Galapagos

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River14

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I was incredibly surprised to see two large Geochelone nigrens galapagoensis, I suspect juvenile 2-3year olds (giant Galapagos tortoises) for sale in a reptile shop here in Hong Kong. Not only those but two yearlings.

Apparently they have full documentation and come from the breeding facility there. I would never have thought that they would be selling them. I would never have thought it was allowed.

This is my first time to see them live and I was completely taken with them. Long necks and very typical outlook. When I rested the back of my hand against their heads they scratched and rubbed. Very very charming.

Im very surprised.
 

fuzzylogix

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there are a couple of people in California that breed and resell galops. you have to have the right permits and they are very expensive. they are amazing animals. i would be surprised to see them in a reptile shop though as well.
 

dmmj

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yes I would be interested to know the price as well, there is a reason why they are often referred to as gentle giants. So tell us what where they going for, and do you know if the breeding facility is in your country?
 

im461n3

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Aldabra giant tortoise? a few could be found on the china/hk black market each year.
 

River14

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No this is not the black market, this is mainstream reptile shop on reptile/fish main street Mong Kok! The large ones with carapace about 50cm long are going for 12 000 HK$ so divide (last I heard) by seven? So its about 1,2 US thingeys. The smaller ones hatchlings or what about 20cm long are going for ,6ooohk$ Seven into = about 800us$.

I wasn't tempted simply because what would the heck I do with them when I die? Least the little stars I can safely put back in the jungle at the exact same environment as they are wild? But these things as magnificent as they are dont much like jungle they are completely different creatures. They dont even stick their heads into their carapaces!
 

egyptiandan

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Sounds to inexpensive for either them being Galapagos tortoises or them being legal. The park station on the Galapagos does breed a few of the species, but they most definately don't sell them.
There is though a breeding facility for Aldabra tortoises on the Seyschelles that does legally sell their offspring.
Really not a good idea to release your Star tortoises into the wild in either Hong Kong or mainland China as they aren't native to either place.
We'd need pictures of the tortoises to tell you for sure what they are.

Danny
 

Laura

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do NOT release your captive ones even if they did come from there...
can you get pictures of the ones in the shop?> just because they are for sale
in a shop on Main st, doesnt mean they are legal... :-(
 

im461n3

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they aren't legal was an open secret, each potential buyer would be warned not to take a picture.
 

River14

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im461n3 said:
they aren't legal was an open secret, each potential buyer would be warned not to take a picture.

Yes I can take a picture no problem. I know the species they are unmistakable of course, long long necks held high, walking high, posture head, there isn't another tortoise like it in the world? They also showed me the species in a small book, when I looked so surpised to see the animals.
The carapace of all four are beautifully formed, smooth looking just like a helmet , so Im thinking just possibly they grew up semi wild at least but I honestly cant say.

My Indian star tortoises cost 800$ each thats 110 US$ is that also cheap? I asked too see the import licenses of course and they showed me them, many framed up on the wall in the shop.

Believe me any shop operating so openly will be closed down if it wasn't kosher. And a few reptile shops have been as police and customs experts often raid the area.

On the subject of releasing exotics here in the country park. In short its not a big problem as in other countries.

I wouldn't do it in China Mainland or Africa or anywhere else for that matter. But Hong Kong Island is entirely different for many reasons. Primarily because although most of our mountains are densely forested most of the trees are exotics as are many of the animals. Almost all the mammals and many reptile species are exotics. Our biggest and most thriving parrot species the critically endangered in its natural country Indonesia is the Yellow crested cockatoo "Cacatua sulphurea". All the other parrots are also exotics.

The HK Governor in 1941 released Government house's entire and remarkably large collection of exotic bird species before surrendering Hong Kong to the Japanese troops. So we have many lovely birds and many local South Chinese ones too. No move has been made to rid HK of exotics it would be disastrous. Most of the trees including many many exotic species were planted after hundreds of years of de-forestation.

Even our primate the short tailed macac is foreign. Our largest predator is the wild domestic dog, they hunt in packs all through the forests.

People here are not much worried since it isn't a pristine habitat. Sadly most native species are extinct, the last tiger shot was in 1942 by a police officer Ruh Singh. More recently the pangolin and barking deer is now also on the very edge of vanishing due to the wild dogs and human consumption

With proper thought species can be introduced. Frogs not as we have a fair number of natives that live in our streams even though we already have the European toad and a common frog. In fact most of our highland streams are pretty much protected though many native fish species are extinct, you can only buy them in pet shops now like the cloud minnow.

It appears they have also now shot all the wild boar too and very recently much to the outcry of the expats like myself. The public complained they were dangerous and destroyed their little veg plots. I haven't seen a single one since 2008 in our area. We also had wild buffalo, again the public complained because the buffies liked sleeping on the beaches and made poo so they removed and sterilized them all into a sort of bovine petting zoo along with our wild cow species.

Many exotic species are also dumped when the police are hunting down smugglers on the run, mostly wild animals the things the locals like to eat but arent allowed.

This is probably all sounding extraordinarily shocking. I know it is I found that too when I arrived.

Long story.

I shall endeavour to ask where the giant tortoises come from, though I don't have any Cantonese. They said they said my Indian Stars came from Madagascar????:(

Probably they found a few Galapagos they could legaly buy and import? Maybe a zoo in China. I honestly have no clue.
 

