NORTHERN RIVER TERRAPIN (BATAGUR BASKA)

March 6, 2022

Recently, forest officials installed GPS transmitters on the northern river terrapin in the Indian Sundarbans. However, In just six weeks after the release, at least three of the 10 turtles of the critically endangered Batagur baska species have travelled hundreds of kilometres and are now in Bangladesh.

About:

The northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) is a species of riverine turtle native to Southeast Asia.
It is one of Asia's largest freshwater and brackwater turtles, reaching a carapace length of up to 60 cm and a maximum weight of 18 kg. Its carapace is moderately depressed.
The species is currently found in Bangladesh and India(in the Sunderbans), Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia.
It is strongly aquatic but uses terrestrial nesting sites, frequenting the tidal areas of estuaries, large rivers, and mangrove forests.
It is classified Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and considered extinct in much of its former range, principally due to exploitation as a food item (including egg harvesting).

Source : The Hindu