Almost 50 endangered turtles at Nagshankar Devalaya in Sonitpur reported sick

Assam's Brahmaputra and Barak valleys are very rich in terms of freshwater turtle and tortoise diversity. This area is one of the top 25 Priority Turtle Conservation areas of the world. But due to increasing anthropogenic pressure on their habitat, human consumption and illegal trading, turtles are slowly vanishing from the wild habitats. These turtles are also victims of various religious traditional beliefs and superstitions and many of them end up in the congested unnatural ponds of religious institutes.

Almost all the shrines of Assam have ponds in their premises. Most of these ponds house a wide variety of turtle species. There are more than 25 temple turtle tanks throughout Assam. Since time immemorial these tanks have been serving as the storehouses of some of the rarest species of freshwater turtles and a few of these reptiles are also breeding there.

In a report, the condition of almost 50 turtles at Nagshankar Devalaya under Sotia constituency in Sonitpur District was reported serious in the pond for the past few days due to polluted water.

Meanwhile, under the proper guidance of the Wildlife Department of Assam Government and NGOs namely Turtle Survival India and Assam Wildlife Rescue and Research Association, the turtles at Nagshankar Devalaya are being provided medical care and treatment.