The rehabilitated star tortoises
Chennai, August 30, 2012: After seven months of intensive rehabilitation, 192 star tortoises were released back to the wild in four locations in the Satyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary, earlier this week. The tortoises had been confiscated in two separate incidents as they were being smuggled out of the country from Malaysia in December 2011 and Indonesia in March 2012.
Ready for transport
“192 of the 202 surviving tortoises were found medically fit and suitable for release after the entire rehabilitation and soft weaning procedure,” says Abhishek Narayanan from WTI, who has been at Chennai looking after the tortoises for seven months. “They shall be now monitored by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and we hope that the post release mortality is negligible.”
Thalavady, Talamalai, Dhimban and TN Palayam are the four locations where the tortoises were released. They have been finalised after a site selection survey, taking into account distribution range, and availability of adequate food, water and hiding spaces with minimum anthropological interference.
