Turtles 'win' at the international conservation conference

On March 9 more than 170 countries attended the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Thailand, agreeing to increase the protection level for some turtles.

44 Asian turtles (including tortoises and water turtles) and 3 North American turtles are enjoyed

Representatives from 178 countries agreed to increase protection levels for 44 species of tortoises and freshwater turtles in Asia, 4 species of turtles in North America. That means buying and selling activities will be strictly controlled in the near future, BBC reported.

The United States and China have come up with two proposals related to raising the level of protection for some soft-shell turtles and hard-shell turtles. This is the first time these two countries have cooperated to protect reptiles.

"This result is a great victory for nature conservation," said Brian Arroyo, head of the US delegation at this year's CITES conference.

Animal protection organizations welcome the decision of the CITES conference, considering it an important step in the effort to protect turtles.

More than half of the world's turtle species belong to the group of seriously threatened animals. People in many countries hunt for them to prepare food or feed. In Asia, turtles are important animals in traditional medicine.