Critically endangered turtle Batagur Baska lays 23 eggs at Karamjal

Batagur baska, a critically endangered riverine turtle species, has laid 23 eggs at Karamjal wildlife breeding centre in the Sundarbans in Bagerhat.

"The turtle laid the eggs on the edge of a pond at the Wildlife Centre this morning. The eggs were kept in an incubator. The eggs will hatch at the end of 65-67 days," said Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of the wildlife breeding centre in Karamjal of East Sundarbans.

This brings the total of turtles laying eggs this year to four, our Bagerhat correspondent reports quoting the official.

One turtle laid 27 eggs on February 28, another turtle laid 23 eggs, on March 3 and one other laid 23 eggs on March 5.

There is a possibility of two more turtles laying eggs this year, said Azad Kabir.

"At present there are more than 300 turtles here. We are keeping a close eye on breeding," he said.

On the occasion of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary, 10 turtles will be released in the Sundarbans by the end of this year, according to the forest department.