One of the most endangered freshwater turtles breathes easier: they discover 15 new hatchlings

A wildlife team.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
26 June 2023 Monday 17:09
3 Reads
One of the most endangered freshwater turtles breathes easier: they discover 15 new hatchlings

A wildlife team

With the help of local people, the discussion team was able to identify five softshell turtle nesting sites: “Egg clutches were fenced off and protected through daily patrols by a team of turtle keepers drawn from the community.” . Now, they examine the animals "to collect vital data about the species, including weight and size."

"Our work to save this species, which is unique to Myanmar, has only just begun, but the discovery and release of these hatchlings is a great start and a wonderful example of how we can work together to save nature," explains the Manager. of the Fauna Freshwater and Marine Program

Fauna

Indawgyi is one of the most valuable wetlands in the world. Specialists consider it a wildlife refuge. For this reason, it was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2017.

Soft-shelled turtles are a freshwater specimen, found in very few countries. Among them, Burma. In addition to the striking pattern of eyespots on the top of its shell, one of the most remarkable features of this animal is its ability to retract its head into its own neck.

Like many other tortoise and tortoise species in this region, the softshell has been overharvested to the brink of extinction, primarily to supply East Asian food markets and is also threatened by habitat degradation and entanglement. accidentally in fishing nets.