The final episode of Eric Goode’s docuseries exposes a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who kept a rare, endangered ploughshare tortoise in his home.

The fifth and final episode of the docuseries "Monsters of God," airing September 3 on HBO, concludes with creator Eric Goode confronting a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent, Ken McCloud. The series reveals that McCloud, who previously worked to apprehend wildlife traffickers, has been keeping a critically endangered ploughshare tortoise in his home.

Confronting a Wildlife Trafficker

In the finale, Goode interviews Anson Wong, a figure known as the "Pablo Escobar of animal trafficking," at his home in Penang, Malaysia. Goode reports that Wong operates a vast wildlife smuggling network, exploiting the country's wildlife protection laws and bribery. Goode described the experience of interviewing Wong as nerve-wracking.

Discovery of the Endangered Tortoise

Goode used a hidden camera to film inside the home of Ken and Rose McCloud, capturing footage of a ploughshare tortoise kept in a terrarium in their living room. The ploughshare tortoise is considered the world's most endangered tortoise, with approximately 100 remaining in the wild. Goode states that McCloud, who previously worked for a reptile dealer before joining law enforcement, became increasingly protective and paranoid regarding the animal's security.

Conservation and Legal Implications

Goode, a turtle conservationist and the U.S. Studbook Keeper for ploughshare tortoises, hopes the animal will be moved to a breeding colony to support the species. He is currently in discussions with government officials regarding the situation. Goode noted that his nonprofit, the Turtle Conservancy, has protected 65 turtle species and over 70,000 acres of habitat globally.