India, Aug. 25 -- Manipur Zoological Garden (MZG) and India Turtle Conservation Programme (ITCP) conducted the first successful artificial incubation of Asian Giant Tortoises (Manouria emys phayrei) this year, and 28 hatchlings were hatched out from one nest, officials said on Monday.

The Asian Giant Tortoise, a critically endangered species, is native to the northeast Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam, and Meghalaya.

MZG is set to initiate a conservation breeding programme to release them in the wild after making headway with the conservation of the tortoises. This is expected to contribute to increasing the numbers of this highly threatened species and returning them to their native habitats.

MZG also conducted a one...