The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the New Jersey airport in the US found a live turtle concealed in a man’s pants on March 7, the federal agency said.
The Pennsylvania man was at the security when a body scanner alarm went off at Newark Liberty International Airport. A TSA officer then conducted a pat-down on the East Stroudsburg man and determined there was something concealed in the groin area of his pants.
When questioned further, the man pulled out the turtle from his pants, near the groin area. The turtle was wrapped in a small blue towel.
Cops launch probe
The man, whose name was not released, was escorted from the checkpoint area and the turtle was confiscated. However, it is still not clear if the turtle was the man’s pet or why he had it in his pants.
“We have seen travelers try to conceal knives and other weapons on their person, in their shoes and in their luggage, however I believe this is the first time we have come across someone who was concealing a live animal down the front of his pants,” Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey told the Associated Press. “As best as we could tell, the turtle was not harmed by the man’s actions.”
He said the incident remains under investigation, and it wasn’t clear if the man would face any charges or penalties.
What kind of a turtle was it
The man said it wad a red-ear slider turtle, a species that is popular as a pet. The turtle was about 5 inches long.
According to the Veterinary Centers of America (VCA) Animal Hospitals’ website, the turtle is “probably the most popular pet aquatic turtle”. Native to the southern United States, these turtles are found living in the wild, specifically in fresh water ponds, lakes, creeks, and streams.
While these turtles are popular pets and natives in the US, they are considered as invasive in Canada. “Though small as juveniles, the turtles grow into large adults with complex needs which pet owners may fail to foresee, leading to their unfortunate, and often illegal, release into the wild,” stated the center on its website.
The turtle can then wreak havoc on an ecosystem by spreading diseases to native wildlife.
Other bizarre animals confiscated at airports
This isn’t the first time that the TSA has confiscated weird animals at security checks. In February, airport security in California found 37 giant beetles worth $1,480 concealed inside packages of Japanese snacks, potato chips and chocolate. The bugs were around four to five inches long, as big as the turtle mentioned above.
Last year, TSA officers at the Miami International Airport, found two snakes inside a camouflage-patterned pouch, the images of which had gone viral on social media.
About The Author
