Mumbai, Feb 17 (PTI) At least four Indian star tortoises were found abandoned at a picnic point in a forested area in Aarey Colony, an official said on Saturday.

The tortoises were spotted by some picnickers last weekend who handed them over to the forest department.

Also Read | Sushma Swaraj Birth Anniversary 2024 Date: Interesting Facts About the ‘People’s Minister’ on Her 72nd Birthday.

The forest official, Mumbai Range, also said the investigation is on to identify and trace culprits, but the task is difficult in the absence of CCTV cameras at the spot.

He said the forest department handed over these tortoises to NGO, Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), for medical examination and further rehabilitation at their facility.

Also Read | Munich Security Conference 2024: EAM S Jaishankar Calls for Permanent, Long-Term Fix to Israel-Palestine Conflict (Watch Video).

"Star Tortoises are non-native to Mumbai and are usually found here due to illegal wildlife trade as they are one of the most common illegal pets due to high demand in the black market," said Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden with the forest department, and RAWW president.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)