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{{Short description|Species of tortoise}}
The '''Burmese Star tortoise''' (''Geochelone platynota'') is becoming extinct in it's native [[Myanmar]] (Burma). It lives in the dry, deciduous forest, and is eaten both by the native Burmese, and is traded to the [[China|Chinese]], where it's sometimes found in the food markets. It's on CITES Appendix II, meaning a permit from the country of export is required. Reportedly, Myanmar has never granted a export permit, meaning most captive bred are orginally from illegal tortoises, or imports grandfathered in prior to the CITES listing.
{{Speciesbox
| image = Geochelone platynota by OpenCage.jpg
| image_caption = At Sunshine International Aquarium, Japan
| status = CR
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author1=Praschag, P. |author2=Platt, K. |author3=Horne, B.D |year=2020 |title=''Geochelone platynota'' |page=e.T9013A123815185 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T9013A123815185.en}}</ref>
| status2 = CITES_A1
| status2_system = CITES
| genus = Geochelone
| species = platynota
| authority = ([[Edward Blyth|Blyth]], 1863)
| synonyms =
* ''Testudo platynota'' <small>Blyth, 1863</small>
* ''Peltastes platynotus'' <small>Gray, 1870</small>
* ''Testudo platinota'' <small>Bourret, 1941</small> (''[[ex errore]]'')
* ''Testudo platynotus'' <small>Bourret, 1941</small>
* ''Geochelone platynota'' <small>Loveridge & Williams, 1957</small>
* ''Geochelone elegans platynota'' <small>Obst, 1985</small>
* ''Geochelone platynotata'' <small>Paull, 1997</small> (''ex errore'')
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Fritz 2007">{{Cite journal|journal=Vertebrate Zoology |title=Checklist of Chelonians of the World |year=2007 |author=Fritz Uwe |author2=Peter Havaš |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=279 |doi=10.3897/vz.57.e30895 |s2cid=87809001 |issn=1864-5755 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
}}


The '''Burmese star tortoise''' ('''''Geochelone platynota''''') is a [[Endangered species|critically endangered]] tortoise species, native to the dry, deciduous forests of [[Myanmar]] (Burma).
This tortise can easily be distinguished from the more common [[Indian Star tortoise]] by comparing the plastrons of the two species. It's considered [[Endangered species|critically endangered]] by the IUCN's Redlist (see www.redlist.org). One recent expedition searched for the Burmese star for 400 hours, and only found 5 tortoises. This was with specially trained dogs and 5 volunteers.


==Description==
⚫
[[Category:Tortoises]]
The Burmese star tortoise has radiating star-shaped patterns on its strongly domed carapace. It has bumps on its shell that look like stars.
⚫
[[Category:Endangered species]]
This tortoise can easily be distinguished from the more common [[Indian star tortoise]] by comparing the plastrons of the two species.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.arkive.org/burmese-starred-tortoise/geochelone-platynota/ |title=Burmese starred tortoise videos, photos and facts - Geochelone platynota &#124; ARKive |access-date=2014-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304062349/http://www.arkive.org/burmese-starred-tortoise/geochelone-platynota/ |archive-date=2014-03-04 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Captive breeding==
The breeding of the Burmese star tortoise is difficult, and its first successful breeding in captivity was in [[Taipei Zoo]], Taiwan, where a few Burmese star tortoises were hatched in 2003.<ref>{{cite web | title = 送緬甸星龜回緬甸-2003臺北動物園全球首度成功繁殖 | url = https://www.zoo.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=AECDB4443E299BD8&sms=72544237BBE4C5F6&s=2A594009D5172D4A | website = Taipei Zoo | date = 2009-09-16 | access-date = 2018-09-27 | language = zh-tw}}</ref>

[[Yadanabon Zoological Gardens]] is also currently engaged in a captive-breeding program to attempt to increase the population of this tortoise.

