Florentina is a tender and sweet turtle who was walking through the jungle of Alto Beni, when someone saw her and decided that because she was so harmless, it would be incredibly easy to take her and put her in his backpack. This person took her to La Paz and kept her as a pet for many years. Her forest was converted into the patio of a house and her freedom was reduced to the length of the rope that her owners drilled through her shell, so that she wouldn’t escape . The family had to move house and as is often the custom, gave Florentina away. Her new owner saw that the turtle appeared to be crying all the time and took her to a vet. The vet could do nothing, but recommend bringing Florentina to the refuge, which is what the family did.

Florentina has recovered well, and now shares her life in the jungle with other turtles who suffered the same fate.

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