Mumbai Police Inspector Nabs PETA India Award for Saving 120-Year-Old Turtle

For Immediate Release:

29 June 2022

Contact:

Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]

Radhika Suryavanshi; [email protected]

Mumbai – A Hero to Animals Award is on the way from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India to Senior Police Inspector Sudhir Kudalkar for rescuing a 120-year-old Indian black turtle who had become stuck in a muddy, weed-filled drain. Kudalkar entered the knee-deep water with the help of a torch and placed the frightened animal in a box until he was able to consult with forest officials about the best way to return him safely to his natural habitat.

The copy of the award is available upon request. 

“Thanks to Mr Kudalkar’s compassion and presence of mind, a venerable turtle was spared an agonising ordeal,” says PETA India Senior Campaigns Coordinator Radhika Suryavanshi. “PETA India urges everyone to follow his example and always keep an eye out for animals in need.”

Turtles and tortoises are often smuggled from India, Madagascar, and Pakistan to buyers in mainland China and Hong Kong. Endangered species are considered particularly valuable on the black market, and corruption at some airports eases the smuggling process. Others are trafficked into the exotic-pet trade, even though they are protected under international law.

This turtle is one of around 2,000 animals, including 16 blind dogs, reportedly saved by Kudalkar through his rescue organisation, Pure Animal Lovers.

PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. Anyone who sees an animal in distress should call PETA India’s emergency helpline on 982-012-2602. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

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