Forest officials rescue Indian star tortoise in Tiruppur

The male Indian star tortoise, estimated to be around one year old, did not have any external injuries, the sources said. It was released near the Nanjarayan Tank on the outskirts of Tiruppur later in the day.

The Indian star tortoise was released near the Nanjarayan Tank .

Officials from the Forest Department rescued an Indian star tortoise following an alert from a resident in Tiruppur on Tuesday.

Sources in the Forest Department said the resident from Pooluvapatti within Tiruppur Corporation limits contacted the local officials regarding the presence of the Indian star tortoise in his residence.

Following this, a forest watcher visited the residence and rescued the tortoise on Tuesday morning.

The male Indian star tortoise, estimated to be around one year old, did not have any external injuries, the sources said. It was released near the Nanjarayan Tank on the outskirts of Tiruppur later in the day.

With the scientific name Geochelone elegans , the Indian star tortoise has been listed under Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as this tortoise species is threatened by poaching for illegal wildlife trade. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified it as ‘vulnerable’.

The Forest Department will investigate into how the Indian star tortoise is spotted in the city, according to the sources.