Maharashtra Forest Dept Airlifts Rare Turtle Species To Be Released In Assam, Their Natural Habitat

A whopping number of 63 rare species of turtles were airlifted from Pune to Assam by Maharashtra Forest Department on Thursday.

It may be mentioned that, the rare species of these turtles belong to the closest group of the species that is found in Guwahati, according to Maharashtra Forest Department sources.

Some of the rarest species that were airlifted to Guwahati belong to the biological families including the Indian Roof Turtle, Crowned River Turtle, Brown Roof Turtle, and Spotted River Terrapin.

According to recent reports, as of now, the turtles were with the Indian Herpetological Society and Rescue Charitable Trust in Pune. They will be handed over to the Turtle Survival Alliance and the Assam forest department, following which they will be released into the wild, which is of course their natural habitat.

Meanwhile, according to the Maharashtra Forest Department this rescue and release operation of the turtles is the first of its kind.

An official of the Maharashtra Forest Department said, "Such instance wherein rare species of turtle are being sent by flight to release in their natural habitat to other locations is a major accomplishment for the Forest Departments of both the states."