(ECNS) -- An elongated tortoise, a first-class protected animal in China, was saved by police in Dehong, Yunnan Province, on Tuesday.
The Indotestudo elongata, which is even rarer than the giant panda, is on the red list of the critically endangered category at the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
An adult elongated tortoise weighs about one kilogram and has a life span of about 40 years. Its habitats in China are mainly Yunnan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The tortoise saved on Tuesday weighs about three kilograms, which means the animal is old for its species.
It is now under professional care and will be released back to nature at the right time.
