Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Rescued star tortoises brought to Nehru zoo

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Aug. 11. They were the star attraction at the Nehru Zoological Park on Monday. Tiny and cute star tortoises, which were smuggled out of the country, were successfully rescued and brought back here.

As many as 515 of them were transported by air from Chennai in two boxes and released in specially built cages at the zoo park. Two of them were found dead while being removed. P. Subramanyam, Regional Deputy Director, Wildlife Preservation, Chennai, who carried the star tortoises, said they were illegally smuggled out in two bags. The Malaysian authorities seized them at Kuala Lumpur from an Indian, Chellaiah Raghupati, on July 24. The tiny creatures were temporarily kept at the Department of National Parks, Malaysia, before being sent back to Chennai on Sunday.

In another such incident, one Jacob was caught at Chennai airport on August 7, while he was trying to leave for Singapore with 900 star tortoises. The animals were released since then in the Guindy National Park, Mr. Subramanyam said.

Officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Central Zoo Authority and the Chief Wildlife Warden, Andhra Pradesh, swung into action and persuaded the Malaysian authorities to send back the star tortoises to the Nehru Zoological Park. "The case is under investigation and we are yet to get details," Mr. Subramanyam said. He said actually 580 tortoises were seized at Malaysia but 65 of them were found dead due to unscientific way of transportation. This is for the second time that the Hyderabad zoo received a big consignment of star tortoises. In August 2002 about 1,800 tortoises were brought back from Singapore, said A.V. Joseph, Chief Conservator of Forests.

Traditionally star-backed tortoises are much sought after as pets. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, export of the tortoises is prohibited. These tortoises would be rehabilitated in select protected areas of the State. Survey and analysis was underway at the wildlife sanctuaries at Tirupati, Chittoor, Kurnool, Pocharam and Hyderabad to find "micro localities" for the tortoises. After the soft release of the tortoises their movement and performance would be monitored by an electronic tag, said the zoo curator, Srinivas.

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