Ninety-seven endangered Indian Star tortoises, illegally smuggled out of the country, will be brought back to their natural habitat in north Karnataka. <br/><br/>According to Wildlife SOS organization working for animal conservation said the smuggled tortoises were rescued in Singapore and are now undergoing quarantine.<br/><br/>Most of the tortoises rescued in Singapore are found to be in good health while 12 are under treatment.<br/><br/>A team of Veterinarians from Wildlife SOS India and Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, ACRES, Singapore will accompany the tortoises from Singapore to India. Later, they will be released in their natural habitat after keeping them under observation for about six months. <br/><br/>The Indian Star tortoises are rare and endangered species of land tortoise and are often poached from the wild and sold internationally to be used as pets and also as ingredients of Chinese medicine.