkhand Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change to rescue two Indian star tortoises – a species protected under Schedule I of The Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972 (as amended in 2022) – who were being kept for sale at the Atlantic Aquarium shop in the Sonari area of Jamshedpur in blatant violation of the WPA. A preliminary offence report has been registered against the unidentified perpetrators under sections 9, 39, 50, and 51 of the WPA. The seized animals are being kept under observation in the custody of the forest department in the Mango area of Jamshedpur. Possessing a species protected under Schedule I is an offence punishable by a prison sentence of three to seven years and a minimum fine of Rs 25,000.
Indian star tortoises are seized from illegal traders more often than any other species of tortoise and are classified as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Because tortoises are wild animals, when kept in homes, they typically are fed an unnatural or inappropriate diet and relegated to dingy tanks without any enrichment.
