Tripura's rare Bostami turtles face extinction

The softshell Bostami turtles, an endangered species found in a lake surrounding the Tripureswari Temple in Tripura's Gomati district, are facing extinction, officials said.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had classified the specimen as extinct in the wild, they said.

The 15th-century temple, constructed by King Dhanyamanikya in Udaipur, around 55 km from Agartala, is considered to be one of the holiest Hindu shrines in the country, and it is among the 51 'Shakti Peeths'. It is also known as 'Kurma Pitha' as the temple premises resemble 'Kurma' or turtle.