Critically endangered Batagur Baska turtle lays 34 eggs in Sundarbans breeding facility

Batagur Baska, a critically endangered riverine turtle species, has laid 34 eggs at Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre in the Sundarbans in Bagerhat.

The turtle laid the 34 eggs on the edge of a pond at the Wildlife Sanctuary this morning, said Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre.

"The eggs have been kept in incubation (in the sand) for hatching. The eggs would hatch in 60 to 65 days," our Bagerhat correspondent reports quoting Azad Kabir.

At present there are 436 tortoises in this breeding centre, the official said.

"We have been rearing this endangered species of tortoise very seriously. We are keeping a close eye on the breed. Earlier, the tortoise gave us eggs here. The baby also hatched from that egg," he said.

Azad Kabir also said that 10 turtles will be released in the Sundarbans on the occasion of Bangabandhu's birth centenary.

In 2017, two turtles gave birth to 57 babies from 63 eggs. In 2018, 21 babies were born from 46 eggs of two turtles. In 2019, 32 babies were born from 32 eggs of a tortoise.

On May 10, 2020, 34 babies were born from 35 eggs of a tortoise. From these babies, the forest department released two turtles in 2017, five in 2018 and five in 2019 in different rivers of Sundarbans.