Man charges after bodies of 10 giant tortoises found dumped in forest

A man is due to appear in court after 10 dead giant tortoises were found dumped in woodland. Gary Priddle, 56, was summoned to appear at Exeter Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, May 30.

He will be charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Environment Protection Act 1990. The hearing is in relation to reports of a number of dead giant tortoises being found in East Devon.

A charge reads: “Between 29 December 2023 and 2 January 2024, at Exeter, in the county of Devon, dumped, dumped or otherwise deposited litter, namely ten dead Aldabra tortoises and left it in East Devon, where section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act. The Protection Act 1990 was applied. Contrary to section 87(1) and (5) of the Environment Protection Act 1990.”

The second charge states: “Between 23 and 29 December 2023 at Exeter, Devon, you failed to take reasonable steps in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which you were responsible, namely ten Aldabra tortoises, were met to the extent required by good practice, in the sense that due to the failure to control the daily welfare and the heating system related to their care, which failed and led to the death of the animals. Contrary to section 9 and 32(2) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.”

Two bodies were found in Ashclyst Forest, roughly north-east of Exeter, on Monday 8 January and a further five were found nearby on Friday 12 January. questions. Devon and Cornwall Police worked with the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the RSPCA on the investigation.

According to the National Zoo’s website, Aldabra tortoises can reach sizes of up to 550 pounds (249.5 kg, 39 3 lb) and ages of up to 150 years. They are native to Aldabra Island, one of the Seychelles, northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, and are among the largest land turtles in the world.