CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Turtles killed or sold alive in Tesco stores continue to suffer profoundly even before reaching the stores. They
continue to suffer while on display and are killed experiencing extreme pain. "I am opposed to marketing turtles
for human consumption by any ethnic community," says Prof. Frye. "Furthermore, the conditions under which I
understand that these animals are kept from the time that they are captured, during shipment, their presale
holding, and final disposition are abysmal." "There is simply no way to kill reptiles humanely in a retail
environment, and still have the animal fit for human consumption," adds Tortoise Aid Director, Annie Lancaster.
For this reason alone, Tesco should stop these sales.

Evidence from the past 12 months clearly shows that Tesco is unable to enforce even the most
rudimentary improvements to the welfare of the turtles it sells. According to its staff, Tesco also sells
wild turtles, which further depletes struggling wild populations.

SCIENTISTS OPPOSE TESCO TURTLES SALES

Together with Care for the Wild, 27 leading veterinary, scientific and
chelonian experts, and professional bodies urge Tesco to stop selling
turtles and bullfrogs in China on conservation and animal welfare grounds.
China's hunger for turtle meat has sparked an acute extinction crisis. By selling freshwater turtles for food in its
Chinese outlets Tesco is part of the growing extinction crisis afflicting these species.

Wild freshwater turtle sunning itself on a log Tied up in plastic netting for sale in Chinese Tesco store Tesco either butchers these animals in store or sells them alive to be slaughtered at home.

World Chelonian Trust Director, Prof. Darrell Senneke, says, "As wild turtles can not be removed without Led by British wildlife charity Care for the Wild International (CWI), efforts to dissuade Tesco from selling live
harming the species as a whole and the slaughter of farmed animals can not be done humanly under American bullfrogs and turtles in its Chinese outlets have continued since June 2006. Opposition focuses around:
existing conditions, I fully support the separation of any commercial business from any aspect of turtles for the
food trade" z Animal welfare concerns related to farming, transport, display and slaughter (in store and at home).
z The conservation impact of turtle consumption in China.
In the words of Prof. Shi, "the fusion of China's growth with China's utilitarian attitude toward nature
emphasizes quick profit over sustaining biodiversity. It is unlikely that the black market turtle farms could After assessing background information provided by Care for the Wild International, Tesco introduced policy changes
ever be controlled." to address some of the animal welfare problems associated with selling live turtles last June. These included:

"Sales of turtles for food or medicinal purposes are driving natural populations to extinction," says Professor of z Removing hardshell turtles from sale because to it is not possible to access the animal's head for decapitation
Reptology Dr. Harvey Lillywhite. "The cruellest aspect of turtle sales by companies such as Tesco is the without breaking the shell.
extinction of populations and species worldwide. Please make your profit in some other way."
z Replacing decapitation as a killing method with decapitation
Tesco's Corporate Responsibility Policy states that the company is "committed to conducting business in an followed by crushing of the skull to reduce time to death.
ethical and socially responsible manner", and that Tesco uses "up-to-date knowledge of research, ethics,
scientific facts and legislation to ensure this happens". Care for the Wild visited 32 Tesco stores across China in April
and May 2008 and found that staff fail to adhere to Tesco's
Twelve months ago Care for the Wild International provided published research and expert opinions about the new slaughter policies.
devastating welfare and conservation impact of the activities in which the company participates to Tesco's
Corporate Responsibility team. But undeterred by scientific facts and its own policies, Tesco insists on In 12 stores where slaughter was observed, staff continued to kill
maintaining an untenable position. A member of Tesco's Corporate Responsibility team told CWI that it is turtles either by decapitation alone or by evisceration through the
not for Tesco to judge, and that it is Tesco’s job to give its customers what they want. This is both irresponsible plastron (underside of the shell). CWI also found large numbers of
and unreasonable, and no amount of denial, corporate spin and excuses will change that. disembowelled turtles with intact heads packed up for sale. Tesco
staff also confirmed that turtles are killed through decapitation, and One of many dead and disembowelled turtles
Leading veterinary, scientific and chelonian authorities and relevant professional bodies therefore urge customers requesting advice on home slaughter were told to cut off with its head intact on sale
Tesco to cease trading in turtles and bullfrogs for food on conservation and animal welfare grounds. the turtle's head and legs.