-EJ

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I'll bet they're Aldabras. Aldabras usually have a tiny scute on the margin of the shell where the head is... Galaps do not. Still a good price either way.
 

tortoises101

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$110 for an Indian star is very cheap compared to the prices we have here. In USA they can go for $350-$500 for a hatchling and in Canada it's $700-$1000 for a hatchling.
 

wrmitchell22

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River14 said:
im461n3 said:
they aren't legal was an open secret, each potential buyer would be warned not to take a picture.

Yes I can take a picture no problem. I know the species they are unmistakable of course, long long necks held high, walking high, posture head, there isn't another tortoise like it in the world? They also showed me the species in a small book, when I looked so surpised to see the animals.
The carapace of all four are beautifully formed, smooth looking just like a helmet , so Im thinking just possibly they grew up semi wild at least but I honestly cant say.

My Indian star tortoises cost 800$ each thats 110 US$ is that also cheap? I asked too see the import licenses of course and they showed me them, many framed up on the wall in the shop.

Believe me any shop operating so openly will be closed down if it wasn't kosher. And a few reptile shops have been as police and customs experts often raid the area.

On the subject of releasing exotics here in the country park. In short its not a big problem as in other countries.

I wouldn't do it in China Mainland or Africa or anywhere else for that matter. But Hong Kong Island is entirely different for many reasons. Primarily because although most of our mountains are densely forested most of the trees are exotics as are many of the animals. Almost all the mammals and many reptile species are exotics. Our biggest and most thriving parrot species the critically endangered in its natural country Indonesia is the Yellow crested cockatoo "Cacatua sulphurea". All the other parrots are also exotics.

The HK Governor in 1941 released Government house's entire and remarkably large collection of exotic bird species before surrendering Hong Kong to the Japanese troops. So we have many lovely birds and many local South Chinese ones too. No move has been made to rid HK of exotics it would be disastrous. Most of the trees including many many exotic species were planted after hundreds of years of de-forestation.

Even our primate the short tailed macac is foreign. Our largest predator is the wild domestic dog, they hunt in packs all through the forests.

People here are not much worried since it isn't a pristine habitat. Sadly most native species are extinct, the last tiger shot was in 1942 by a police officer Ruh Singh. More recently the pangolin and barking deer is now also on the very edge of vanishing due to the wild dogs and human consumption

With proper thought species can be introduced. Frogs not as we have a fair number of natives that live in our streams even though we already have the European toad and a common frog. In fact most of our highland streams are pretty much protected though many native fish species are extinct, you can only buy them in pet shops now like the cloud minnow.

It appears they have also now shot all the wild boar too and very recently much to the outcry of the expats like myself. The public complained they were dangerous and destroyed their little veg plots. I haven't seen a single one since 2008 in our area. We also had wild buffalo, again the public complained because the buffies liked sleeping on the beaches and made poo so they removed and sterilized them all into a sort of bovine petting zoo along with our wild cow species.

Many exotic species are also dumped when the police are hunting down smugglers on the run, mostly wild animals the things the locals like to eat but arent allowed.

This is probably all sounding extraordinarily shocking. I know it is I found that too when I arrived.

Long story.

I shall endeavour to ask where the giant tortoises come from, though I don't have any Cantonese. They said they said my Indian Stars came from Madagascar????:(

Probably they found a few Galapagos they could legaly buy and import? Maybe a zoo in China. I honestly have no clue.

Thank you so much for sharing all of that, it was very interesting to hear how things are for animal species (exotic and otherwise) in HK. We can't wait to see pics of the Galaps :)
 

River14

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EJ I just looked that up and they do have a little scut Ok thats unmistakable, but as far as I can remember they are Galapagos tortoises, its just the carriage deportment was so typical and the long neck an an an. But we shall find out, thanks for that tip. They were walking around like little giraffe head high in the air.

101 I in fact thought the little Indian Stars were expensive (blush). I cant believe the prices in US and Canada, but then I suspect most of yours are captive bred even if the adults might have been imported.

Mine I think are also captive bred in Asia there are just too many hatchlings constantly available now. As we are in Asia I suppose distance and permits etc are a lot cheaper and easier? There is no local breeding.
 

Gordon

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I saw some Aldabras in HK as well and they were at least 19,000 HK$. I should guess that Galapagos should be a lot more than that.
 

River14

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Gordon they were probably bigger. The only other place that sold very big tortoises was shut down as they had stocks of wild caught local amphibians. I never ever went in, I once tried but it stunk to high heaven, everything was grubby and I just didn't feel I wanted to go further. I started asking the man at the door bout the huge torts origins and he roughly said "we are closed" and shut the door. I think people (maybe a few westerners) had been complaining.

The tortoises were in the window on the ground, they were huge adults walking round and round bumping into each other. I guess due to size they were Aldabras.

When were you in HK?
 

River14

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And the winner is ALDABRA TORTOISES
And the second very interesting point is they come from America born and bred?!!! They have the oblong gene found in America not the round Seychelles shape.
Here are their pictures as promised. I didn't do the babies.
The store owner was delighted I think he thinks he might make some sales this way:)

(pity I didnt put my hand in there for comparison, but they are quite big already.....60cm carapace
 

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dmmj

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aldabras, leopards and sulcatas OH MY.
They look pretty good I see some minor pyramiding on top, but easily correctable. If you don't mind me asking and if you know what were they asking for all the different types?
 

River14

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1 200$ for the Adabra the others I didnt ask sorry dmmj. They have other tortoise species too.
 

-EJ

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I highly suspect they did not come from America at that price... The shipping and paperwork would be at least 3 to 400 USD from this end.
 
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