Madrid station’s ‘terrapin paradise’ is becoming overcrowded hell

THE terrapins in the tropical pool at Atocha train station, the central hub of Spain’s rail network in Madrid, are experiencing a horrible squeeze on their living space. 

The terrapins have become an attraction, as travellers while away time waiting for connections watching them. But there have been some gruesome sights in the pool recently, with overcrowding becoming such a problem that some turtles are dying. 

According to the writers of a petition asking Madrid City Council to take action, people are abandoning unwanted pet terrapins in the pool at a rate which is completely unsustainable. 

Yolanda Sanchez and Antonio Manas, the people behind the campaign say that the pool is not, as many people believe, “a paradise for terrapins. It’s really a hell in which they are killed daily by the large number of animals crammed in there.”

Their petition has gathered more than 9,000 signatures, and they’ve already had some success with train station management company Adif meeting with them and agreeing to improve the filtration of the water in the pool.

But Sanchez and Manas say they will press on with their call for better security to stop people dumping their unwanted pets.

You can sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/ayuntamiento-de-madrid-comunidad-ministerios-de-medio-ambiente-y-fomento-haceros-cargo-de-esas-tortugas-y-evitar-m%C3%A1s-muertes-por-masificaci%C3%B3n