A secret breeding nest of Cantor's giant softshell turtles has been discovered on the banks of the Chandragiri River in Kerala.
![This image, discovered by a team from the University of Portsmouth, shows Canthus' giant softshell turtle. — Journal Oryx/Ayushi Jain](https://www.geo.tv/assets/uploads/updates/2024-02-22/532099_7886341_updates.jpg)
Experts from the University of Portsmouth have discovered a very rare turtle species classified as endangered in India.
A secret breeding nest of Cantor's giant softshell turtles has been discovered on the banks of the Chandragiri River in Kerala.
These soft turtles are native to the rivers of South and Southeast Asia.
The species is known for its “rare and cryptic nature”, according to a spokesperson for the University of Portsmouth.
The spokesperson also noted that “it has been a subject of interest and concern among environmentalists for a long time.”
“For many years, against the backdrop of India's thriving biodiversity, the existence of the Cantor's tortoise was hardly a rumor. Sightings were so rare that the tortoise's very existence seemed like a ghost of the past,” said Françoise Cavada of the University School. Dr. Blanco said. of biology.
A university spokesperson added: “Habitat destruction has resulted in the disappearance of much of their environment. They are also harvested in large quantities by local people for their meat, and many are killed by fishermen trapped in their fishing gear.”
There have been several previous attempts to track species using scientific methods. This time they succeeded by applying a different approach, applying local knowledge to track egg-laying species.
Dr Cabada-Blanco, who is also an author on the study published in the journal Oryx, said the team was also able to engage the community really effectively by sharing historical sightings with local residents and even “helping on the ground in real time”. Release of individuals accidentally caught as bycatch.”
The structure of female nests and eggs in a freshwater species has been recorded for the first time. The cubs were then released into the river.
Cantor's giant softshell turtle can grow to over 1 m in length and weigh over 100 kg (220 lb).
The Prtsmouth team is considering establishing a community hatchery and nursery near the discovery site.
Ayushi Jain, from the Edge of Existence program at the Zoological Society of London, said: “The community's willingness to get involved formed the backbone of our project, which enabled us to record not only brief glimpses of turtles but also evidence of reproductive populations – a story about a species thought to be disappearing from Indian waters. .”