In July 2021, Turtle Survival Alliance announced the release of 1,000 Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) into their native forest habitat in southern Madagascar, part of a pilot project expected to lead the way for the eventual release of more than 26,000 confiscated tortoises.
This release represents a return to the wild for tortoises seized from illegal traffickers, years of strategic planning, and embodies the rewilding of an iconic and endangered species in partnership with the local community who will watch over these Critically Endangered animals.
The release of these first 1,000 tortoises epitomizes TSA’s long-term commitment to responsibly returning animals to their rightful place in the wild.
Help TSA rewild tortoises and other threatened turtle species. If you are in a position to do so, please consider making a donation to help TSA bring these magnificent creatures and others like them back to their wild homes. Give a gift for turtles and tortoises today at turtlesurvival.org.
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On the morning of July 26, 2021, half a world away from TSA’s headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina, a momentous occasion was underway for one of the world’s most beautiful, and Critically Endangered tortoises.
Nine thousand miles from the South Carolina Lowcountry, in a remote forest in southern Madagascar, TSA staff at our Tortoise Conservation Center were busy preparing 1,000 Radiated Tortoises for their next journey in life: a return to the wild.
The Tortoise Conservation Center is home to more than 9,000 Radiated Tortoises seized from wildlife traffickers. Unfortunately, this number continues to grow. All told, TSA cares for over 26,000 tortoises among our five facilities in Madagascar. It’s OUR goal to return these animals to their rightful place in the wild. In 2020, we began that mission.
In preparation for returning the tortoises to the wild, a team of veterinarians evaluated the health of tortoises large enough to be considered for release. 1,000 of them were cleared and placed in an isolation enclosure for an extended quarantine period prior to being transferred to the reintroduction site.
On July 26th, these lucky tortoises received their final examination, and TSA staff carefully loaded the animals into trucks. Hours later, they departed on their voyage to the release site. If all goes according to our plan, the tortoises will live in safety and this is the last time they will see our Tortoise Conservation Center.
The following morning, on July 27th, the community at the release site gathered with great anticipation for the tortoises’ arrival. TSA staff, in close collaboration with the Malagasy government and the local community, invested considerable time and effort to prepare the site for tortoise release. Community members now manage and protect the forest for both the tortoises and the plants found there.
As the TSA team unloaded the tortoises, they placed them in groups of three to rehydrate them before introducing them to their new home in Madagascar’s unique spiny forest habitat.
TSA staff carried each group of tortoises to acclimation pens deep within the forest. And one by one, the tortoises were released. As they made their way into the forest, we were confident that these Critically Endangered tortoises will remain in this protected forest where they will not only survive, but thrive.
It’s our hope that in a matter of years, these tortoises will reproduce, creating thriving new generations. The future of the Radiated Tortoise in Madagascar depends on it.
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