Discovered a rare turtle in Cambodia

Two soft-shell turtles - animals that are thought to be on the brink of extinction - are kept in Cambodia.Photos provided by CI

A flock of soft-shell turtle - one of the world's largest turtles - has just been found in Cambodia's Mekong region.

Scientists from the International Conservation Organization (CI), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Cambodian Ministry of Fisheries said they have arrested and released an Asian 11-kg soft shell turtle in a survey on the Mekong River in March. They also found the habitat of this turtle on a riverbank in Stung Treng province, about 180 km north of Phnom Penh.

"This finding also means that this unique turtle can be saved from the risk of disappearing from our planet," said biologist David Emmett of CI.

Soft apricot turtles live hidden under sand or mud, can be up to 2 m long and weigh more than 50 kg when mature. This species is believed to be present in India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia and is currently listed in the Red List of Endangered Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with a similar degree of danger. the tiger and panda.

WALL VY