Northern River Terrapin
Northern River Terrapin is an Indian Reptile that bears a scientific name "Batagur baska", is a species of Sweet Water Turtle. Northern River Terrapin is one of the most critically endangered turtle species according to a 2000 assessment by the IUCN.
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Structure of Northern River Terrapin
Northern River Terrapin is one of Asia's largest freshwater and brackish turtles. The carapace of Northern River Terrapin is moderately depressed, with a vertebral keel in the young, which keel disappears in the adult; nuchal broader than long; first vertebral as broad in front as behind, or a little broader; vertebral 2 to 4 sub equal, much broader than long in the young, nearly as long as broad and as broad as the costal in the adult. The postero-lateral border of the third vertebral is strongly concave.
Through a joint West Bengal Forest Department (STR)/ TSA program in 2012, these founder animals were part of a conservation breeding initiative, with the first successful reproduction of 33 hatchlings in 2012. More than 400 terrapins were hatched through this program and ten sub-adults were selected and released. In addition to carefully managing breeding in captivity, STR and TSA worked with central government agencies to obtain permits and engage with communities within the Sundarbans in educational initiatives on the importance of the terrapins’ return to the wild.
