Conservation Breeding of the Northern River Terrapin (Batagur Baska) – a Critically Endangered Species at Sundarban Tiger Reserve Landscape, West Bengal, India

Abstract

The Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska) is a large critically endangered river turtle that previously occupied most rivers and estuaries of South East Asia (India, Bangladesh and Myanmar). But its wild population have been decimated to such an extent that the species can be considered as ecologically extinct. Main reasons for declining their number are habitat loss and harvesting for its flesh and egg etc. Presently Batagur is found in India (estuaries of Sundarbans of West Bengal and Bhitarkanika of Odisha) and Bangladesh Sundarbans. In situ conservation breeding programme has been started in Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) earlier but that stopped due to some administrative reasons. Again said programme has been revived in the year 2012 with the assistance of scientist of Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, India and till now continued at Sajnekhali of STR. 364 numbers up to the year 2019 have been hatched successfully at Sajnekhali. For diversification of population, 10 sub adult Batagurs have been released in the wilderness. At the same time soft release of 60 sub adults has been done in the pond of different parts of STR in Beat location.