Repatriation of Star Tortoises
Illegal Trade Animal Confiscations Returned to Wild in India
Health concerns often keep confiscated animals from going back to the wild. Star tortoises seized from illicit trade were returned to their natural environment in India.
(The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a popular pet, which is also used in traditional medicine, resulting in over-exploitation of the wild population. Concerns about disease transmission, after being kept in crowded, dirty conditions by illegal traders, often prevent animals from being returned to the wild. The repatriation of 530 star tortoises to Andhra Pradesh in India provided a rare opportunity to develop rehabilitation and release protocols for these animals.
Although the Convention on Illegal Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was designed to protect animals from being taken from the wild and sold, it is only partially effective. Illegal traders often mix groups of animals from different countries and habitats. Animals are also held in unsanitary facilities, increasing the chance of serious health problems. They can’t be just simply put back where they came from. Treatment for parasites and screening for diseases are necessary to prevent them from being a health risk to the wild population where they are released.
In 2002, 1800 Indian star tortoises were seized at airports in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. They were eventually shipped back to India for rehabilitation and return to the wild. The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with assistance from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) worked with the Hyderabad Zoo Rescue Centre to care for the animals once they were back in India.
Animal Triage and Rehabilitation
The animals were rehydrated, separated by size and housed in small groups to reduce the chance of disease transmission and to ensure that the larger star tortoises did not prevent the smaller ones from accessing food and water. In addition to checking for health problems, DNA testing was done to determine what part of India the tortoises had come from, as there are several subspecies.
Release and Tortoise Montitoring
Based on the DNA results, sites in Andhra Pradesh within protected areas were evaluated as release locations. Four were chosen and over the course of a year the 530 surviving animals were soft released in the reserves. Animals were identified by clipping marginal scales in unique patterns. Some of the animals were transponder chipped for longer term monitoring. The monitoring team was aided by trained local villagers continued to monitor their movements for a year.
The Future for Star Tortoises
It is clear that this was not a simple nor an inexpensive project. But it is a start. With thousands of animals seized from illegal trade every year, more effort needs to be put into educating people about the damage this trade does to so many species. And more effort needs to be made to develop protocols and programs for returning animals like the star tortoises back to the wild once they are rescued from illegal trade.
(Photo Credit: James Weston, Utah's Hogle Zoo)
