Madagascar customs seizes more than 700 tortoises
Customs officials in Madagascar discovered 771 tortoises that were just about to be smuggled out of the country, heading for Malaysia. Most were either Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) and Ploughshare Tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora), both highly endangered species. Once again, our friends at the Turtle Survival Alliance are responding to this event and are caring for the animals at their facility in Madagascar. Smuggling is a growing problem in Madagascar that continues to make conservation work more difficult.
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
Cyclists ride for awareness of the Yellow-Margined Box Turtle.
35 juvenile Desert Tortoises were released into the wild at the US Marines’ Sand Hill Training Area.
Another injured sea turtle was returned to the Gulf of Mexico.
Did You Know…
The Radiated and Ploughshare tortoises are just two of Madagascar’s critically endangered species. For myriad reasons, all 6 tortoises native to Madagascar are critically endangered.
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Photo by Turtle Survival Alliance
