Over 2,500 terrapins seized in Indian airport returned to S'pore, humanely put down due to infection

A man was caught smuggling 2,547 red-eared slider turtles, also known as terrapins, in his check-in baggage after a flight from Singapore to Bengaluru, India, on Jul. 12.

The terrapins were sent back to Singapore, where NParks subsequently discovered that they were infected with pathogenic salmonella, and thus had to be humanely put down.

Customs department officials at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport had found the terrapins in the man's check-in bag, The Hindu reported.

However, by that time, 517 of them had already died due to suffocation.

According to The Hindu, the alleged smuggler was identified as 26-year-old Adiakkalasamy Vadivel, a native of Tamil Nadu, and allegedly works for an international wild animal smuggling ring.

He supposedly told the customs officials he was asked to hand over the bag to a person waiting outside airport.

Received by NParks

In response to Mothership's queries, NParks said that the Indian authorities deported the terrapins back to Singapore.

The suspect had an export permit for the terrapins.

However, as reported by The Hindu, he did not meet the import requirements of the Indian authorities.

Those that survived were sent to NParks’ Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation for a veterinary assessment, where they were detected to be infected by pathogenic salmonella.

According to NParks, more than 300 of the over 2,500 terrapins that were retrieved did not survive.

Salmonella can cause diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, fever, and vomiting in humans.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), its symptoms can sometimes be life-threatening, especially if they result in dehydration.

NParks said that as salmonella is "a bacterium of public health and biosecurity concern", the terrapins were "humanely put down and disposed of to prevent the potential spread of disease".

It is illegal to release animals into reservoirs and waterways in Singapore.

The Indian officials are looking into how the suspect managed to get through Singapore customs with the terrapins in his check-in bag, according to The Hindu.

Top image from Canva