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Critically Endangered Ploughshare : the smugglers, a Malagasy woman, was imprisoned, while the shells branded to reduce demand RWKHUD7KDLPDQZDVUHOHDVHGRQEDLO 6KHSKHUG  These cases exemplify the urgent need for enforcement agencies to take the illegal trade in this species seriously. he Ploughshare Astrochelys yniphora Reduced demand for the species in the international pet is highly threatened by persistent demand in trade and increased effective enforcement measures are the black market pet trade. As a result, its essential to end the decline of this species. numbers in the wild have been drastically The Conservancy, whose mission includes reduced to approximately 400 adult maintaining colonies of threatened and endangered specimens. Assessed as being Critically Endangered in T tortoises and freshwater , aims to engrave Red List of Threatened Species the IUCN , these tortoises LGHQWL¿FDWLRQ PDUNV RQ DOO 3ORXJKVKDUH 7RUWRLVHV LQ are stolen by poachers who sell them to unscrupulous captive-breeding programmes and those remaining in traders, mainly in South-east Asia. WKHZLOG2Q-DQXDU\WKH7XUWOH&RQVHUYDQF\¶V The Ploughshare Tortoise is endemic to the Baly Behler Chelonian Center in Ventura County, USA, Bay area in north-western Madagascar (Leuteritz and branded the shells of two Ploughshare Tortoises that 3HGURQR ZKHUHLWLVWRWDOO\SURWHFWHGE\ODZ7KH KDGEHHQÀRZQLQIURP7DLZDQZKHUHWKH\ZHUHVHL]HG species is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on LQ  $QRQ    6RPH  %XUPHVH 6WDUUHG International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna Tortoises platynota &,7(6 $SSHQGL[ ,  DQG)ORUD &,7(6 PDNLQJDQ\LQWHUQDWLRQDOFRPPHUFLDO were similarly marked with the help of the Conservancy trade illegal. Yet demand from some countries, in LQ2FWREHU $QRQ  particular Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, combined with low levels of effective enforcement, continue to References push this striking species towards extinction (Shepherd DQG1LMPDQ6WHQJHOet al  $QRQ   Los Angeles Times, 14 January. www.latimes. In an effort to raise awareness of the plight of the com/science/la-me-tortoise-deface-20140115,0,7403238. Ploughshare Tortoise in South-east Asia and to build support story#axzz2qVgjEzXM. WR ¿JKW LOOHJDO WUDGH LQ WKH VSHFLHV IRXU RUJDQL]DWLRQV² /HXWHULW] 7 DQG 3HGURQR 0   0DGDJDVFDU 7RUWRLVH Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, TRAFFIC, the Turtle and Freshwater Turtle Red List Workshop. Astrochelys Conservancy and Wildlife Reserves Singapore—held an yniphora. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened event called “Tattoo the Tortoise” on 16 December 2013 Species. Version 2013.2. www.iucnredlist.org. Viewed on 26 DW 6LQJDSRUH =RR  ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQ FRGHV ZHUH HQJUDYHG December 2013. 6KHSKHUG&5  &DOOVIRULQWHUQDWLRQDOFRRSHUDWLRQWR onto the shells of two Ploughshare Tortoises, and while save the Ploughshare Tortoise. TRAFFIC Bulletin   the procedure is painless it is hoped that the unsightly 6KHSKHUG&5DQG1LMPDQ9  Pet freshwater turtle and permanent markings will reduce their black market value tortoise trade in Chatuchak Market, Bangkok, Thailand. and allow researchers to monitor individual . An TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. additional purpose of the coded engraving is to make the 6WHQJHO &- 6KHSKHUG &5 DQG &DLOODEHW 26   WRUWRLVHVHDVLO\WUDFHDEOHVKRXOGWKH\HYHUEHIRXQGLQWUDGH The Trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles in Jakarta, thus far, of the Ploughshare Tortoises that have been seized Indonesia revisited. TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Petaling in South-east Asia, none has been an engraved specimen. Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Singapore Zoo currently houses these two Ploughshare 7RUWRLVHV ZKLFK ZHUH FRQ¿VFDWHG E\ WKH $JUL)RRG DQG Elizabeth John6HQLRU&RPPXQLFDWLRQV2I¿FHU75$)),& 9HWHULQDU\$XWKRULW\ $9$ RI6LQJDSRUHLQDQGZLOO (PDLOHOL]DEHWKMRKQ#WUDI¿FRUJ use the pair to establish an “assurance colony”. Chris R. Shepherd, Regional Director—South-east Asia, TRAFFIC, The event included presentations by experts working and a member of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle on the conservation of this species and an exhibition 6SHFLDOLVW*URXS(PDLOFKULVVKHSKHUG#WUDI¿FRUJ aimed at raising public awareness of the illegal trade and conservation needs of Ploughshare Tortoises and other highly threatened tortoises and freshwater turtles. Based on seizures reported in the media and government statements, at least 86 Ploughshare Tortoises have been seized VLQFH2YHURIWKHVHVHL]XUHVRFFXUUHGLQ7KDLODQG while the rest took place in Madagascar and Malaysia, with at least one of the shipments destined for Indonesia, where the species is frequently exhibited at expositions and for sale in markets. Smugglers are audacious in their efforts to engage in illegal trade in this species: in March 2013, two people were arrested while attempting to enter Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok, in possession of 52 KANITHA KRISHNASAMY / TRAFFIC / KRISHNASAMY KANITHA Ploughshare Tortoises and 21 Radiated Tortoises Astrochelys Engraving the shells of Ploughshare Tortoises in an attempt to radiata &,7(6$SSHQGL[, FRQWDLQHGLQVXLWFDVHV2QHRI devalue their appeal to collectors.

TRAFFIC Bulletin9RO1R