FORTY endangered tortoises have been found abandoned on a Malaga city street.
Officers from the Guardia Civil’s Seprona nature protection brigade discovered four crates on a street near La Malagueta bullring containing 40 spur-thighed (Testudo Graeca) tortoises including four which were just months old.
The authorities suspect that increased surveillance on breeders and private individuals regarding endangered species led to the owners dumping the animals to avoid detection.
The tortoises, catalogued as in danger of extinction by the Andalucian Endangered Breeds Catalogue, have been taken to the CREA threatened species recovery centre for evaluation.
