About 650 star tortoises conserved at Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary

December 24, 2017

Population of star tortoises is rising and about 650 star tortoises are under captive-breeding programme at Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary in Minbu Township, Magway Township, according to a recent report of Myawady Daily.

Wildlife sanctuary is their natural habitat but they are critically on the verge of extinction. In 1996, six male and six female star tortoises were conserved, and now, the number of star tortoises has reached about 650.

In a bid to conserve the endangered star tortoises, the state granted allocated fund for breeding programme. Health care of tortoises is provided by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS Myanmar Programme) working with Turtle Survival Alliance.

This star tortoise species are country of origin. This breeding programme aims to conserve them from the brink of extinction, said U Myint Than Khaing, the deputy director of Magway Region Forest Department.

Protected forests in Myanmar’s central dry zone are home to star tortoises. To protect them from the extinction, they are conserved at Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary, Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region, Lawkananda Wildlife Sanctuary in Bagan. Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary is over 100,000 square mile wide, preserving 14 species of mammals, 43 species of reptiles, 113 species of birds, 39 species of butterflies, 89 species of plants and 26 species of medicinal plants.

GNLM

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar