The angonoka turtle is the rarest turtle in the world, taking 15 years to reach breeding age, making each lost egg or habitat destruction a major setback for the critically endangered species. Rediscovered in 1984 in Madagascar, the angonoka turtle now numbers only a few hundred individuals due to intensified poaching for the illegal wildlife trade, forcing conservationists to suspend releases and focus on protecting the remaining habitat and population.

1. TURTLE ANGONOKA

2. - The rarest turtle in the world takes 15 years to
reach the breeding age.
- This makes each stolen egg, or each tree or bush cut down,
an overwhelming setback for this species on the verge of
extinction.

3. It was believed that the angonoka turtle - Astrochelys yniphora -
had already disappeared, but in 1984 it was rediscovered in
northwestern Madagascar.

4. His rediscovery also made him one of the most desirable
animals in the world for illicit sellers.
Recently, poaching has intensified, and all releases in nature have
been suspended while guards fight to secure the area, which now
contains only a few hundred individuals.