PETA Issues Statement in Response to Idaho Aquarium Turtle Confiscation

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2013

PETA applauds the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for acting yesterday on our December 5 complaint and confiscating a sea turtle named Beam from the Idaho Aquarium. Animals should never be forced to live in filthy conditions. Fortunately for this turtle, the law was on his side. Whistleblowers had reported to PETA that the turtle was forced to live in a tank that exposed him to up to six times the recommended limit of nitrate and coliform bacteria. Information from the whistleblowers also indicated that Beam had been fed an improper diet. PETA’s complaint successfully argued that the aquarium became disqualified to keep a protected sea turtle under federal law months ago when it and its founders pleaded guilty to felony illegal wildlife trafficking. PETA is optimistic that this means that the FWS will also deny the Austin Aquarium a permit to keep protected sea turtles—an action which the group also requested in its December 5 complaint—given the involvement of one of the convicted cofounders of the Idaho Aquarium with the Austin Aquarium.