The northern river terrapin Batagur baska is a large (Carapace length up to 600 mm) and critically endangered species and its distribution is currently restricted to the Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh. It is entirely aquatic inhabiting estuaries and tidal portions of large rivers but with terrestrial nest sites, that is, sandbars and riverbanks. The terrapin’s immense population decline has resulted from extensive exploitation of its flesh and eggs, including habitat alteration and destruction that have degraded the turtle’s nesting areas and feeding habitat. Captive breeding is currently the only feasible intervention to re-establish a wild population. |
