A 40-year commitment to protect the world’s most threatened tortoise
23 July 2026
In 1986, Gerald and Lee Durrell launched an ambitious project to save the world’s most threatened tortoise, the ploughshare, also known as the ‘Angonoka’ in Malagasy. Forty years later, we are still there.
Found in a tiny area of Madagascar in the bamboo scrub and dry forests of Baly Bay National Park, the tortoises get their name from the plough-shaped extension on the front of their bottom shell. It is the unique markings and shape of their shell that makes them highly desirable to wildlife traffickers, who smuggle the tortoises out of Madagascar for the illegal pet trade. A prime specimen for example, could be sold on the black market for up to $100,000.
The aim of our Durrell project is simple; to help boost the population of the ploughshare, maintain and restore their habitat and to empower local communities to help conservation efforts by providing livelihoods opportunities and a voice in the management of their natural resources. We are proud to say we have done that.
Lee Durrell recalls the early days of ‘Project Angonoka’: “Our first priority was to get the tortoises to breed, and there were great celebrations when the first hatchlings appeared. Our team then consisted of Malagasy and British conservationists, and we soon began to study the few remaining wild tortoises and to engage the local communities in protecting them and their habitat. In 1990 Gerry and I visited the breeding facility and were most impressed by the achievements and ambitions of the team, as well as enchanted by the personalities of the tortoises themselves. These ‘ponderous’ creatures, as Gerry called them, each weighing up to 25 kilograms, would follow you around until you gave them a good scratch under the chin and a tidbit of greens!”
In 1987 we were the first ever organisation to successfully breed the species in captivity in Madagascar. Since then, we have released over 100 into the wild and manage the largest population of ploughshares in Madagascar, looking after almost 1,000 animals across two captive facilities. Here we proactively manage their health and welfare and screen them for diseases. However, our work over the last 40 years to protect the ploughshare has faced many threats.
In 1996, 75 animals were stolen from our facility at Ampijoroa. This led us to massively increasing our security, erecting heavy duty fencing, deploying armed guards and engraving shells to make them less attractive to traffickers and potential buyers, whilst also allowing stolen tortoises to be identified.
In September 2016, our breeding facility came under attack again, when someone cut the power supply to the centre, which disabled our perimeter alarm. They then attempted to cut through our fencing. This did not stop us. We responded quickly by launching an emergency appeal to purchase new solar panels and storage batteries to ensure that our alarm system was independently powered and to ensure we were protected against this form of attack in the future.
In 2017, we had to make the tough decision to stop releasing ploughshares back into the wild, due to the continued poaching pressure fuelled by the illegal wildlife trade. Since then, our efforts have been focussed on maintaining two captive breeding facilities, increasing numbers in captivity, and scaling up our efforts, alongside Madagascar National Parks, to protect and manage Baly Bay National Park, the ploughshare habitat and the few individuals that remain in the wild. We are committed to releasing these tortoises into the wild once again and are finalising plans to make this happen.
In 2026, two powerful cyclones struck Madagascar just two weeks apart and caused significant damage to our secure enclosures. We responded quickly not only for our enclosures but also to help the local communities and raised funds to make repairs and restore security including repairing guard posts throughout the park.
Even with these threats, we have remained committed to the project and safeguarding this species. Over the last five or so years, we have invested over £2 million into this project. We also employ 23 people from the local community, who undertake various tasks such as working in our breeding centre, and survey and monitoring work. We also pay an additional 27 people from the local community who take part in anti-poaching patrols.
Outside of this investment, we have also been instrumental in helping with the passing of a local law to protect the tortoise and in the prosecution of high-profile smugglers, as well as training law enforcement officials and carrying out social research to inform behaviour change in this region.
Our work to protect the ploughshare continues and we will not stop. When others leave, Durrell stays.
With the collaboration of the Government of Madagascar, Madagascar National Parks and many other partners and funders we know that this rare reptile will have a future.