As a Tesco shareholder, you can ensure your company listens to the scientific evidence. Together with Care for the Wild, 27 of the world's most renowned veterinary, scientific and chelonian
experts and relevant professional bodies urge Tesco to cease trading in wild and farmed turtles and
bullfrogs for food on conservation and animal welfare grounds.

Care for the Wild International, The Granary, Tickfold Farm, Kingsfold, West Sussex, RH12 3SE.
Tel: 01306 627900 Email: [email protected] ANIMAL WELFARE
Website: www.careforthewild.com Veterinary and scientific guidelines explicitly state that decapitating turtles is inhumane and not recommended.
"Decapitation has been deemed unacceptable as a sole method of euthanasia for chelonians and is
Care for the Wild International promotes the conservation and welfare only acceptable when reptiles are rendered unconscious by other methods," says Dr. Wilbur Amand,
of wild animals around the world through direct projects, education, Executive Director of The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians and Executive Director of
Registered charity no. 288802 research and science-led advocacy. American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition.
 "Decapitation may sever the head from the body," explains Annie Lancaster, Director of Tortoise Aid in the US, Guinea, Indonesia, India, and even the USA," says Kevin Buley from The European Association of Zoos' &
"but reptiles are capable of surviving prolonged periods of anoxia (absence of oxygen from the brain) Aquaria's (EAZA) Shellshock Turtle & Tortoise Conservation Campaign. Under this initiative almost 200
for an HOUR (or more) after decapitation." Turtles will experience awareness and severe pain when European zoos and aquaria are "reaching tens of millions of zoo visitors with vital messages about the current
slaughtered this way. Dr. Richard Gibson, Head Curator of Herpetology at the Zoological Society of London conservation plight of these ancient creatures."
told CWI that "decapitation is an appalling way to kill any reptile, including turtles, and is only marginally
better than the live disembowelment and butchery going on in the live food markets." Although Tesco argues that turtles sold in its stores are farmed, Chinese Tesco staff told CWI that some of
the turtles on sale are wild caught. Turtle farming too damages wild populations and the environment.
Turtle slaughter observed in Tesco store in Guangdong Province, 26 April 2008 Research by Dr. Shi Haitao and colleagues from the Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed that commercial
farming threatens wild turtle populations. Any "gains can only be considered temporary," says Dr Shi, "with a
Tesco staff caught a turtle and started to cut its head. The turtle pulled its head back into the shell, so staff permanent cost to wild Chinese turtles. In the long term turtle farms serve no function beyond generating
cut the shell along the edge. The turtle broke loose and was caught again after about one minute. Staff then profit for a few entrepreneurs. The existence of an enormous, largely unregulated, turtle-farming industry
sliced the still living turtle in half separating the upper and lower part of its shell. Staff then put the dead turtle creates additional and serious challenges for turtle conservation." In addition "there is a cultural demand
on the ice and attached a label. In another scene, Tesco staff cut the turtle's abdomen from tail to neck with for wild-caught game. This is especially true in China, where the nutritional properties of wild animals are
a pair of scissors. The turtle extended its long neck and its extremities struggled. Tesco staff then added a promulgated by the practitioners of traditional medicine and deeply ingrained in the national psyche.
traverse incision and pulled out the entrails. Consequently, wild-caught turtles fetch significantly higher prices than farm-raised turtles, and no
amount of captive breeding will decrease the desire for wild turtles."

CWI compared turtle slaughter methods in Tesco with those in a local Chinese market and found them to be
no better.

Tesco has no control over the behaviour of customers who wish to buy live turtles for home slaughter.
Common methods include live dismemberment, evisceration or boiling the animals alive.

Turtles bound up tightly in plastic netting are mostly displayed on layers of ice, which is inappropriate
and painful for these sub-tropical to temperate, cold-blooded species. Although Tesco acknowledged this
fact a year ago, the practice continues as before. Some turtles were held in aquaria with live fish where
high water levels forced them to constantly struggle for air.

