Re Heathrow Leopards

[helen1]

I have just read about a consignment of Leopard torts, smugged into Malaysia from Tanzania in pots. The Tanzania Govt has agreed to pay the repatriation costs. Apparently this is in line with Cites regulations which say the country of origin must pay.

Have I not read on here(or somewhere) that torts cannot go home because of infection etc. If this is not the case why can the Heathrow Leopards not go home where they belong to the wild?

[laine21]

Would the countries concerned be willing to pay for all the illegal consignments?
How many of those tortoises will survive another trip, then being set free, and probably caught again by poachers, only to be packed up again and sent somewhere else. Two of my Leopards were injured and one had an infected eye, and probably would not have survived the trip home, and being set free without the vet treatment they recieved here.
These little Leopards are also sensitive to stress, and being packaged up and more flights would stress them considerably.

[EJ]

It seems to depend on the mood of whatever official at the moment.

Lately it seems the trend is to return the tortoises to the country of origin.

Originally Posted by helen1

I have just read about a consignment of Leopard torts, smugged into Malaysia from Tanzania in pots. The Tanzania Govt has agreed to pay the repatriation costs. Apparently this is in line with Cites regulations which say the country of origin must pay.

Have I not read on here(or somewhere) that torts cannot go home because of infection etc. If this is not the case why can the Heathrow Leopards not go home where they belong to the wild?

[laine21]

I'm sure Andy (TT) would be able to give you a full explanation if you emailed him direct.

[helen1]

I understand re stress etc and poorly torts(2 of this batch died).

What I fail to understand when this was previously mentioned is why it was said that the transference of pathogens from here to their home country was the reason they could not go home and yet it is allowed from Malaysia.

[wildlifewarrior]

sometimes animals aren't go back to the wild due to some the infections they have are cuased by stress , so in the stressless wild they could pass on infection to other torts, also they can pick up captive infections aswell.

[Tamie Milne]

The Heathrow Leopards were dealt with by the Tortoise Trust and I would have thought it would have been better to ask on the TT group or even Andy H himself, not here.

The article says the tortoises are 'rare' and obviously they are not, perhaps someone was after a bit of publicity?!

The fact that no one can guarantee what the tortoises have come into contact with is really not a hard one to comprehend and the devastating effect this would have on the wild population if they were simply returned, so to do this smacks incompetance and possibly corruption as well. Also the added stress to the poor tortoises being forced take another journey has not been taken into account at all.

I cannot imagine anyone thinking it would benefit the Heathrow Leos being gathered up and shipped back, taking into account that no one knows the exact location they were removed from after all.

So in my opinion Malaysia is at fault to allow this to happen, gross incompetance really and C & E have taken the right steps in seizing the tortoises. Just because Malaysia has done this it does not make it right and C & E/ TT wrong.

Tamie

[helen1]

Thanks Tamie I agree. I read this and wondered whether there was publicity/political angle as quite clearly it cannot alter the fact that the stress alone would be a major factor.

I wonder what the publicity is all about, will have to get hubby to dig around it is much more his forte than mine.

Apologies if it seemed I was questioning UK decision, I wasnt, I just found it all so shallow and strange. I do hate this media for communication.

I did email TT last night, was just being lazy.

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

Helen