Sunderbans Tiger Reserve to home rare Batagur baska
Before winter this year, three fresh water ponds in the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve will house the rare Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska), whose presence in the wild in West Bengal and Odisha had declined to undetectable levels a decade ago.
For the past ten years, officials of the Sunderban Tiger Reserve with support from experts at Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), have coordinated a recovery program for what is described as the world�s second most endangered turtle, through captive conservation breeding. The Yangtze giant soft shell turtle, Rafetus swinhoei, is considered the most endangered freshwater turtle.
�The number of turtles at Sajnekhali is well over 200. This year alone we got 87 hatchlings,� Mr. Mallick said.
The field director of STR said the decision to get a new enclosure for the breeding programme would protect the species against natural risks, and also facilitate genetic management. Last year, forest officials and the TSA reintroduced ten turtles into the wild, using acoustic transmitters to monitor their progress.
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Photo from The Hindu.
