Conservation Breeding Program

Captive breeding is our last resort for a species in need. However, the risk associated with leaving a speciesat the mercy of poachers in their last remaining habitat is simply too high. In the meantime, Asian giant tortoises (Manouria emys), Arakan forest turtle (Heosemys depressa) and elongated tortoises (Indotestudo elongata) formerly destined to be traded at foreign markets or consumed at local dinner tables, can find sanctuary in our Turtle Conservation Center, Bangladesh within the Bhawal National Park, Gazipur. Safe from the hands of traders, these lucky individuals will breed with a profound purpose: to restock dwindling wild populations - once the forests of the Chittagong Hill Tracts are rendered safe once again.

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Captive breeding is just one part of our holistic approach towards the conservation of the flora and fauna of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. By also addressing the humanistic issues threatening the survival of these turtles, we can ensure that the forests of the southeast, which once harbored healthy populations of these species, will once again see them thrive in the wild. To learn more about our subsistence hunting mitigation programs and indigenous empowerment initiatives, head over to our Chittagong Hill Tracts program page.