Despite continuous efforts to create awareness that selling or keeping of star tortoises is illegal, the authorities are finding it challenging to stop the trade of the Schedule-IV species. Recently, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Western Region, managed to nab a Malad resident red-handed while he was trying to sell six live star tortoises.

A senior WCCB official said they had received an intelligence input about illegal possession and sale of star tortoises. "Our source posed as a customer and managed to convince accused Sohan Kale (24) that he wanted to buy the tortoise. Kale finally agreed to meet on Wednesday near the Chetna College in Bandra, where our staff nabbed him around 8pm," said the official, adding that the six live star tortoises had been kept in a pair of plastic boxes, which were in a cloth bag.

The operation was led by regional deputy director M Maranko, with WCCB inspectors BS Khati, D Adi Mallaiah and Rakesh Burman. Kale was produced in the court on Thursday. The seized star tortoises will soon be released in their natural habitat.

As per the Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972, star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is listed under Schedule-IV. A per WCCB officials, any kind of trade, possession, transport, sale or offer for sale of a species listed under Schedule-IV can attract imprisonment of up to three years.

Meanwhile, animal rescue activists have been claiming that they have been bombarded with complaints about sale or abandonment of star tortoises. On May 3, the Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS)-Mumbai had successfully rescued six star tortoises from Versova.

"Our volunteer Kalpesh Pate (17) found them in a bag left behind by a person, who got scared and escaped when Pate questioned him about the suspicious-looking bag," said PAWS founder Sunish Subramanian. He added that a day before the incident, his NGO had alerted the Thane Forest Department, which had led to the rescue of seven star tortoises abandoned at Panchpakadi area in Thane.

"Star tortoises, as well as other types of turtles and tortoises, are very much in demand, as they are considered to bring good luck according to Feng Shui. But we have been constantly trying to create awareness about the fact that keeping them as pets or trading them is completely illegal," said Subramanian.