Starting with 200 tortoises in 2004, by October 2017, there were 14,000 tortoises in breeding programs and 1000 have been reintroduced into the wild. On 31 July 2021, [[Richard Branson]] announced two baby Burmese star tortoises were born on his private island, Necker Island, as part of his ongoing conservation work for the species. <ref>{{cite news |title=Slow and Steady, a Tortoise Is Winning Its Race With Extinction (Published 2017) |work=The New York Times |date=4 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030050519/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/science/burmese-star-tortoise-myanmar.html?rref=collection/column/trilobites |archive-date=2021-10-30 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/science/burmese-star-tortoise-myanmar.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Ftrilobites |last1=Yin |first1=Steph }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010556/http://www.columbiasciencereview.org/online/index.php?journal=csr&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=81&path%5B%5D=74 Columbia Science Review]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150909013829/http://www.turtlesurvival.org/blog/1-blog/160-assessing-reintroduction-sites-for-burmese-star-tortoises Assessing reintroduction sites for Burmese star tortoises]
*[http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=186907 Population status and conservation of the Critically Endangered Burmese Star Tortoise ''Geochelone platynota'' in central Myanmar]
* [http://www.cites.org Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora]

{{Testudinidae}}

{{Taxonbar |from=Q852181}}

⚫
[[Category:Geochelone]]
⚫
[[Category:Turtles of Asia]]
[[Category:Endemic fauna of Myanmar]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Myanmar]]
[[Category:Critically endangered fauna of Asia]]
[[Category:Species that are or were threatened by the pet trade]]
[[Category:Species that are or were threatened by use as food]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1863]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Edward Blyth]]
[[Category:Reptiles as pets]]

Latest revision as of 12:34, 17 December 2024

Burmese star tortoise
At Sunshine International Aquarium, Japan
CITES Appendix I (CITES)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Geochelone
Species:
G. platynota
Binomial name
Geochelone platynota
(Blyth, 1863)
Synonyms[2]
  • Testudo platynota Blyth, 1863
  • Peltastes platynotus Gray, 1870
  • Testudo platinota Bourret, 1941 (ex errore)
  • Testudo platynotus Bourret, 1941
  • Geochelone platynota Loveridge & Williams, 1957
  • Geochelone elegans platynota Obst, 1985
  • Geochelone platynotata Paull, 1997 (ex errore)

The Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota) is a critically endangered tortoise species, native to the dry, deciduous forests of Myanmar (Burma).

Description

[edit]

The Burmese star tortoise has radiating star-shaped patterns on its strongly domed carapace. It has bumps on its shell that look like stars. This tortoise can easily be distinguished from the more common Indian star tortoise by comparing the plastrons of the two species.[3]

Captive breeding

[edit]

The breeding of the Burmese star tortoise is difficult, and its first successful breeding in captivity was in Taipei Zoo, Taiwan, where a few Burmese star tortoises were hatched in 2003.[4]

Yadanabon Zoological Gardens is also currently engaged in a captive-breeding program to attempt to increase the population of this tortoise.

Starting with 200 tortoises in 2004, by October 2017, there were 14,000 tortoises in breeding programs and 1000 have been reintroduced into the wild. On 31 July 2021, Richard Branson announced two baby Burmese star tortoises were born on his private island, Necker Island, as part of his ongoing conservation work for the species. [5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Praschag, P.; Platt, K.; Horne, B.D (2020). "Geochelone platynota". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T9013A123815185. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T9013A123815185.en.
  2. ^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 279. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755. S2CID 87809001.
  3. ^ "Burmese starred tortoise videos, photos and facts - Geochelone platynota | ARKive". Archived from the original on 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  4. ^ "送緬甸星龜回緬甸-2003臺北動物園全球首度成功繁殖". Taipei Zoo (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  5. ^ Yin, Steph (4 October 2017). "Slow and Steady, a Tortoise Is Winning Its Race With Extinction (Published 2017)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-10-30.
[edit]
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