The Guardian reports that wildlife officials in Florida have urged people not to illustrate the shells of a threatened tortoise species, after several animals were found daubed with paint.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has released photos of gopher tortoises that were painted red and a shade of turquoise. The FWC said the “illegally painted” tortoises were at risk from paint fumes and from toxins that could be absorbed into the bloodstream via the shell.