Chinese turtle farm Crated turtles at food market Turtles piled high at a Chinese food market

Prof. Darrell Senneke, one of the world's leading authorities on tortoises and turtles and Director of the World
Chelonian Trust told CWI: "When an adult turtle is removed from the wild, it is not just that turtle that is being
removed, but also the reproductive potential of that animal over a breeding life that may exceed 50 years. As a
result, removal of even a few adults from a population can result in the decline and eventual loss of the
entire population." He adds that according to research by Dr Brad Compton the removal of just two animals a
year from a population of 100 adults would extirpate the population in less than 80 years."
Turtle slaughter at local market Turtle for sale, Tesco China Turtles tied up in nets and displayed on ice
In a statement to CWI, EAZA's Kevin Buley said "There has been hope in recent years that the massive
expansion of turtle farms within China (an industry now estimated to be worth over $1 billion each year), would
Welfare conditions on Chinese turtle farms and during transport are notoriously poor with overcrowding, help curb the demand for wild turtle collection. However, whilst there has been a significant shift from wild
injuries, disease and hygiene problems. caught turtles to farmed turtles in the trade, it is becoming clear that the turtle farms themselves still have a
huge demand for wild caught specimens to ensure that the fecundity of the animals in the farms remains high."
Bullfrogs are commonly skinned before being killed in China and CWI documented Tesco staff skinning Wild turtles are also caught to set up new breeding facilities. "Farms that don't regularly 'top-up' their
bullfrogs alive. There is no question that this is utterly unacceptable and can not be considered humane under breeding stock with fresh wild caught animals, very quickly notice a drop-off in egg and hatchling
any circumstances. production. … The growth of turtle farms, the regional and international trade and now, the availability
of these non-domesticated animals in large supermarket franchises, is having a catastrophic effect on
Frog Slaughter observed in Tesco store in Guangdong the remaining fragile wild populations of many species."
Province, 27 April 2008
Dr. Richard Gibson, Head Curator of Herpetology at the Zoological Society of London and Head of EAZA's
Tesco staff caught two frogs and cut off their heads with a cleaver. Shellshock Campaign notes that farmed "turtles are over-crowded, species are hybridised and escape to the
Decapitation of one frog is incomplete and the animal struggles. wild, and high levels of parasites and other water-borne pollutants are discharged into the environment. … The
Tesco staff then peel the skin off both frogs, pack and label them. trade in farmed turtles can also provide a handy cover for illegal trade in wild turtles of species threatened and
protected in the wild."

CONSERVATION IMPACT Last year, Tesco informed CWI that the species Pelodiscus sinensis is now the only softshell turtle for sale in
its shops. But the International Red List of Endangered Species classifies Pelodiscus sinensis as Vulnerable
China's booming economy and one billion-plus population fuels the due to harvesting for food. This means the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term.
demise of turtle species across Asia and beyond. Two fifths (41%)
of the world's tortoises and freshwater turtles and three quarters Selling softshell turtles for food supports a destructive market that is fuelling a global extinction crisis.
of Asian species are threatened with extinction as a result of Any action that endorses or participates in this devastating trade pushes wild turtles one step closer to
human consumption. extinction. Tesco should not be involved in the extermination of these imperilled animals.

China consumes some 20 million turtles a year. In 2000 alone,

every week 25 tons entered the country from Sumatra. Despite HUMAN HEALTH CONCERNS
legislation restricting trade in many species, enforcement is weak,
and many internationally and nationally protected species still find Turtles are likely to carry salmonella, which can cause serious health problems and death in humans. Prof.
their way onto Chinese plates. "The international trade in live turtles Frederick Frye, a leading authority on turtle medicine and biology, told CWI "the opportunities for zoonotic
American bullfrogs crowded into a plastic tub.
to supply the Chinese markets has also decimated wild populations infections, particularly chelonian - to - human salmonellosis should be sufficient reason to discourage
Many of these animals carry wounds
in many other countries including Vietnam, Cambodia, New the trade in these animals. The sale of frogs is linked to the growing amphibian pandemic of chytridiomycosis.

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