Endangered species of turtles reintroduced in Ganga river

At least 20 red-crowned roofed turtles, a critically endangered species of reptiles, were released in the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh after a gap of nearly three decades, state officials said on Sunday, adding the reintroduction move aimed at shaping future conservation actions for other endangered species.

- Gaurav Saigal

LUCKNOW:

Popularly known as Bengal roof turtle, the species, Batagur kachuga, is endemic to India and is reported to be found in Bangladesh and Nepal.

"We have relocated 20 turtles — 10 males and as many females — ranging between two and three years of age, and released them into the Ganga. Half of them were released upstream of the river, which is part of Haiderpur Wetland, while the other half in downstream, which is part of the Hastinapur wildlife sanctuary," Rajesh Kumar, the divisional forest officer (DFO), Meerut, said on Sunday.