Florida wildlife authorities on Thursday announced the arrest of a man who admitted to killing and eating 15 endangered gopher tortoises and reportedly planned on slaughtering nearly a dozen more.

Prosecutors are preparing appropriate charges for the unidentified man, whom the arresting officer, Thomas Reid, said likely knew what he was doing was illegal.

The gopher tortoise, which is notable for the way it creates its home, by digging to create burrows, is designated as a threatened species in Florida.

The suspect, whom officer Reid found alongside nearly a dozen live tortoises, reportedly fessed up to authorities that he had already munched on 15 of the endangered reptiles.

All 11 tortoises have since been set free.

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