Trafficked animals sent back

Thailand is sending almost 1,000 highly endangered lemurs and tortoises back to their home in Madagascar, in what both countries called their biggest operation against wildlife trafficking.

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Thai police found and confiscated 1,117 of the live and dead animals in the southern province of Chumphon in May - the kingdom's largest seizure, according to the ministry of natural resources and environment.

Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers, who often sell highly prized endangered creatures on the lucrative black market in China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

The repatriation of the 963 animals - ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, spider tortoises and radiated tortoises - is a "significant step" in anti-trafficking operations, minister of natural resources and environment Chalermchai Sri-on said.