Rescued tortoises 'doing well' in Cumuto

THE 24 tortoises rescued from a Gasparillo home in early December are on the mend and “doing well."

On December 1, the Hunters Search and Rescue Team, along with game wardens, rescued 18 yellow-footed and six red-footed tortoises from “inhumane conditions.”

The animals, ten males and 14 females, were being kept in a family’s backyard and did not have a proper water supply. They were also malnourished and coated in mud, and some had deformed shells.

The animals were said to have been there for at least 15 years.

Yellow-footed tortoises, known as morocoys in Trinidad and Tobago, and red-footed tortoises can live up to 50 years in captivity.

They were taken to the Reptile Conservation Center/Serpentarium in Cumuto.

In a phone interview with Newsday on Tuesday, the facility’s CEO Saiyaad Ali said the tortoises are “coming along nicely.

“They came in emaciated and needed treatment and nourishment with regular vitamins and stuff like that

“A lot of them were very thirsty and I was told the (drinking) water condition where they were was poor.”

He said red-footed tortoises “gravitate more towards water.”

He said the animals are eating well, mainly fruit, vegetables, leafy greens and supplements.

“Naturally, they feed on both plant and animal matter, so we tend to mimic that somewhat in captivity. But because of the condition they arrived in, they have to gain back their strength.

“So they’ve had tortoise chow that was imported, and a lot of local things like dasheen bush, plums…because we are trying not to train them too much with the commercialised foods for when they are released into the wild.”

On the deformities on their shells, he said it can take months or years for the shells to be restored properly.

“It depends on the severity and they sometimes remain with a scar.”

He said some of the animals had open wounds on their legs, so they were kept separately from the others, as they were treated by a vet.

“Last Saturday, they were placed out in the open with the others.”

He said the other tortoises at the facility will be used as a benchmark for optimum weight, size, etc, to determine when would be best to release this group into the wild.

“Forestry (the Forestry Division) would decide where they will be released, but they may probably want to do it in sanctuaries where they are found.

“They (Forestry) have been checking in and ensuring everything is going smooth and monitoring them.”

Tortoises are protected in TT. A person found in possession of one without the relevant permit can be fined $50,000. The fine for hunting them is $100,000.

Senior game warden Steve Seepersad told Newsday the animals' original owner had a permit, but died, so they were left in the care of the owner's family.

"They tried to take care of them but it became overwhelming.

“Because they were inherited, I don’t think there will be any charges. What we would do is give them an acknowledgement release for rehabilitation.”

He said tortoises are often hunted for their meat in TT, so, since the hunting season is open, the team will meet in the next four months to discuss where they can be released.