Authorities in Italy seize protected wildlife in separate operations

Authorities in Italy have conducted separate operations targeting the illegal detention of protected wildlife. In Afragola, near Naples, local police and LIPU officials seized 11 goldfinches and two Hermann's tortoises. The birds were found in an apartment following reports of intense singing; ten of the birds lacked identification rings, and capture equipment was discovered on site. The tortoises were kept without required documentation.

In Trecastagni, Carabinieri Cites units and veterinary staff discovered 102 Hermann's tortoises in a private garden. The investigation revealed that the animals lacked the necessary Cites certificates for legal possession, and it is suspected that adult specimens were taken from the wild to breed in captivity. The tortoises have been seized and transferred to wildlife authorities in Catania. The homeowner faces charges for receiving stolen goods and, in a separate finding, aggravated theft of electricity due to an illegal power connection.