MNREC releases 50 rare adult Myanmar roofed turtles into Chindwin River

The Forestry Department, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, released 50 rare adult Myanmar roofed turtles (Batagur trivittata) into the Chindwin River near Linpha Village, Khamti Township, Sagaing Region, this year.
The 50 adult turtles, which had been temporarily housed in an enclosure in the Chindwin River near Linpha Village using a soft release system, were permanently released into the river by staff from the Forestry Department, Htamathi Wildlife Sanctuary, the Ministry of Education, and local residents.
The carapace of an adult Myanmar roofed turtle can reach up to 58 centimetres in length. Its plastron is yellow or cream-coloured, while the head and neck are brown or dark green. The head is moderate in size with a slightly pointed snout, and the jaw tip is pale in colour.
The breeding area of the Myanmar roofed turtle is Myitkyina in Kachin State. Formerly, it was widely distributed in the Ayeyawady, Chindwin, and Sittoung rivers and their tributaries, but now it is rarely found in the Chindwin River.
The herbivorous turtle, listed as an endangered species on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is fully protected in Myanmar. — ASH/TH