Context:

Ten critically endangered Asian Giant Tortoises were reintroduced into the Zeliang Community Reserve, Nagaland, under a joint initiative by the Nagaland Forest Department and the India Turtle Conservation Programme (ITCP).

About the Species:

• Scientific Name: Manouria emys
• Common Name: Asian Giant Tortoise
• Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (India): Schedule IV

Habitat:

• Native to tropical and subtropical forests across:
  • India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia
• In India: Historically found across Northeast India, especially Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
• Prefers dense, moist forests with rich leaf litter and undergrowth

Key Features:

Physical Traits:

• Size: Up to 60 cm in length, 35+ kg weight
• Shell: Dark brown/black, heavily domed with growth rings
• Limbs: Thick, elephant-like, adapted for digging
• Head: Flattened with a sharp beak for vegetation

Biological Traits:

• Lifespan: 80–100 years
• Diet: Herbivore — leaves, fruits, fungi, decomposed plant matter
• Reproduction:
  • Builds above-ground nest mounds
  • Exhibits maternal care (guards nests — rare among tortoises)
• Behaviour: Solitary, diurnal, thrives in humid forest conditions

 Ecological Role:

• Known as the “small elephant of the forest”
• Acts as a keystone species by aiding:
  • Seed dispersal
  • Soil turnover
  • Forest floor scavenging
• Their absence can disrupt forest regeneration cycles

Significance of the Reintroduction:

• A critical step in species recovery and ecosystem restoration in Northeast India
• Strengthens community-led conservation efforts
• Reinforces India’s commitment to biodiversity protection under national and international frameworks

Source: The Hindu