The country’s first satellite-tagged Ganges softshell turtle was released in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The release coincided with Endangered Species Day, Sarma said in a post on X.
“A first for India at Kaziranga! Marking #EndangeredSpeciesDay, the country’s 1st satellite-tagged Ganges softshell turtle was released in @kaziranga_, a major step for wildlife conservation,” Sarma said.
“A proud moment for Assam as we continue to protect every species that calls our forests home,” he added.
The Ganges softshell turtle is a freshwater reptile whose distribution is largely restricted to the Ganga, Indus and Mahanadi river systems in northern and eastern India.
The species is listed under Part II of Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and possession of the turtle is an offence under the law.
