Dubai’s famous indoor tropical rainforest continues it plight to raise awareness about animal welfare and safety with the rescue of yet another exotic breed – the Sulcata Tortoise.

Last week, the male tortoise was found wandering along the side of a UAE road, with the shocked pedestrians who found the abandoned reptile immediately taking action – calling in the expert team at The Green Planet.

Age unknown and weighing in at 31kgs, the Sulcata Tortoise, otherwise referred to as Centrochelys Sulcata, arrived at the indoor biodome in City Walk with a suspected calcium deficiency and is undergoing further medical tests – however, looks in good condition.

The Sulcata Tortoise is not native to the UAE and some are not suited for the intense desert heat, which is detrimental to their health, however, the expert biologists at The Green Planet are currently providing him with a suitable diet containing all the necessary vitamins and minerals, along with access to veterinary care to ensure he is nursed back to prime health.

Although the species is not native to Australia, you can find the newest addition to The Green Planet family relaxing with the kookaburras in The Australian Walkabout on the lower level, which is the best environment for his unplanned arrival.

Unfortunately, the rescue of this tortoise is a reminder of the all-too-common problem of the purchasing and discarding of unwanted pets in the region. Many tortoises are bought as pets, and when no longer wanted or when the owner can no longer care for them, they are released into the desert to fend for themselves.

Hundreds of unwanted pets are abandoned and left homeless each month across the region, particularly following the festive period and The Green Planet would like to use this opportunity to raise awareness of this issue and ensure the community understand the level of care needed to look after exotic creates such as the tortoise.

The team encourage visitors to pay a visit to the tortoise at The Green Planet to learn more about his plight, along with fellow rescues, Lonely and Amal – the two slow loris who were illegally smuggled into the country and were rescued earlier this year, and now call The Green Planet home.

Facts about the Sulcata Tortoise:

• The Sulcata Tortoise is the world’s third largest species of tortoise after the Galapagos tortoise and Aldabra giant tortoise and the largest of the mainland tortoise.
• It is native to the Sahara desert and the Sahel.
• During the hottest parts of the day, Sulcata Tortoise is known to burrow four meters into the ground in search for cool areas underground with higher moisture levels.
• The sulcate tortoises are predominately herbivores. They mostly feed on grasses, shrubs and herbs that have high fibre content but are low in protein.
• Its specific name sulcate is from the Latin work sulcus meaning “furrow” and refers to the furrows on the tortoise’s scales

For more information on The Green Planet and to book your tickets, please visit: https://www.thegreenplanetdubai.com/en