Ploughshare Tortoise
Astrochelys yniphora
Summary 2
The angonoka tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora) is a critically endangered species of tortoise endemic to Madagascar. It is also known as the angonoka, ploughshare tortoise, Madagascar tortoise, or Madagascar angulated tortoise.
Description 3
The carapace is highly domed and light brown in colour with prominent growth rings on each scute. The outer parts of the vertebral are a darker brown.[1] The gular scute of the plastron projects forward between the front legs and curves upward toward the neck.
Males are larger than females, reaching a carapace length up to 17 in (43 cm).[2] The average length of an adult male angonoka tortoise is 414.8 mm (16.33 in) and the average weight is 10.3 kg (23 lb). Females measure at a 370.1 mm (14.57 in) average and weigh 8.8 kg (19 lb) on average.[3]
Conservation 4
This is one of the rarest tortoises in the world. with only 440 to 770 individuals in the wild, and steadily decreasing.[3] A recovery programme was established for this species in 1986 by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust in collaboration with the Malagasy Department of Waters and Forests. A captive-breeding facility was established in Madagascar and within eight years over 100 young ploughshare tortoises had been bred. A study into the habitat of the species and interactions with humans was also established, and a grassroots-level environmental education programme was set up [4]. Experimental reintroductions of captive-bred tortoises have been successful to date and large-scale release to re-establish extirpated populations are being planned [5]. Although international trade in the ploughshare tortoise is illegal due to its listing under Appendix I of the Convention of International trade in Endangered Species (CITES), poor enforcement of the exotic pet trade is causing great problems. In 1996, 73 individuals were stolen from the captive breeding programme in Madagascar and as recently as 2003 reptile collectors have been arrested with wild ploughshare tortoises in their possession destined for the international exotic pet market [5]. When a species is this rare, outrageous crimes such as these have serious implications for the already precarious state of the species [6]. These incidents have highlighted weaknesses in wildlife law which must be urgently addressed [6].
Sources and Credits 5
- Ernst, C.H.; Altenburg, R.G.M.; Barbour, R.W. "Geochelone yniphora". Turtles of the World. National Node of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
- "Angonoka Tortoise". Honolulu Zoo. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Leuteritz, T.; Pedrono, M. (2008). "Astrochelys yniphora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- Durrell, L. (1994) A is for angonoka: the ploughshare tortoise project and the ABCs of species conservation. Testudo, 14(1).
- Gibson, R. (2004) Pers. comm.
Behler, J.L. Troubled times for turtles (March, 2004)
http://nytts.org/proceedings/behler.htm
Sources and Credits
- (c) Daniel71953, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paradisio_tortue.JPG
- Adapted by calebcam from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrochelys_yniphora
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angonoka_tortoise
- (c) Wildscreen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/6691933
- (c) calebcam, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
