It will mark the first time a protected Philippine species seized from the illegal wildlife trade abroad has been returned. Hong Kong will hand the 20 pond turtles and 16 South Asian box turtles to Philippine enforcement officers on Friday, where they'll be released back into the wild.

A man was arrested at Hong Kong airport in February after the turtles were found in his luggage. He was charged and fined HK$8,000 under a law aimed at protecting endangered animals and plants.