MEDIA RELEASE
ORTOISES TO O LOSE FACEE VALUE WORLD’’S RAREST TO ore, 16th Dece ember 2013 – Conservattion organizaations fightin ng to save onne of the worrld’s Singapo most thrreatened torrtoises from poachers aree resorting tto a drastic m measure—enngraving identificcation codes onto the aniimals’ shells to reduce th heir black ma arket value. Although fully protected, Plough hshare Torto ises are prize ed for their b beautiful higgh domed shells, but ng pushed clo oser to the b brink of extin ction due to o high deman nd as unique and exotic p pets. are bein Engravin ng a tortoise’s shell make es it less des irable to trafffickers and e easier for ennforcement a agencies to trace. Found o only in north‐‐western Ma adagascar, thhe tortoise iss Critically En ndangered annd only an esstimated 400 adults remain in n the wild. Numbers havee been devasstated through illegal colllection and export to meet the internattional deman nd for the peet trade, especially in Sou uth‐East Asiaa, where they are sold in m markets particularly in Indonesia, Maalaysia and Thailand. In March h, two smugglers were arrested withh 52 Ploughsh hare Tortoise es in suitcasees while atte empting to enterr Thailand, w where traderss redistributee the animals to dealers locally and aabroad. This was the largest eever seizure of Ploughsha are Tortoisess in Southeasst Asia. One of the smuggglers, a Mala agasy woman was jailed, w while the oth her, a Thai m an, was released on bail. This casee exemplifies the increassed audacityy of smugglerrs, the urgency of the situuation and the need for enforcement ageencies to take the illegal trade in this species far m more serioussly. Based on n seizuress reported in the media, a at least 86 P loughshare TTortoises havve been seizeed since 201 10. Over 60% of tthese seizurees occurred in Thailand w while remaining seizures took place inn Madagasca ar and Malaysiaa; with at leaast one of the shipmentss destined for Indonesia. Four orgganisations –– Wildlife Resserves Singa pore, TRAFFIC, Durrell W Wildlife Conseervation Trusst and Turtle Co onservancy –– are joining forces to hoold a “Tattoo o the Tortoise e” event on 16th Decemb ber at Singapore Zoo to raiise awarenesss of the pligght of the Plo oughshare an nd to build suupport to figght traffickin ng in the speecies.
Singapore Zoo curreently houses two Ploughsshare Tortoisses which we ere confiscatted by the Aggri‐Food hority of Singgapore in 20009. The pair w will be used to establish an ‘assurancce and Veteerinary Auth colony’ iin Singaporee. The top she ell of each toortoise will b be engraved during this eevent – a first for South‐Eaast Asia. The event will includ de presentations by expeerts working on the conse ervation of tthese tortoises and bition open tto the public. These activvities provide e an opportunity for the ppublic, governments an exhib and otheer relevant b bodies to learn about thee dire situatio on these animals face, annd what theyy can do to save tthe Ploughsh hare Tortoise es. For furth her informattion, please ccontact: Dr. Chriss R Shepherd d, Regional D Director, TRA AFFIC Southeast Asia. T: +60122 2340790, EE: chris.sheph herd@trafficc.org dlife Reservees Singapore Ms Nattt Haniff, Assisstant Managger, Corporatte Communications, Wild 15, E: natt.haaniff@wrs.co om.sg T: +65 6360 8659 / ++65 9362 811 Madagascar P Programme D Director, Durrrell Wildlife Conservatioon Trust Mr Richaard Lewis, M E: Richard.Lewis@du urrell.org h Foley, Program Officer aand Grants M Manager, Turtle Conservvancy Ms Kaitlyn‐Elizabeth 0, E: kaitlyn@ @turtleconseervancy.org T: +01 212 353‐5060 Note to Editors: 1. Assuraance colonies ‐ In selected locations arouund the world, scientists have establishe d such colonies to secure th he safety of th he species in the event hum man‐induced o or natural disa asters wipe ouut wild popula ations; especiallyy with cases ssuch as the Plo oughshare To rtoise which is restricted to o a 60km2 ran ge. 2. Engravving process ‐ The shell of a a tortoise is m ade of very th hick plates ma ade of keratin,, the same ha ard material as human finggernails. The e engraving is m made on these e plates and p probably feels something likke clipping aa fingernail. 3. The Plo oughshare To ortoise (Astrocchelys yniphorra) is listed as Critically Endangered on thhe IUCN Red LList of Threaten ned Species. Itt is also listed in Appendix I of the Conve ention on International Tradde in Endange ered Species o of Wild Fauna and Flora (CIT TES), making iit illegal to traade the specie es commercia lly.