15 Weird and Cutest Turtle and Endangered Tortoise Species

Do you know there are 360 species of turtles? Turtles and tortoises are one of the beautiful animals in the world. Many families often take them as pets, mainly due to a few features. In this article, you will learn more about each species and some interesting facts about them.

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans): This tortoise is a threatened species native to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where it inhabits dry areas and scrub forest. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2016, as the population is thought to comprise more than 10,000 individuals, but with a declining trend. It is threatened by habitat loss and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.[1] It was upgraded to CITES Appendix I in 2019 by full consensus among all member states, giving it the highest level of international protection from commercial trade. Conservation group TRAFFIC found 6,040 were seized globally that were intended to be sold in the pet trade.