About 200 baby tortoises found in a suitcase in Galapagos islands

The giant tortoises of Galapagos are endangered, being trafficked is one of the threats they face.

Ecuadoran officials have arrested a police officer after 185 baby giant tortoises wrapped in plastic were discovered in a suitcase, preventing them from being smuggled out of the Galapagos islands. Officials said the discovery was made during a routine check at the Seymour airport on the Galapagos island Baltra, part of Ecuador. They were detected when the suitcase was X-rayed. “The Galapagos Ecological Airport, through their Ecuador Cargo Terminal Ecuador personnel, stopped a shipment of 185 tortoises on the Santa Cruz island that was to be shipped to Guayaquil Airport, we understand, for the trafficking of species,” Jorge Rosillo, Manager of Galapagos Ecological Airport told the Associated Press.