On 15^th February, 2012 (Wednesday), Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) will send seven Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) to join a conservation breeding programme at Mogo Zoo in New South Wales, Australia. These tortoises were confiscated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and    were sent to KFBG for temporary care on 2^nd August, 2010. When the turtles arrived at the Wild Animal Rescue Centre, most of them were in reasonable health.

Radiated Tortoises are terrestrial animals that live in the natural habitat of dry thorn forests and tropical woodlands of Southern Madagascar. Their wild populations are threatened by the illegal international pet trade and local bushmeat consumption. The species is listed as Critically Endangered in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Category (in 2001).  In 2008, the tortoises were listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which protects endangered species from over-exploitation through international trade restrictions.

Today, habitat loss and degradation, over-exploitation for food and the wildlife trade are the major threats faced by wild turtles and other wildlife in Madagascar.  The illegal pet trade is contributing to the inevitable loss of many species globally.

Please do not buy illegal pet species and report any suspicions about endangered species being offered for sale. Be part of the solution. Do not encourage unscrupulous use of wildlife for food, pets, medicine or household curios.

If you find any suspicious or illegal wildlife trade activities, please report them to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department at (852) 2150 6978 or espint@afcd.gov.hk.