A special delivery of some of the world’s rarest reptiles has arrived in the Southeastern United States. Eight critically endangered ploughshare tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora), imported by the TSA, are now residents of Zoo Atlanta and Knoxville Zoo. They may represent the last hope for a species marked for extinction.

Widely considered the world’s most endangered tortoise species, ploughshare tortoises are native only to Madagascar. Despite a concentrated recovery program begun in 1986 by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the population continues to founder due to the combined effects of illegal commerce and habitat destruction. Ongoing demand on a global black market, where ploughshare tortoises are often sold to collectors at higher than the price of gold, may have reduced their numbers to as few as 400 individuals.

In 2008, the Recovery Plan Workshop for the Ploughshare Tortoise suggested the establishment of a captive population outside Madagascar. The founders of that population, a group of 10 tortoises confiscated from illegal traders in Hong Kong and Taipei, were imported to the U.S. by the Turtle Conservancy/Behler Chelonian Center.

Now, a second group of eight ploughshare tortoises have recently been imported to the U.S. by the Turtle Survival Alliance. The tortoises arrived thanks to the cooperation of the TSA’s strategic partner Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden as well as the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department that initially confiscated the ploughshares entering Hong Kong illegally. The tortoises will be housed at Zoo Atlanta and Knoxville Zoo, with oversight from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which manages the breeding and placement of the species in zoos accredited by the AZA.

196 Critically Endangered tortoises were seized at Ivato International Airport on the night of July 24. The group included 168 Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata), 27 Ploughshare Tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora) and one Spider Tortoise (Pyxis). According to the Eaux & Forêts staff at Ivato Airport, a car brought three suitcases directly to the plane, circumventing security screening. The person in charge of loading the luggage into the plane suggested that the bags be checked for safety purposes, at which time the tortoises were discovered.

Two passengers were arrested, one of whom is already well-known by customs personnel. The smugglers’ final intended destination was Indonesia, by way of Nairobi and Dubai. The Turtle Survival Alliance has been charged with the care of all of the Radiated Tortoises, while the Ploughshare Tortoises were sent to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Herilala Randriamahazo (TSA Malagasy Tortoise Conservation Coordinator) is currently caring for the Radiated Tortoises, most of which are very young, in the gardens of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership in Antananarivo where he is based.

Many of the Radiated Tortoises are weak and in poor health after their ordeal. After they are able to fully recover, Herilala hopes to reintroduce them in the sacred forest of Ampotoka in the Androy Region, where a collaboration has already been established to release confiscated tortoises.  We will keep you posted on their progress. (Photo credit: Mamy Mael)

Click here  for a PDF version of the full report.

The plight of the planet's tortoises and turtles -- creatures that have roamed the Earth for 220 million years -- has never been greater, according to the newly released report "Turtles in Trouble: Top 25+ Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles ."  It shows the world's 25 most endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles will become extinct in the next few decades without concerted conservation efforts.

We are pleased to announce that the TSA has hired Herilala Randriamahazo, a long – time tortoise conservation biologist, as our full-time Malagasy Tortoise Conservation Coordinator.

The European Union has traditionally been a very important market for the reptile trade. We all think of Germany, of course, but all the other countries have a strong appeal for traders, both legal and illegal. As the EU and National regulations became tighter (a process still going on), the illegal trade in turtles has grown, calling higher attention from several Law Enforcement Agencies throughout Europe. This has resulted in a number of seizures: although a complete picture is difficult to put together, information gathered by the writer point to an average of 2000-3000 specimen per year from 2005 to 2008.

Southwestern Madagascar
The tortoises of southwestern Madagascar are in serious trouble, but fortunately a remarkable duo of devoted tortoise conservationists are working on their behalf through the Village des Tortues at Ifaty.  Bernard Devaux and Olivier Razandrimamilafiniarivo (Mami, for short) are running the largest tortoise facility in the south specifically created for these critically endangered tortoises.