Burmese Star Tortoise

Tortoises Are Being Defaced In Order To Save Them From Poachers

BuzzFeed - An initiative to deter poaches from selling the endangered ploughshare tortoises on the black market has lead to a unusual strategy.

Conservationists are Resorting to Branding Endangered Tortoises

Smithsonian.com - If the tortoises' shells are marred with numbers and letters, they'll be less appealing to poachers

Endangered Tortoises Are Being Defaced on Purpose

ABC News - Some of the rarest tortoises in the world are a hot commodity on the black market for their unique golden shells which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

Rare tortoises are branded to make them unattractive to poachers

Los Angeles Times - The booming illegal international wildlife trade forced conservationists to do the unthinkable Tuesday: Brand the golden domes of two of the rarest tortoises on Earth to reduce their black market value by making it easier for authorities to trace them if stolen.