Five loggerhead turtles that were released at the Lebanese beach of Mansouri after a failed attempt to sell them. (Credit: ISF)
BEIRUT — The Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced in a statement that the owner of a shop that was selling five endangered loggerhead sea turtles was arrested last Friday.
According to the statement, the person arrested is a Lebanese person born in 1997. He was selling five newborn loggerhead sea turtles, "which are considered endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)."
The ISF added that these turtles have different characteristics that make them important "to nature and the marine ecosystem, including a role in the food chain, nutrient distribution, assisting in the health of the seabed and cleaning beaches."
According to the statement, the turtles were handed over to a specialized association that released them at the Mansouri beach in Sour, South Lebanon.
Finally, the ISF reminded "all citizens and owners of animal shops of the need to ensure the legality of the animals they purchase.
