A resident on the Aegean Sea resort island of Paros faces prosecution after the dessicated remains of a critically endangered sea turtle were found hanging outside his door, an animal welfare group said Thursday.
The Naxos Wildlife Protection charity said in a social media post that following a complaint to the police the dead Hawksbill turtle was confiscated and the building’s owner “was summoned to provide explanations.”
The group said that police are bringing charges over the incident, “as the law clearly forbids the possession, trafficking, trade in or transportation of protected wildlife species – even their body parts.”
“Owning such species cannot be considered normal or acceptable,” the post said. “Turning a rare, protected animal into a ‘display piece’ is not only morally unacceptable but also illegal.”
Hawksbill turtles have for centturies been hunted by humans for their flesh and their shells, and since 1996 have been listed as critically endangered.
