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CITES protected chelonians in the markets
Morenia ocellata - Burmese eyed turtle 緬甸孔雀龜
50 RMB ($6 US) per kilogram
MyanmarCITES I - highest level of protection
This very attractive, diminutive CITES I protected species out of Myanmar was available in abundance in the markets both in Chengdu (pet markets) as well as Guangzhou (medicinal markets). It's counterpart, Morenia petersi, which is not listed on CITES and is found in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal was not found anywhere in the above markets though it does occasionally occur. All in all, it appears the Indian species of chelonia are fairly well protected by their native country judging by the low numbers of these species/specimens that appear in the markets whereas judging by the numbers of ocellata, Myanmar has porous borders with its neighbor China.
All of the pictures below were taken in the medicinal section of the Guangzhou Qing Ping markets. The animals were literally stacked four or five deep in a number of these crates. With conditions like these, it's not surprising that these "snail eaters" have a rough go of it when trying to adapt them to captive conditions.
World Chelonian Trust
www.chelonia.org
PO Box 1445
Vacaville, CA
95696
