Rescued tortoises at Cumuto conservation centre

THE Hunters Search and Rescue Team, along with game wardens, rescued 24 tortoises from what they are calling “inhumane conditions” in Gasparillo on December 1.

The animals are now at a reptile conservation site in Cumuto.

In a Facebook post, the hunters said 18 of the tortoises are yellow-footed and six, red. It added that 14 are male and ten are female.

“The animals were all malnourished without a proper source of clean water. One basin of green water was the total water supply,” the post said.

Photos of the tortoises covered in mud, almost unrecognisable, were attached to the post.

They were handed over to the Agriculture Ministry’s Forestry Division and later taken to the Reptile Conservation Center/Serpentarium in Cumuto.

Hunters Search and Rescue team leader Vallence Rambharat told Newsday “an informant” recently contacted his team and reported the situation.

“The person said the animals were not being fed properly and their water was not being changed.

“I asked for a contact for the owner and they (the owner) agreed to hand them over. But they said another relative brought the animals there but left them in their care.”

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

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

Senior game warden Steve Seepersad told Newsday the animals were underweight and had deformities on their shells.

“The space was very inhumane. It was a very small enclosure and they were coated in mud.

“Yes, they are semi-aquatic. but the space was so small and they were malnourished."

He said these animals are protected in TT and a person found in possession of one can be fined $50,000. The fine for hunting them is $100,000.