Four Tortoises Rescued in the Kurdzhali Region

Environmental experts rescued and released back into the wild four Hermann's
tortoises (Testudo hermanni), the Haskovo Regional Inspectorate  of Environment and Water said in a press release.

This is the second case of tortoise poaching in the Kurdzhali Region this year, after environmental experts in May found 21 tortoises in two bags, apparently left by poachers, near the Zhenda Hunting Lodge and released them back into the wild.

Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) is one of five tortoise species traditionally placed in the genus Testido, which also includes the well-known Marginated tortoise (T. marginata), Greek tortoise (T. graeca) and Russian tortoise (T. horsfieldii).

Testudo hermanni can be found throughout southern Europe. The western population (hermanni) is found in eastern Spain, southern France, the Baleares islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, south and central Italy.

The eastern population (boettgeri) inhabits Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece, while hercegovinensis populates coasts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro.

Hermann's tortoises are small to medium sized tortoises that come from southern Europe. Young animals, and some adults, have attractive black and yellow patterned carapaces, although the brightness may fade with age to a less distinct gray, straw or yellow coloration.

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