KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Zoo Knoxville is home to many types of species. They just so happen to have the largest colony of flat-tailed tortoises as well.

“So these are flat-tailed tortoises that are endemic to the coastal dry forests of western Madagascar,” said Herpetology Keeper Rachel Drown. “They’re critically endangered, so they’re under a real threat of extinction in the wild.”

While the flat-tailed tortoise is threatened, Zoo Knoxville has put in a lot of time and contribution to helping them thrive.

“Their biggest purpose is contributing to an assurance colony. So right now, since they’re critically endangered, in their natural range, they’re experiencing a ton of habitat destruction that has wiped away a lot of the suitable habitat and a lot of the adults,” Drown said. “So we

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