National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The event was carried out with the participation of the State Inspectorate for Ecological Control under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, the Tashkent Zoo, and researchers from the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences.

These tortoises were previously captured illegally by poachers and later confiscated by inspectors. The animals were sent for rehabilitation, where they received the necessary veterinary care. Once fully recovered, the tortoises were returned to their natural habitat.

For reference: On March 15, during a joint inspection conducted by the Ministry of Ecology, the Tashkent City Prosecutor’s Office, the Department of Internal Affairs, the National Guard, and the Tashkent City Ecology Department, 35 steppe tortoises were discovered and seized as evidence.