Asian Giant Tortoise

Published on 20 Nov 2025

• Recently 10 Asian giant tortoises were reintroduced into the Zeliang Community Reserve, Nagaland.

• Giant Asian Tortoise, Manouria emys (Family Testudinidae), is the largest tortoise species in mainland Asia, known as the “small elephant of the forest” for its ecological role.

• They are mainly found in tropical and subtropical forests of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia and can live up to 80–100 years.

• In India, they are mainly found in Northeast regions, especially Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh and are herbivorous in diet, feeding on leaves, fruits, mushrooms, and decomposing plant matter and can grow up to 60 cm in length and weigh over 35 kg.

• They act as a keystone species by dispersing seeds, aiding soil turnover, and maintaining forest regeneration.

• IUCN status: Critically Endangered.

• CITES : Appendix II

  
  

https://checklist.cites.org/#/en/search/cites_appendices%5B%5D=II&output_layout=alphabetical&level_of_listing=0&show_synonyms=1&show_author=1&show_english=1&show_spanish=1&show_french=1&scientific_name=Manouria+emys&page=1&per_page=20

https://ptes.org/grants/worldwide-projects/asian-giant-tortoises-in-india/

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nagaland/largest-asian-tortoise-species-reintroduced-into-nagaland-community-reserve/article69893678.ece

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12774/152052098

Keywords:

Asian Giant Tortoise Zeliang Community Reserve Nagaland Manouria emys keystone species Critically Endangered Appendix II