Environment and Ecology Chennai top node in tortoise trafficking network The study titled, ‘From pets to plate’ was published in the edition of Oryx, the International Journal of Conservation. The study found that the trafficking of soft shell turtles for meat was predominantly domestic in nature. The international trafficking of the reptile from or to India almost restricted to Bangladesh. Chennai is the highest ranked node in the tortoise and hard shell turtle trafficking network. Note Indian star tortoise Native to India. IUCN Status – Vulnerable. Indian flapshell turtle Freshwater species of turtle found in South Asia IUCN Status – Vulnerable.
