ForumIAS LATEST
- 16 June | Failed Before Success: AIR 295 Reveals His UPSC Journey | Click Here to Watch →
- 17 June | How to Write High-Scoring Answers in Hindi Literature Optional | Click Here to Watch →
- 18 June | From Setback to Success: Bhavika Chopra's Rise to AIR 25 | Click Here to Watch →
- 19 June | The Rankforge Challenge (FRC/Tapasya): Truth About UPSC & Coaching by Ayush Sinha | Click Here to Watch →
- 20 June | 150+ Cleared UPSC Prelims from Naugaon, Alwar | The FRC Tapasya Success Story | Click Here to Watch →
Why in News:
Indian star tortoises have been seized by the Forest officials while being smuggled from Andhra Pradesh to Odisha.
Facts:
Source: IUCN
- Indian star tortoise (Geochelone Elegans): It is a species of tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forests of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is accustomed to monsoon seasons.
- These tortoises are easily recognizable by their star-patterned shells.
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Wild Life Protection Act 1972: Schedule IV
- CITES: Appendix I
- Threats: It is the single most confiscated species of freshwater tortoise in the world. It faces threats such as loss of habitat to agriculture and illegal harvesting for the pet trade.
