Ctg Zoo hatches 3 critically endangered Elongated tortoises

Chittagong Zoo, famous for breeding tigers, has added another success story to its repertoire with the hatching of three critically endangered Elongated tortoises (Indotestudo elongata).

Dr. Shahadat Hosen Shubho, deputy curator of the zoo, confirmed the news on Friday evening, stating that the Elongated tortoises were hatched under the captive breeding programme on Thursday.

He mentioned, "The Elongated tortoise is a critically endangered species, with animals that have become 80%-90% extinct being listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. The next step is extinction from nature. Since 2013, the critically endangered Elongated tortoise has not bred in Chittagong Zoo. To address this, a new cage was built for them in February 2022."

"In this cage, efforts have been made to provide them with a natural environment as much as possible, ensuring a favorable breeding environment and helping prevent the extinction of this tortoise. After 15 months in the new cage, the eggs hatched, resulting in the birth of three elongated tortoises," he added.

"The Elongated tortoise usually lays 3-5 eggs at a time, and the babies are born after hatching in 120-150 days," the deputy curator explained.

The Chittagong Zoo Authority hopes to continue breeding this critically endangered species of Elongated tortoise in the future and release them into the wild environment through re-wilding, with the assistance of the Forest Department under the initiative of the District Administration.

The zoo, which has successfully bred 14 tigers in just 6 years, has also been releasing various wild animals into nature through captive breeding. Sixty-five juvenile pythons, born through hand-made incubators, have already been released into the wild. Additionally, leopard cats have been bred for the first time in Bangladesh through captive breeding at the zoo."