Sad end for amazing animals - giant tortoise deaths on NT land near Exeter UK

[Lafone]

A very sad end for some giant tortoises - a total of seven found dead since first discoveries on 8th Jan with two just this week. Appears they may have been abandoned in a national trust wood.

Two more giant tortoises found dead in woodland near Exeter Two more giant tortoises found dead in woodland near Exeter

I have to say I was surprised you could keep these animals (and so saddened someone seems to have abandoned them to die - a man has been arrested) in big numbers and hadn’t realised they were in private hands (outside zoos that is) here in the U.K.

 

[Swampy]

Seven was the previous total, I believe these two bring it up to nine.

Utterly bizarre case.

 

[Lafone]

Seven was the previous total, I believe these two bring it up to nine.

Utterly bizarre case.

Really awful. Nine! They live for such a long time and it’s so odd someone wouldn’t at least hand them in to be rescued. It’s hard to believe you can just acquire one anyway without being a zoo etc.

 

[Zorro]

A very sad end for some giant tortoises - a total of seven found dead since first discoveries on 8th Jan with two just this week. Appears they may have been abandoned in a national trust wood.

Two more giant tortoises found dead in woodland near Exeter Two more giant tortoises found dead in woodland near Exeter

I have to say I was surprised you could keep these animals (and so saddened someone seems to have abandoned them to die - a man has been arrested) in big numbers and hadn’t realised they were in private hands (outside zoos that is) here in the U.K.

A very sad end for some giant tortoises - a total of seven found dead since first discoveries on 8th Jan with two just this week. Appears they may have been abandoned in a national trust wood.

Two more giant tortoises found dead in woodland near Exeter Two more giant tortoises found dead in woodland near Exeter

I have to say I was surprised you could keep these animals (and so saddened someone seems to have abandoned them to die - a man has been arrested) in big numbers and hadn’t realised they were in private hands (outside zoos that is) here in the U.K.

@Kifaru Bwana Did you hear about this?

 

[Jana]

It’s hard to believe you can just acquire one anyway without being a zoo etc.

They are bred at farms at Seychelles and legaly exported in large quantities worldwide. Animal traders in Europe have them on offer for decades. In my country, small ones would go under €1000, half-growns for €2-3k at a specialised pet shop. And that opens the question why the person that released them in the UK forest just didn´t offer them for re-sale?

Considering the person that released them had no emotional attachment to them, one plausible scenario could be the tortoises were unwanted inheritance. Imagine an old relative dies and you become a sudden owner of a house where a group of giant tortoises lives. They need heating and food, while you have no idea about their care you just want to get rid of them quickly to clean the house before real estate broker arrives. You call a pet shop or dog animal rescue nearby if they would buy them or accept for free and they just refuse you, or ask you if you have legal permits and you have no idea what they talk about. That would also explain why the police found the suspect so quickly - he probably tried to contact few places before he abandoned them.

The paragraph above is pure work of fiction. But sadly, good portion of older once pampered household cats that get released in the middle of forest to fend for themselves (and later brought into rescues in poor shape) are exactly that - unwanted inheritance. Thus I draw a parallel.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

@Kifaru Bwana Did you hear about this?

Yes, I did. I believe the 5 (then 7) giant tortoises were African spurred Centrochelys sulcata I believe (if the original photographic material was correct). Judging by the new evidence these are definitely Aldabrachelys.

The individuals that did this need to be prosecuted and also a vet service, preferably one of the zoos keeping the species in the UK, needs to look at their reasons for passing away (neglect, prior medical health issues).

 

[Lafone]

They are bred at farms at Seychelles and legaly exported in large quantities worldwide. Animal traders in Europe have them on offer for decades. In my country, small ones would go under €1000, half-growns for €2-3k at a specialised pet shop. And that opens the question why the person that released them in the UK forest just didn´t offer them for re-sale?

Considering the person that released them had no emotional attachment to them, one plausible scenario could be the tortoises were unwanted inheritance. Imagine an old relative dies and you become a sudden owner of a house where a group of giant tortoises lives. They need heating and food, while you have no idea about their care you just want to get rid of them quickly to clean the house before real estate broker arrives. You call a pet shop or dog animal rescue nearby if they would buy them or accept for free and they just refuse you, or ask you if you have legal permits and you have no idea what they talk about. That would also explain why the police found the suspect so quickly - he probably tried to contact few places before he abandoned them.

