More than 50 very young Asian soft-shelled turtles seized by U.S. Fish and Wildlife inspectors were transferred Thursday to the Colorado Reptile Humane Society, where they will eventually be placed for adoption.
The turtles, which had been illegally imported from Thailand, were seized at Denver International Airport, said Ann-Elizabeth Nash, the society’s executive director.
They are less than two months old and currently are about an inch long, although they will grow to be about a foot, said Nash.
The turtles, which can live up to 15 years, will eventually be put up for adoption when they are stabilized, said Nash. The Colorado Reptile and Humane Society is located in Longmont.
She said federal officials said the turtles were headed to a Denver pet store, but were seized because turtles imported into the United States must have a shell of four inches or more at time of import.
In southeast Asia, many families raise them for food, and there are also large commercial operations in Asia that raise them, said Nash.
She said that because of their eventual size, the turtles will need at least a 55 gallon aquarium.
She said that because of that, and because the turtles do not like to be touched or handled, they are not appropriate for adoption by people with children who like to handle pets. The society is waiving its $35 adoption fee for the turtles.
In their natural habitat, the turtles inhabit freshwater rivers, lakes and ponds and eat a variety of snails, fish, shrimp, crabs and aquatic plants.
In addition to being used for food, the turtle is also used in traditional medicine in China, she said.Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
