Dead turtles found in Howrah

“The turtles have been sent for postmortem,” said Atanu Raha,Principle Conservator of Wildlife. “These species are not very rare. We suspect that somebody who had been trying to illegally trade in them,might have been responsible for the deaths,” he added.

According to the forest department officials,these turtles are usually found in deserts or dry places. “Most of the times these star turtles are used as decorative items as their shells are very attractive. Alive,they are kept by people as pets,” said Raha.