The paragraph above is pure work of fiction. But sadly, good portion of older once pampered household cats that get released in the middle of forest to fend for themselves (and later brought into rescues in poor shape) are exactly that - unwanted inheritance. Thus I draw a parallel.

Pity they can be had by someone who leaves them in a wood whatever happened. The arrested man is in his 50s so I’d suggest they might be his but guess it will come out in court. Hopefully they will throw the book at him.

It’s unlikely they would have been rejected by the RSPCA had an attempt been made to hand them over.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

I first read about the deaths last week and now that there have been two more, I will be very surprised if these animals were not brought in as an illegal shipment and were either in very poor condition when they arrived and/or couldn't be properly looked after ,after they had arrived

 

[Chlidonias]

The first news reports from last month were speculating they were smuggled animals which had been dumped. It would seem easier to smuggle babies than large animals, but I don't know how they actually do it.

Some articles are also pointing out that in 2021 an abandoned one was found in the area but died soon after.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

The first news reports from last month were speculating they were smuggled animals which had been dumped. It would seem easier to smuggle babies than large animals, but I don't know how they actually do it.

Some articles are also pointing out that in 2021 an abandoned one was found in the area but died soon after.

First I've heard about the one abandoned but alive in 2021,makes it even more interesting

 

[Lafone]

On a related note...if people have these the least they could do is not throw them into the river when they don't want them any more. Such a lot of ignorance about.

Invasive alligator snapping turtle found in Cumbria

 

[Strathmorezoo]

On a related note...if people have these the least they could do is not throw them into the river when they don't want them any more. Such a lot of ignorance about.

Invasive alligator snapping turtle found in Cumbria

Did you see the name that the vet gave it Fluffy, brilliant!

 

[Lafone]

Did you see the name that the vet gave it Fluffy, brilliant!

Yes it's a good news outcome and it did make me chuckle too. I actually didn't realise they got so big as adults.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

Yes it's a good news outcome and it did make me chuckle too. I actually didn't realise they got so big as adults.

The biggest one that I've ever seen was at Drayton Manor, around 30 years ago ,it was massive it's head was at least 6 inches across. It had been nurtured by John Foden zoo manager and best reptile keeper I've ever known

 

[Lafone]

The biggest one that I've ever seen was at Drayton Manor, around 30 years ago ,it was massive it's head was at least 6 inches across. It had been nurtured by John Foden zoo manager and best reptile keeper I've ever known

Good job the dog walker didn't come across that! Impressive animals (and pleased this one was rescued as had it lived I am guessing it might have done some damage to native species).

 

[Kalaw]

This is really heartbreaking. Surely given how rare giant tortoise births are in captivity, it would have been easy to find a zoo that was interested in housing them. Countless solutions to this issue that don’t involve leaving them to die.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

Gary Priddle of Exeter is due to attend Exeter Magistrates Court on Thursday with regard to the deaths of the tortoises

 

[Lafone]

Gary Priddle of Exeter is due to attend Exeter Magistrates Court on Thursday with regard to the deaths of the tortoises

So sad to read, what a pity.

Man to face charges over Devon giant tortoise deaths - BBC News

Police said one charge states: "Between 29 December 2023 and 2 January 2024 at Exeter in the county of Devon threw down, dropped or otherwise deposited litter, namely ten deceased Aldabra tortoises and left it in East Devon."

The force said the second charge states: "Between 23 and 29 December 2023 at Exeter in the county of Devon did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which you were responsible, namely 10 Aldabra tortoises, were met to the extent required by good practice in that due to not checking on the daily welfare and heating system relating to their care which failed and led to the animals' death."[\Quote]

 

[Strathmorezoo]

So sad to read, what a pity.

Man to face charges over Devon giant tortoise deaths - BBC News

Let's hope that they give him a harsh verdict

 

[Lafone]

Let's hope that they give him a harsh verdict

Yes indeed if he is convicted.

Have to say good work by the Police investigating it.

It’s such a shame - why wouldn’t someone ask for help vs letting 10 colossal and rare tortoises die and then trying to conceal them. Cruelty and idiocy in equal measure.