Hatchlings raise hope for Cambodia’s endangered ‘Royal Turtle’

[geovalin]

The freshwater turtle, also known as the southern river terrapin, was thought to be extinct in Cambodia until 2000.

 

The birth of nine Cambodian royal turtle hatchlings has sparked hope for the future of a species on the brink of extinction, conservationists said Wednesday. The baby turtles hatched this week, three months after a villager discovered a 14-egg nest in sand along a river in southwestern Koh Kong Province — the only place where the reptile is still found in Cambodia.

 

The freshwater turtle, also known as the southern river terrapin, was thought to be extinct in Cambodia until 2000, when a small population was re-discovered in the Sre Ambel river. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WSC) and Cambodian government have been desperately trying to protect the species ever since with a program that hires former egg collectors to search for and protect nests, instead of harvesting the eggs.

 

“I am proud of the result, especially to be part of conserving Cambodia’s royal turtles from extinction,” villager Long Sman, who helped guard the nest of the latest hatchlings, was quoted as saying by the WSC. The turtle species acquired its name because only Cambodia’s royal family was historically allowed to consume its eggs.

 

read more http://citizen.co.za/news/news-world/1509973/hatchlings-raise-hope-cambodias-endangered-royal-turtle/

[Skeptic7]

Not overly optimistic, but some good news for a change. Hopefully effective measures will be taken to keep another species from disappearing forever.