For Immediate Release
Major Anti-Poaching Operation in Madagascar Leads to 23 Arrests and Rescue of Over 3,200 Endangered Tortoises
February 19, 2025
CONTACT: Jordan Gray, Turtle Survival Alliance, (912) 659-0978, jgray@turtlesurvival.org
- Law enforcement in Madagascar, Tanzania, and Comoros arrested 23 individuals and dismantled a tortoise trafficking network that spanned multiple countries.
- Authorities rescued over 3,200 critically endangered Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata), Ploughshare Tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora), and Spider Tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides), dealing a significant blow to the illegal pet trade and seizing key assets linked to wildlife crime.
- Government agencies, conservationists, and local volunteers united to strengthen the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking, ensuring greater protection for Madagascar’s tortoises.
Antananarivo, Madagascar – Turtle Survival Alliance announces that a nationwide anti-poaching operation has resulted in the arrest of 23 individuals involved in illegal tortoise trade, spanning activities from collection and transportation to purchasing. In the course of the investigation, authorities have confiscated 3,221 critically endangered Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata), Ploughshare Tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora) and Spider Tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides), along with numerous assets, including houses, vehicles, and firearms.
The operation took place across Madagascar, including the regions of Androy, Atsimo Andrefana, Anosy, Boeny, and Analamanga, including the capital city of Antananarivo. It was carried out with the support of a special task force composed of law enforcement and government agencies, bolstered by intelligence efforts, financial backing, and a network of dedicated local volunteers.
Among those arrested are poachers, middlemen, transporters, and buyers operating within Madagascar, as well as international actors linked to the trafficking network. The arrests include individuals from various regions of Madagascar, as well as Tanzania and Comoros. Additionally, five Chinese nationals were arrested in connection with the trade, with apprehensions occurring in both Madagascar and Tanzania.
“The fight against the illegal trafficking of Madagascar’s critically endangered tortoises requires unwavering commitment and collaboration,” said Hery Razafimamonjiraibe, Country Director for Turtle Survival Alliance Madagascar. “Only by working together can we protect these species from extinction and systematically dismantle the illicit networks that threaten them.”
The Radiated and Spider tortoises, once abundant in their southern Madagascar range, have suffered devastating population declines—exceeding 75%—due to poaching for the pet and bushmeat trades, habitat destruction, and the erosion of cultural protections. The Ploughshare Tortoise, native to the dry deciduous forests of the Baly Bay region, is regarded as the most endangered tortoise species in the world. Poaching for the high-end pet trade, combined with brush fires, has led to its functional extinction in the wild. The success of this operation marks a critical step in the ongoing fight to curb illegal wildlife trafficking.
All confiscated tortoises have been placed in Turtle Survival Alliance’s specialized care centers to ensure their well-being, with the ultimate goal of reintroducing the Radiated and Spider tortoises into protected areas in the wild as part of its Confiscation-to-Reintroduction Strategy. Additionally, Ploughshare Tortoises will be incorporated into captive assurance colonies to safeguard the species and support future conservation efforts. Authorities and conservation organizations remain committed to dismantling wildlife crime networks and preventing further exploitation of these protected species.
Turtle Survival Alliance thanks the Ministère de l’Environnement et du Développement Durable (Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development), Gendarmerie Nationale (National Gendarmes), Ministère de la Sécurité Publique (Ministry of the Public Security), and the Ministère de la Justice (Ministry of Justice) for their dedication and collaborative efforts in protecting Madagascar’s endangered tortoises and combating illegal wildlife trafficking.
Turtle Survival Alliance expresses its gratitude to Aktionsgemeinschaft Artenschutz (AGA) e.V., the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction (AZA SAFE): Radiated Tortoise program, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and an anonymous donor for their contributions toward these efforts to combat wildlife trafficking in Madagascar.
Header image: Over a thousand juvenile Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) from a single confiscation await in-processing and veterinary inspections at our Lavavolo Tortoise Center in Madagascar.
All photos courtesy of TSA Madagascar.
Over a thousand juvenile Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) from a single confiscation await in-processing and veterinary inspections at our Lavavolo Tortoise Center in Madagascar.
More than 1,500 juvenile Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata), found crammed in filthy conditions in a smuggler’s house, are among over 3,000 critically endangered Malagasy tortoises confiscated in the past two months.
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About Turtle Survival Alliance
Formed in 2001 and gaining nonprofit status in 2004, Turtle Survival Alliance is a global conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore wild populations of tortoises and freshwater turtles through science-based conservation, global leadership, and local stewardship. Our science-based initiatives are directed by local leaders, inspiring sustainable, community-based stewardship to prevent extinctions. Where populations cannot yet thrive in the wild, our conservation breeding programs preserve opportunities for their future survival. Turtle Survival Alliance operates or supports projects in 17 countries around the world, protecting critical habitats and providing on-the-ground resources to safeguard the most imperiled turtle and tortoise species. Through these efforts, we make a positive impact on well over 100 species of turtles and tortoises. For more information, visit us on our website and join the conversation and learning experience on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
