14 DAY TRIAL // During the first 3 months of this year, over 1,000 critically endangered tortoises have been seized by authorities who helped rescue them from trafficking attempts.
The tortoises were all native to Madagascar, which is why several NGOs are now asking that Malagasy authorities and high officials take immediate action to protect local biodiversity.
One of these organizations is the World Wildlife Fund. Together with six other NGOs, this green-oriented group signed and published an open letter addressed to the Malagasy authorities.
According to the official website for the World Wildlife Fund, the letter reads as follows:
“Losing these fascinating creatures, who have survived for millions of years, just for the profits of a handful of traders would be an irremediable disaster for conservation in Madagascar and embarrassing, even shameful for the Malagasy people as a whole, starting with its leaders.”
“Before the current political crisis, the total number of individuals intercepted in one year included at most a few hundred individuals. Now this figure is ten times that, counting only the recorded cases,” the letter goes on to say.
The NGOs behind this letter are particularly concerned about the fact that, not very long ago, a total of 54 ploughshare tortoises were discovered hidden in the luggage of a 38-year-old man.
As reported at that time, this species of tortoise is amongst the rarest in the world. Thus, the 54 animals seized by authorities in Thailand constituted about 13% of the species’ entire population.
According to the same source, it was towards the beginning of April when 463 baby radiated tortoises were also seized by authorities in southern Madagascar. This species is also listed as a critically endangered one.
The NGOs now urging Malagasy authorities and high officials to take measures towards curbing illegal trading activities involving such endangered species believe that the boom in tortoise trafficking activities was made possible by Madagascar's current economy.
“As flagship species for unique ecosystems, these tortoises are an integral part of Madagascar’s world-renowned biodiversity and natural heritage,” the NGOs want Malagasy authorities to bear in mind.
Alliance Voahary Gasy, Conservation International, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership, Turtle Survival Alliance and The Wildlife Conservation Society were the other NGOs to sign said letter.