#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Farming & Gardening In Thailand >  >  > Thailands Zoos and Animals >  >  Thai Tortoise

## dirtydog

I think I want to buy some tortoises, I was deprived as a child and my parents never bought me one, little did I know that Thailand has tortoises, here's a few here. Wonder if Thais eat them.....

*Elongated Tortoise*



*Science Name :*     Indotestudo elongata 
*General Characteristics :*     It is quite small turtle with weight of 2 kilograms. Its tortoiseshell is moderate high curve. It has totally yellow with slight black dot and some are bright yellow like beeswax so people call it as “Tow –Tien”. It has front legs with big scale at the top and short back legs without fascia but strong nails. 
*Habitat / Food :*     It has been found in India, Burma, Indochina, Malaysia and every part of Thailand.It likes to eat many kinds of vegetable including taro, fruit and shell. 
*Behavior / Mating :*     It prefers to live in the forest, plateau or mountain which is cold and humidity and also likes climbing. 
Current Status :     It is a protected animal of Thailand under Thai Wildlife Protection Act B.E. 2535 
*Visiting Location :*     Dusit Zoo, Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Chiang Mai Zoo


*Brown Asian Giant Tortoise*



*Science Name :*     Manouria emys 
*General Characteristics :*     It is a big turtle but smaller than Burma Black Tortoise. Its tortoiseshell is also light brown and high curve, back legs with yellow (like beeswax) scale and spike same as Burma Black Tortoise. 
*Habitat / Food :*     It is found at Malaysia, Sumatra Island and Thailand especially in Ranong, Nakornsrithamrat.It likes to eat vegetable, fruit, taro, potato including shell and snail. 
*Behavior / Mating :*     It likes highland with humidity or pan and dig a hole to hide itself inside. It prefers to live at mountain and moving water is a must if you want to feed it because an appropriate habitat can prolong its age to 100 years. Moreover, it lays about 30 eggs in each time. 
Current Status :     It is a protected animal of Thailand under Thai Wildlife Protection Act B.E. 2535 
*Visiting Location :*     Kao Kheow Open Zoo

*Burmese Black Tortoise(Black Asian Giant Tortoise)*



*Science Name :*     Manouria emys phayrei 
*General Characteristics :*     It is considered as largest turtle in Asia because of its tortoiseshell’s length of 2 feet which is black or brown and high curve and 30-40 kilograms of weight. It has front legs with big scale and short back legs with big round nails, spike with bone inside being between back legs and bottom in each side which help against in climbing up looked like 2 legs added becoming 6 legs so it is called Tow-Hok. 
*Habitat / Food :*     It has been found in Burma, Assump and Thailand, especially in Northern and Western part such as Tak, Karnchanaburi and Tanaowasri mountain range.It likes to eat vegetable, fruit, taro, potato including shell and snail. 
*Behavior / Mating :*     It likes afloat landscape and dig a hole then hide itself inside. It prefers to live at mountain and moving water is a must if you want to feed it because an appropriate habitat can prolong its age to 100 years. Moreover, it lays about 50 eggs in each time. 
Current Status :     It is a protected animal of Thailand under Thai Wildlife Protection Act B.E. 2535 
*Visiting Location :*     Dusit Zoo, Kao Kheow Open Zoo, Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Chiang Mai Zoo

*Star Tortoise*



*Science Name :*     Geochelone elegans 
*General Characteristics :*     Star tortoise is a terrestrial tortoise with beautiful color. It has strong feet and is good at climbing. 
*Habitat / Food :*     It resides in Asia. Its origin is in India and South-East Asia. It is a terrestrial tortoise which can be found in all continents around the world. There are 39 different types of it.It eats vegetables and small animals. 
*Behavior / Mating :*     It lives on the land. 
Current Status :     - 
*Visiting Location :*     Dusit Zoo, Kao Kheow Open Zoo

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## Wayne Kerr

> Wonder if Thais eat them.....


Not bad eating, there is a soft shelled tortoise that is quite good, bit rare but can be found in a few restaurants

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## dirtydog

Should have guessed, easy to catch and this bit tends to give it away "It is a protected animal of Thailand under Thai Wildlife Protection Act B.E. 2535".

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## Gerbil

I ran over one, two days ago coming up the dirt track to our land.  :Sad:  Nothing left worth eating on it after that, so cant advise on recipes.

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## dirtydog

Afrikaans poet C Louis Leipoldt, and was written close to a century ago.

*Tortoise In Jelly – extract from Leipoldt’s Cape Cookery*

 ‘A rich jelly is made with seaweed boiled in a strong bouillon; a  greased mould is coated with this, and sliced hard boiled eggs are set  in the coating when it is nearly stiff.
 There follows a layer of braised tortoise meat, with pepper and salt, and preserved pickled gherkins, sliced lenth-wise.


 The remainder of the jelly is poured over and the mould is put in a  cool place till the contents are firm. It is then turned out on a layer  of lettuce leaves, garnished with young radishes and carrots and served  with a sour sauce.’


hmmm, doesn't sound very nice.

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## Gerbil

For the main course:

Alligator Pilau

After 20 years of protection, the alligator has made a remarkable comeback and alligator meat is available again. Since the body meat is too tough, only the tail meat is used. The best way to prepare alligator tail is to slice the meat across the grain into 1/4- to ½-inch strips. While good lightly breaded and fried, try this dish that includes the datil pepper, which gives it some heat.

2lb. alligator tail, sliced or cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups chicken stock
½ fresh datil pepper or 1 tsp pepper sauce
½ tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Saute alligator meat in a small amount of olive oil until tender, and set aside. In a Dutch oven, cook onions, bell pepper and garlic in remaining oil until soft. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, datil pepper or sauce and seasonings and simmer over low heat for five minutes. Add chicken stock and well-rinsed rice and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the alligator meat, stir well, taste and adjust seasonings. Simmer an additional five minutes to combine flavors.

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## dirtydog

Thailand has a slight lack of alligators, plenty of crocodiles though.

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## Gerbil

Yeah.... probably work well with dolphins as well.

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## Gerbil

> In a Dutch oven, .......


Hang on..... you shove them all in bed with yourself and the missus then let loose an enormous fart? I dont remember that in my culinary books.

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