Kendrapara: The seizure of freshwater turtles has brought the focus back on wildlife poaching in general and smuggling of the protected aquatic animals in particular.

The seizure was made on Friday when the animals from Rayagada were being smuggled to Calcutta via Kendrapara.

Forest officials arrested Pradeep Rout and Prasant Rout, who were now remanded in judicial custody under the wildlife act provisions. The seized turtles are of the Indotestudo Eleongata species. These have great demand in the black market for meat and other purposes, said forest range officer Adhir Behera.

In the recent past, the forest department has made three other similar seizures. With the freshwater turtles protected as Schedule-1 aquatic species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, killing or catching it live for commercial purposes is a non-bailable offence.

"The accused used to procure the species from the hilly areas of Rayagada and Malkangiri districts and dispatch the turtles to Calcutta. They have confessed to the crime. Later, they were forwarded to jail custody under the Wildlife Protection Act provisions," the official said.

The recent spurt in commercial trade of freshwater turtles has become a cause of worry for forest personnel. Many of the offenders are not even aware that the amphibians are accorded the protected status under wildlife law.

"The forest department will shortly launch a drive to conserve freshwater turtles," said Rajnagar mangorve (wildlife) divisional forest officer Bimal Prasanna Acharya.