340 Indian star tortoises released to natural habitat by forest dept

340 Indian Star Tortoises have been released back into the Central Chanda Forest Division on April 5.

- Gayatri Vajpeyee

NE: This marked one of the largest organised releases of this species in the state, following an intensive rehabilitation process that began in late 2024.

With this release, the reserve forests of Chandrapur has emerged as a home for Indian Star Tortoises rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

In October 2024, the turtle rehabilitation program (TRP), a collaborative initiative, was launched, which was led by the Maharashtra Forest Department in partnership with RESQ Charitable Trust (RESQ CT) and facilitated by the Pune Wildlife Division. The TRP was established to address the growing issue of turtles and tortoises being rescued from illegal wildlife trade and captivity and the initiative to have a statewide approach to rehabilitate them systematically.

Over the past few months, many Indian Star Tortoises were admitted to the TTC in Bavdhan under this initiative. Among these, many were admitted to severely compromised health. With a survival rate of approximately 80%, the current cohort ready for release has completed all stages of medical care, quarantine, and environmental acclimatization. A final group continues to undergo rehabilitation and is expected to be considered for release in due course, said a senior official from the Pune Forest Department.