Tortoise handed over to Forest Dept
Source: The Sangai Express
Thoubal, September 26 2019:
A tortoise weighing about 10 kg was handed over to W Ramchandra Singh, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Thoubal Forests Division by Kh Menjor Mangang, Proprietor KM Blooming High School, Khangbok today.
Speaking to the media persons, W Ramchandra Singh said that the captured tortoise is Asian forest tortoise, whose sceintific name is Manouria emys, also known as Asian brown tortoise, is a Scheduled-I reptile under Wildlife Protection Acts, 1972 .
It is also in the list of critically endangered species as per International Union for Conservation of Nature, he added and said that such species is endemic to Southeast Asia and is now very rare in its natural habitats.
It is believed to be among the most primitive of all living tortoises on the Earth based on molecular and morphological studies, he maintained.
He further said that rearing of indigenous species is prohibited under section 9, 35, and 49A & 49B of Wildlife Protection Acts, 1972 and any person who contravenes the these provisions of the Act, shall on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees or both.