After residents of an apartment building in Toliara, Madagascar began complaining about a horrible smell, authorities addressed the issue. Head of Madagascar’s environmental agency, Soary Randrianjafizanaka, entered the building assisted by local police officers and some of her own colleagues.
Mind you, they didn’t just burst into the apartment. Soary and the others had obtained the necessary legal documents in order to enter the apartment. Whatever the team thought would be inside, they were shocked beyond belief. Immediately after opening the door, an indescribable, horrendous smell hit.
Authorities Shocked by Discovery of Nearly 10,000 Tortoises
Inside the apartment, the team discovered thousands of radiated tortoises. The tortoises were being stored in the apartment as part of a black market trade to sell exotic and endangered species of animals.
Everywhere the team looked, they could see tortoises. The poor animals covered the floors, the bathtub, the sink, and any other ledge they could scatter on to. “You cannot imagine,” Soary revealed to National Geographic. “It was so awful.”
How the Tortoises Became Victims of the Illegal Exotic Animal Trade in Madagascar
No one knows exactly how long the tortoises had been there, but the smell was due to the mass amount of urine and feces the tortoises were being forced to live among. Soary and her team quickly got to work. First, they needed to count the tortoises. They discovered a whopping 9,888 tortoises in the apartment. Sadly, 180 of them were dead.
Soary and her team worked tirelessly to evacuate the tortoises from their horrifying living conditions. She organized six trucks. These were used to transport the tortoises to Turtle Village, a turtle sanctuary about 18 miles from the apartment where the poor tortoises had been held captive.
Rescue Efforts: Saving Lives After the Apartment Raid
Over the next few weeks, veterinarian Na Aina Tiana Rakotoarisoa did everything she could to save the remaining tortoises. Unfortunately, 574 tortoises ended up succumbing to their poor health conditions. Between dehydration, starvation, and infection from their disgusting living conditions, many of the tortoises just didn’t stand a chance.
The owner of the building and a few other suspects have been arrested in regards to the tortoise situation. Although authorities are unclear as to what their specific roles may have been, they are definitely guilty of housing the tortoises and aiding in the black market trade of them.
The Fight Against Wildlife Trafficking in Madagascar Continues
National Geographic states that “in Madagascar, taking radiated tortoises from the forests is illegal, and a treaty among 182 countries along with the European Union bans commercial trade of the species.” Sadly, some unscrupulous people are not deterred by this and continue to trap the animals for illegal profit.
When you see an exotic animal that simply does not fit, (for example, in a park or in the wild), please notify the authorities. It is very difficult to get exotic animal licenses in North America and Europe, and they will appreciate the information, as well. Reporting these types of situations will assist in putting an end to the illegal trade of exotic and/or endangered animals.
We applaud Soary and her team for providing these rescued tortoises with a second chance of life. We certainly hope to not be reading another sad story like this anytime soon.
