Freeport-McMoRan Returns Thousands of Pig-Nosed Turtles to Natural Habitat

May 5, 2015 /3BL Media/ - Freeport-McMoRan, through its affiliate company PT Freeport Indonesia, recently released 6,350 pig-nosed turtles into their natural habitat in Papua, Indonesia.

Carettochelys insculpta, also called the Fly River turtle, is found in rivers in Papua. It has a distinctive snout-like nose and webbed feet. The turtles are often smuggled out of the country to be sold as exotic pets. The turtles are protected under Indonesian conservation law.

Since 2006, PTFI has been facilitating the repatriation of pig-snouted turtles, as part of commitment by the company operating in Papua towards conserving the region’s high level of biodiversity. PTFI has been working together with the Forestry Ministry’s Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation.

For learn more about Freeport-McMoRan’s actions that conserve and enhance biodiversity, please visit their website at http://www.fcx.com/sd/env/biodiversity.htm

Please see the 2013 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts.