INDIANA — An Indiana man was arrested on drug charges after conservation officers reportedly found him dancing in a roadway while holding a rare Eastern Box Turtle, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
DNR officials said the incident happened in Harrison County.
According to authorities, conservation officers found the man “dancing” along a local street while holding the turtle, which officials said had been illegally taken from the wild.
The man was also reportedly carrying methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, DNR said. He was arrested on drug charges and booked into jail.
Officials said the Eastern Box Turtle was unharmed and later released back into its natural habitat near the area where it was found.
DNR officials noted that Eastern Box Turtles are considered rare throughout much of the Midwest and are protected under Indiana law. The turtles are long-lived, slow to mature and produce few offspring each year, making wild populations vulnerable, according to the agency.
Authorities did not release the man’s identity or additional details about the charges.
