NEW DELHI: Twentyeight of the 1,800 rescued star tortoises that were brought back to India about three months back have died of bacterial infection at the Hyderabad Zoo Rescue Centre, according to preliminary reports.On August 22, more than 1,800 illegally-traded Indian star tortoises were flown from Singapore to India to be reintroduced into their natural habitat after two major seizures by Singapore CITES officials. The tortoises were flown to Chennai courtesy of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), from where they were to be taken to the Hyderabad Zoo Rescue Centre. However, there had been no casualties during the flight.

The tortoises are suspected to have contracted pseudomonas infection which is common. In all, 28 star tortoises have died since they were taken to the Hyderabad centre, according to Dr Anand Ramanathan, Technical Officer with Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), who had been present in Chennai when the tortoises were brought back.

Dr Ramanathan said mortality is not an issue since it is not very significant. According to Dr NVK Ashraf, mortalities are inevitable in such large congregations in restricted confinement. “Mortality can be rendered insignificant if the entire population is split into many small groups, thereby reducing chances of cross-infection. It is not possible to make further comments since we do not know how the tortoises are actually being kept and what the facilities are,” said Dr Ashraf, Coordinator of WTI’s Wild Rescue programme.

The tortoises had been confiscated from Indian nationals in Singapore in July, according to Ms Lye Fong Keng, Wildlife Regulatory Branch, Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, CITES Management Authority of Singapore. Prior to their flight to India, the tortoises were cared for by the Singapore Zoo, under the supervision of Ms Theng Hui Hwen.

Singapore authorities got in touch with the Indian government, which agreed to repatriation of the tortoises. However, neither the Singapore Zoological Gardens nor the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests were able to furnish the funds needed for this repatriation. The lucky break for the tortoises came when IFAW decided to provide the necessary assistance in collaboration with WTI.

It was due to the intervention of Sally Walker of the Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO) that such a repatriation involving the governments and NGOs of two countries could take place. We hope these tortoises, which are small babies, will be able to go back to the wild. The entire repatriation process has been coordinated by Ms Walker of Coimbatore-based Zoo Outreach Organisation.

The tortoises were relocated at the Hyderabad Zoo which has one of the best- equipped rescue centres to deal with permanently displaced animals like these confiscated tortoises. The tortoises are being tested by officials of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular Molecular Biology, the only institution in India that has taken up DNA studies in wildlife, to ascertain their geographical origins. The tortoises will then be released into the wild accordingly.

The Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is mainly found in northwest and southeast India. The species is deemed “vulnerable” by IUCN and falls in Appendix II of the Convention against International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). According to the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, star tortoises fall in Schedule IV which grants them the least level of protection.