Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Returns Over 4,000 Rare Tortoises to The Wild

Pixabay

More than 4,000 Red List tortoises, which were smuggled into Russia in a cabbage truck, were safely returned to their Arys region of Kazakhstan, the Russian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

The tortoises were hidden amongst cabbage in 24 bags on the back of a truck which was stopped at the Russia-Kazakhstan border on June 7.

The driver claimed he did not know about the cargo and did not know the owner of the reptiles, according to the Interior Ministry, which is still investigating the case.

The ministry, which released footage of the tortoises on Tuesday, said the rare reptiles can cost around 7,790,000 rubles ($117,284).

Before being returned, police officers housed the reptiles in an empty building at the Orenburg Pedagogical University, where they were cared for by students and professors for over a month before they were returned to Kazakhstan.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more