More than 40 shells of the endangered Hawksbill sea turtles have been discovered at the Shenzhen border crossing in southern China.

The shells were found hidden inside four nappy bags at the Futian crossing on Tuesday, according to South China Morning Post. It is unclear who was in possesion of the shells, or if any arrest has been made. The case is reportedly under investigation by the customs' anti-smuggling department.

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The Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys Imbricata) has been tagged as “critically endangered” globally since 1996. In China, it is prohibited by law to catch, sell or buy the said turtle.

The Hawksbill, which is known as the “longevity turtle” in China, is frequently hunted down for its shell, which has a distinctive pattern and design that makes it a popular choice for decorations.

The Hawksbill is the only known reptile to have a “biofluorescent” shell in the wild, glowing with bright red and green colors in the dark. Biofluorescence occurs when an organism absorbs light from an outside source and then reemits it. This process can be seen in glow-in-the-dark stickers.

Biofluorescence is different from bioluminescence, which is how other creatures such as fireflies glow. The latter is a chemical reaction that produces light.

Due to poaching, Hawksbill sea turtles have almost vanished from Chinese waters. Outside the country, they have also been largely lost to illegal trade. One place, however, where they are “still very healthy” is the Solomon Islands, located in the South Pacific.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the Hawksbill has reached a critically low population because of the “over-exploitation” of female turtles and eggs at nesting beaches; the destruction of habitats where the Hawksbill nests; the catching of juvenile and adult turtles in areas where they thrive; turtle deaths caused by marine fishing methods; and the destruction of marine habitats.

TagsHawksbill sea turtle, endangered species, endangered turtles, smuggling, Illegal trade