Police in Brazil arrested a man after finding 600 red-footed baby tortoises hidden in suitcases on a long-distance bus. The animals were discovered during a routine inspection on a highway in Rio de Janeiro state.
Authorities said some tortoises had died during the trip, likely because they were packed without proper ventilation or food. The man planned to sell them at a market, local media reported.
The Federal Highway Police stopped the bus on Thursday at around 2:30 p.m. on the BR-116 highway in Teresopolis, a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro. Officers inspected the luggage compartment and found suitcases filled with red-footed baby tortoises.
The man was arrested and will face charges related to wildlife trafficking.
Wildlife trafficking is a growing problem in Brazil, where native animals are often captured and sold illegally as pets.
What are red-footed tortoises?
Red-footed tortoises are medium-sized tortoises native to South America. They live in tropical forests, dry grasslands, and savannas. These tortoises have a dark shell with lighter patches and red or orange markings on their legs, tail, and head, which give them their name.
They are mostly herbivores, eating fruits, leaves and flowers. In the wild, they help forests by spreading seeds through their droppings. Red-footed tortoises can live for more than 50 years and grow up to 40 centimeters long.
Because of their calm nature and colorful appearance, they are often taken from the wild and sold illegally as pets. This has made them a target for wildlife traffickers, which threatens their population and puts stress on wild habitats.
