Mexico: 350 turtles seized after being shipped as toys

Mexico's Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has seized 350 turtles of various species that were being trafficked from Matamoros, Tamaulipas. The discovery came after a courier company alerted authorities to suspicious packaging.

On May 26, staff at a parcel service noticed irregular handling and transport of wildlife. They contacted Profepa, whose agents visited the facility to verify the report. Inside, they found the turtles confined in small containers, wrapped in socks, creating cramped and hazardous conditions that posed a significant risk to the reptiles' physical well-being.

An initial inspection and taxonomic identification revealed 350 turtles: 344 common mud turtles (Kinosternon spp.), two ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata), and four Mexican box turtles (Terrapene mexicana). Tragically, 25 of the common mud turtles had already died by the time of the inspection.

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The turtles were found confined in small containers, wrapped in socks, creating cramped and hazardous conditions that posed a significant risk to the reptiles' physical well-being.

The surviving turtles were placed under precautionary seizure and transferred to a specialized management unit in Matamoros, equipped to provide appropriate care, housing, and handling. The operation was supported by the National Guard and the Mexican Army, who provided security during the transfer and safeguarding of the wildlife.

Profepa issued a call to the public, reminding citizens that possessing endangered or internationally regulated wildlife for commercial purposes is a crime under Article 420, Section IV, of the Federal Penal Code.

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Possessing wildlife specimens that are in a category of risk or regulated by an international treaty to which Mexico is a party, for trade purposes, is a crime.