Rare Elongated turtles add to Nandankanan Zoo

Bhubaneswar, Oct 13 (UNI) A pair of near-extinct Elongated tortoise or Yellow Tortoise belonging to the Genus Indotestudo was added to Nandankanan Zoo here on Sunday to enrich its species diversity.

The field staff of Project Tiger seized two female tortoises after arresting two poachers, who were carrying the animals.

The rescued tortoises were brought to the zoo on Sunday and kept in quarantine for medical check up, Zoo Director Ajit Kumar Pattnaik said.

In India the elongated tortoise has the greatest threat as its claws are clipped and sold to quacks, who use them as medicines for various ailments.

According to Mr Pattnaik the Indotestudo elongate is a medium to large size tortoise. Typically, they are about 30 cm (12 inches) long and 3.5 kg (7 pounds) as an adult though there are larger specimens. The new comers to the Zoo, he said, were female adults and weighing about 3 kg each. The females, he said, are tended to be wider and more rounded than males.

As regards the distribution, the Nandankanan Zoo Director said, the species has a huge range in Asia and found from Nepal to Malaysia.

Indotestudo elongata all primarily found in damp forest though it could be found in dry areas as well. Being a crepuscular tortoise, it becomes active in the twilight hours before dawn or after sunset.

The tortoise is mostly omnivorous and its diet is fruits, leafy greens, worms, slugs and carrion if available.

As regards the reproduction, the mating behaviour of male is quite interesting. The male Elongated tortoises engage in very aggressive courtship behaviour which can result in injury to the female if a large enough habitat is not provided, Mr.Pattnaik said. Male aggression against other males could also be very damaging and it is suggested that only one male be housed in an enclosure. In courtship, the male engages in ramming behaviour as well as vigorous biting about the head, neck and front legs of the female. The male, Mr Pattnaik said, loudly vocalised during mating, emitting a harsh, raspy sound while exhaling.

A female Elongated tortoise preparing to nest becomes restless, often attempting to escape the enclosure. While constantly striding about the habitat, she will stop and sniff the earth from time to time as she selects a spot.

Generally, the spot chosen is damp and free of vegetation. Once she has found a suitable spot, she digs a flask shaped nest 15-20 centimeters deep with her back legs.

If the soil is too hard and dry, she will wet the spot by emptying her bladder and then proceeds to lay a clutch of 2-4 eggs in the excavated nest, replaces the soil with her back legs and flattens the spot with her plastron.

The animal typically lay 3 clutches a season in captivity.The eggs of the Elongated tortoise are huge compared to most other species measuring 50 X 40 mm, are hard-shelled and weigh 42 - 46 grams.

The elongated tortoise is commonly found in the Asian food markets and as a result of this the species are under dire pressures in its entire range.

It is the most common tortoise shipped to the Chinese food markets from Vietnam. The species has been placed on CITES Appendix II, which regulates the legal international trade, Mr Pattnaik said adding that Elongated tortoises are still openly offered for sale in Chinese food markets.

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