Agartala: Tripura Forest department has taken an initiative to conduct a population survey on the exotic freshwater turtle species found in the Kalyan Sagar Lake, located in the premises of Tripura’s famed Tripurasundari shrine, to figure out an exact number of the endangered species.
The department is also reaching out to national level wildlife organizations to entrust them with the task of conducting the survey.
A sample survey conducted by the Forest department officials suggested that the total number of turtles could be over 250, Sub-division Forest Officer for Udaipur Kamal Bhowmik told EastMojo.
He said that a special hatchery has been installed very close to the lake to make sure that the eggs could be protected. “The whole breeding process is supervised by experts to preserve the endangered species,” the forest officer said.
Apart from Tripura, these black soft-shell turtles, popularly known as Bostami turtles, are found in some parts of Assam and Bangladesh.
Notably, the forest department of Tripura has been working for preservation and protection of these animals for a long time. As they are found in large numbers in the Tripura Sundari temple lake, locals of the area see them as devotees of the Devi.
Locals also believed that the number of turtles is higher in this part of the land because it is the “Kurma Peetha”, which means the elevated patch of land where the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is located replicating the physical appearance of a turtle.
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Forest department sources said that in the recent years the number of the turtles increased significantly and overserved that it is about time to conduct a survey to find out the total strength. Apart from the Kalyan Sagar Lake, this unique species is found in the adjacent ponds and lakes as well.
“Once the monsoon gets over, we shall bring sands on the banks of the lake so that the turtles can lay eggs. Later these eggs would be transferred to the hatchery. All efforts are being made to ensure that visitors arriving here to catch a glimpse of the exotic animal do not feel disheartened. Now the sightings have also increased dramatically”, an official added.
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