Dear Leotien,
When he was found, this tiny mud turtle was crammed into a plastic bag with four others, and stuffed into a box with hundreds more. All had been stolen from their wild homes, bound for the pet trade. Our friend is one of the lucky ones who survived the ordeal. It has all been harrowing for the little turtle.
A hand reaches down and gently picks up the turtle. The hand belongs to a member of the Benin Wildlife Law Enforcement Task Force. He sets down our little friend into the familiar sounds and smells of a pond. The turtle swims off into the cool water. Free at last.
