of the world’s rarest turtles, the Sundarbans river terrapin (Batagur baska), is no longer found in its
natural habitat in the Sundarbans. About 60 cm in length, it can be told apart
from other turtles of its family by two features – its pointed, upward-tilting
nose and its four-clawed forelimbs. According to a survey conducted by the NGO,
Turtle Survival Alliance-India (TSA India) this particular turtle has become
extinct from the Sundarbans area.
carried out the survey, which is called habitat evaluation study, in March this
year and we did not find a single turtle (Batagur
baska) in Sundarbans,” Shailendra Singh, programme director India of TSA said.
“This means the terrapin exists only in captivity,” he said.
Survival Alliance-India (TSA India) and the West Bengal Forest Department
(WBFD) have been working in partnership in an effort to save the critically
endangered Sundarbans, or northern, river terrapin from extinction.
2008, TSA India inspected the area where the turtles were kept in captivity at
the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve headquarters. This led to the rejuvenation of the river
terrapin breeding programme by WBFD.
that time only a handful of adult turtles were in captivity but they were not
breeding. Also, these animals did not have any surviving young due to the
absence of a nesting beach and predators such as mongoose and water monitor
breeding of this variety of turtles in captivity started two years ago. Working
with the forestry department, TSA India provided inputs on husbandry and
management protocols that led to the successful nesting and hatching of 33
babies in 2012, with 56 the following year. In 2014 a large pool and nesting
beach was completely covered and fenced to keep out local predators.
conservation project started in 2008. At that time only 11 turtles were in
captivity. The good thing is that at present the population of this turtle has
grown after breeding in captivity,” Singh said.
also said, “Batagur baska used to be
found at the Hooghly river mouth and at present they have become extinct from
the natural habitat mainly because of human consumption since it is very
the programme of breeding Batagur baska
in captivity has been successful, there are plans for TSA and WBFD to jointly
release some hatchlings in their natural habitat sometime later. This effort by
TSA and WBFD might bring back the river terrapin in the Sundarbans once again.
to conserve them, poaching has to be stopped. In addition, regular monitoring
of these animals is necessary and a constant watch on local market is needed.
Awareness among people is also necessary so that they do not catch the turtles