Man caught with 300 tortoises and 77 parrots bound for Malta at Sicilian port

A Maltese man is under investigation for animal cruelty after attempting to transport 300 tortoises and 77 parrots from Sicily to Malta. The animals were discovered packed into a car near the boarding area for a Malta-bound catamaran during an inspection at the Sicilian port of Pozzallo.

The local unit of Italy’s financial police squad reported on Monday that the man was spotted while transporting numerous animals in a vehicle that lacked adequate space and temperature control. Following a veterinary inspection, it was revealed that 76 of the parrots belonged to species protected by the Washington Convention, an international agreement established in 1973 to safeguard endangered plants and animals from the risks of international trade.