Endangered tortoise species relocated at NZP

Dimapur, Aug. 29 (EMN): One endangered Asian Brown Tortoise (Manouria emys emys), also known as Burmese Mountain (black) Tortoise, was rescued from Wokha district and relocated at the Nagaland Zoological Park (NZP), Dimapur, on August 26.

The tortoise was rescued with the help of Santsu Kithan, district agriculture officer, Wokha, and brought to NZP for its care and rehabilitation, an update from the director of NZP Dr. Prabhat Kumar stated on Friday.

According to him, the rescued tortoise was a female sub-adult of about 7 to 8 years old by visual analysis and weighing about 3.5 kg and has well-developed physical features conspicuous of the Manouria sub-species emys emys.

The NZP director has expressed gratitude to Zuthunglo Patton, DFO Wokha, for the necessary arrangements and timely intervention towards the rescue effort and relocation of the tortoise at the earliest. He has also appreciated the efforts of Janbemo Ezung, deputy ranger of Wokha division, for his contribution in the rescue effort.

Kumar further stated that the rescued Asian Brown Tortoise is now safely kept in the temporary rescue shelter of the zoo.