Sal forest tortoise

• According to a recent study by ecologists in the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, over 90% of the potential distribution of the Sal forest tortoise falls outside current protected area’s network.

About:

• Indotestudo elongate  is commonly known Elongated tortoise, Yellow Tortoise and Sal forest tortoise. As per IUCN Red List Status is Critically Endangered.

• It is a species of tortoise found in Southeast Asia and parts of the Indian Subcontinent, particularly Northeast India.

• These up to 1 foot-long tortoises have elongated somewhat narrow carapaces and yellow heads. Shells are typically a pale tannish-yellow to caramel color, with blotches of black.

• According to the IUCN the population of the species may have fallen by about 80% in the last three generations (90 years).

• It is heavily hunted for food and collected both for local use, such as decorative masks, and international wildlife trade. In china, a mixture, made by grinding up the tortoise’s shell, also serves as an aphrodisiac.