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.