GPS fitted turtles enter Bangladesh after being released from Sunderbans

GPS fitted turtles enter Bangladesh after being released from Sunderbans-

✅At least three of the ten individuals of the critically endangered Northern River Terrapin ( Batagur baska) who were installed with GPS transmitters have travelled hundreds of kilometres and are now in Bangladesh.

✅The objective of fitting GPS transmitters was to ascertain the habitat, breeding pattern and the movement of the species.

Northern River Terrapin 

( Batagur baska):

✅It is a species of riverine turtle.

✅Its status is critically endangered in IUCN red list

✅It is one of the largest freshwater and brackish turtle of Asia

✅Distribution: Found  in Bangladesh (The Sundarbans and in captivity in Vawal National Park at Gazipur), Cambodia, India (parts- West Bengal & Orissa), Indonesia & Malaysia and * It is regionally extinct in Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam.

✅Habitat: Terrestrial & highly aquatic (freshwater & brackish);

✅It lives in tidal areas of the estuaries of medium and large rivers and also in mangrove habitat.

● Other endangered species of Riverine turtles found in India-

✅Assam Roofed Turtle (Pangshura sylhetensis):

✅It is a rare species of the turtle

✅It is listed as endangered in India

✅Habitat:  Brahmaputra drainage in Assam.

✅Indian Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica):

✅It is also known as Ganges softshell turtle

✅Habitat:  in the rivers of the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi.

✅The species is considered sacred and also found in the temple ponds of Orissa.

✅Red Crowned Roofed Turtle (Batagur kachuga):

✅It  is a freshwater species of turtle

✅It is listed as critically endangered as only a few hundred remain in the wild.

✅Habitat: The National Chambal Sanctuary is India's only protected riverine habitat for red crowned roofed turtles.

✅Indian Eyed Turtle (Morenia petersi):

✅Habitat: South Asia and found in northeastern India only

✅It is classified as Vulnerable

● Endangered Species of Sea turtles found in India:

✅Five species of sea turtles are known to inhabit Indian coastal waters and islands.

✅These are Olive Ridley turtle,Green turtle,Hawksbill turtle,Leatherback turtle.

● Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea):

✅These are the smallest of all sea turtles found in the world

✅Habitat:  warm waters of the Indian Oceans.

✅Gahirmatha coast of Odisha is the largest mass nesting site for the olive ridley sea turtles in India.

✅The species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, Appendix 1 in CITES, and Schedule 1 in Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

● Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea):

✅It  is the largest of all living turtles in the world

✅Habitat: Nicobar Islands

● Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas):

✅It  is a large sea turtle also found in the Indian Ocean and throughout the entire Pacific region.

● Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata):

✅It is listed as  critically endangered sea turtle

✅Habitat:  tropical reefs of the Indian oceans.