Illegal traders sell tortoises

THE most endangered tortoise in the world is being sold openly at a plant and animal exhibition in the heart of Indonesia’s capital, highlighting concerns about the growing illegal pet trade, wildlife campaigners said.

The country has become a major trading hub for endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles, including species from Africa, South America and Asia, said Chris Shepherd, of Traffic, an international wildlife monitoring network. He said the government has failed to follow up on repeated promises to crack down on the trade.

The turtle were fetching around €115 at Jakarta’s flora and fauna expo.