Smuggled rare Ploughshare tortoises go on display for first time in UK

Cowboy_Ken

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
17,561
Location (City and/or State)
Suburban-life in Salem, Oregon
Smuggled rare Ploughshare tortoises go on display for first time in UK
February 25, 2017, BBCA

The ploughshare tortoises were handed to Chester Zoo in 2012 after being confiscated by Hong Kong customs officials in 2009.
Regarded as the most threatened species of tortoise, say zoo bosses, they are native to Madagascar.

Dr Gerardo Garcia, of the zoo, said they were the "jewel in the crown of the reptile world".

Prized for their distinctive gold and black shells, they fetch "exceptionally high prices on the international black market", a spokesman said.

Efforts to steal the animals are so relentless there may only be 500 left, making it one of the rarest animals in the world, he added.

Dr Garcia said there was a "very real possibility the species could be lost forever due to illegal trafficking for the exotic pet trade".
"Most of these illegally exported tortoises are sold in markets in South East Asia," he explained.

The quartet were part of a shipment of 13 being smuggled from Madagascar and will form part of the European Breeding Programme for the species.

They are going on display at the zoo to raise awareness of the illegal exotic pet trade.

Worth £15bn ($19bn) a year, it is the fourth biggest international crime after drugs, arms and human trafficking, a zoo spokesman said.
 

8james8

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2016
Messages
220
Location (City and/or State)
Alabama
Amazing opportunity to see a very unique species.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,655
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I'm glad they are going to have them in a breeding program. I think the government should round up the ones left in the wild, so they will survive, start a breed and release program and when there's so many, that their value drops, start releasing them back to their home land
 

Cowboy_Ken

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
17,561
Location (City and/or State)
Suburban-life in Salem, Oregon
I'm glad they are going to have them in a breeding program. I think the government should round up the ones left in the wild, so they will survive, start a breed and release program and when there's so many,
Unfortunately, I think this would just contribute to more illegal capture and selling. With the introduction of a government body I see, would likely further add more complications, towards the negative in regard towards this issue.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,655
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Unfortunately, I think this would just contribute to more illegal capture and selling. With the introduction of a government body I see, would likely further add more complications, towards the negative in regard towards this issue.
Possibly.
 

TammyJ

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7,119
Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
They are just fantastic looking creatures! Never seen such a high domed carapace! I wish them the very best of luck for their future.
 

emystiong

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
659
Location (City and/or State)
Borneo
Good to know that another Zoo is working with the sp . But the idea of putting such rare sp on display ........ rather than breeding full time !

Pro - cashing in on the rare-ness and thus draw crowd and create awareness of its rare-ness and status in the wild .A big plus on the conservation of this sp . ( really cashing in , in term of soliciting donation )

Con ( my view ) - Let some " oversea visitor" know how beautiful it actually was and when they get back home , set out to seek one or more into their collection !

I have posted less , due to not wanting unwanted attention which may endangered my herd .


Cheers
 

emystiong

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
659
Location (City and/or State)
Borneo
ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1488280625.650946.jpg

At least In captive for 8 years ( 2017 - 2009 ) weren't they in " professional " care since 2009 ? And they are these " small " in size ? And the uneveness on the shell after their initial growth after capture ( the outer darker are the growth after the center yellow scute )


Makes one wonder ? Display to really "Cash in " on the rareness before they are gone or ................

Cheers
 

Anyfoot

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
6,309
Location (City and/or State)
UK Sheffield
Smuggled rare Ploughshare tortoises go on display for first time in UK
February 25, 2017, BBCA

The ploughshare tortoises were handed to Chester Zoo in 2012 after being confiscated by Hong Kong customs officials in 2009.
Regarded as the most threatened species of tortoise, say zoo bosses, they are native to Madagascar.

Dr Gerardo Garcia, of the zoo, said they were the "jewel in the crown of the reptile world".

Prized for their distinctive gold and black shells, they fetch "exceptionally high prices on the international black market", a spokesman said.

Efforts to steal the animals are so relentless there may only be 500 left, making it one of the rarest animals in the world, he added.

Dr Garcia said there was a "very real possibility the species could be lost forever due to illegal trafficking for the exotic pet trade".
"Most of these illegally exported tortoises are sold in markets in South East Asia," he explained.

The quartet were part of a shipment of 13 being smuggled from Madagascar and will form part of the European Breeding Programme for the species.

They are going on display at the zoo to raise awareness of the illegal exotic pet trade.

Worth £15bn ($19bn) a year, it is the fourth biggest international crime after drugs, arms and human trafficking, a zoo spokesman said.
We visit this zoo most years. This year we didn't go, sods Law they have the rarest tort species and I've not been for a visit this year. I'll definitely be going early next year just to see these. My daughter just came back from a school trip and didn't get me any photos as requested :(. I'll be back to this thread with photos next yr.
 

Anyfoot

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
6,309
Location (City and/or State)
UK Sheffield
I just asked my daughter and she only saw Aldabra and radiated tortoises. No ploughshare on display. :confused:
 

Anyfoot

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
6,309
Location (City and/or State)
UK Sheffield
Been to Chester zoo today. Here are some photos of the ploughshare torts. At a guess I would say these are around the 9" SCL size.

I was a bit confused when I saw them today because I thought they were supposed to be wild caught, but they look captive bred. Reading this thread again they have over 5yrs worth of captive growth on them.
IMG_1874.JPG IMG_1879.JPG IMG_1880.JPG IMG_1885.JPG IMG_1887.JPG IMG_1891.JPG IMG_1925.JPG IMG_1927.JPG
 
Top