The custody of 11 illegally trafficked tortoises that were rescued at JKIA in January has been granted to Haller Park in Mombasa county.
The animals were rescued from Madagascar nationals who were travelling from Antananarivo to Hanoi in Vietnam, and handed over to the Kenya Wildlife Service.
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Global concern surrounds the tortoises known as Angonoka or ploughshare due to their conservation status.
They belong to the world’s rarest species of land tortoise, with a population of about 600 in their natural wild.
The animals were declared as a Critically Endangered Species in 1986 under IUCN Red List criteria.
They are listed on Appendix I of CITES as they are mostly traded as pets for their unique shell colouration.
Haller Park is a product of Bamburi Cement’s efforts, since 1971, to convert barren landscape of disused limestone quarries into vibrant ecosystems.
It currently operates under the company's environmental arm known as Lafarge Eco Systems.
The park hosts wildlife including hippos, giraffes, buffalos, antelops, smaller mammals and birds.
