Castiglione delle Stiviere: Exotic Turtle Found in Kitchen, Restaurant Owner Fined
. The Forest Rangers of Mantova discovered a specimen of “Trachemys scripta elegans,” commonly known as the red-eared slider, inside an ethnic restaurant managed by a 39-year-old Chinese man. The animal was kept in an aquarium in the restaurant’s kitchen, without any declaration or documentation of ownership, leading to a fine of 3,000 euros for the owner.
The discovery was made during joint inspections conducted by the Carabinieri Forestali and the Coast Guard of Chioggia in recent days. Since the turtle is considered an invasive exotic species listed among the European Union’s non-native species, it was confiscated and transferred to a dedicated detention center provided by the Lombardy Region to ensure its proper care.
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