Police have compiled CCTV footage of the facility and call details from all employees to determine where the turtle could have moved or moved.
To the surprise of its keepers, an Aldabra giant tortoise, one of the largest tortoises in the world, has disappeared from the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and the Herpetology Center in Mahabalipuram. Local police are currently investigating the case and are in talks with staff at the center led by conservationist Romulus Whitaker Vadanemmeli.
The turtle is reportedly worth up to Rs 15 lakh on the international wildlife market. Three of its species are still present at Madras Crocodile Bank. Police have compiled CCTV footage of the facility and call details from all employees to determine where the turtle could have moved or moved. The Times of India reports that given the limited access to outsiders and the surveillance mounted at the center, the ‘theft’ may have been carried out by insiders.
The turtle was reported to have disappeared during mealtime, when staff noticed the count was incorrect. They immediately alerted their superiors, who informed the police. Other reports added that the turtle species is mainly from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles and they grow up to 1.5 meters long and can weigh more than 200 kilograms. The turtle lives between 150 and 180 years on land.
This species of turtle is reportedly being hunted by wildlife gatherers and costs between Rs 70,000 and Rs 15 lakh depending on its size.
The farm has four exotic tortoises called Aldabra tortoises, mostly from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles. Even recently, the Crocodile bank had published photos of its Aldabra tortoises, to wish a Merry Christmas to those who follow its Facebook page. The center had reopened in November after closing its doors for about eight months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the reopening, younger reptiles were released to the public, including four Cuban crocodiles and two thin-nosed African crocodiles.
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