Ahsanul Amin George, Khulna :
“Batagur Baska”, a kind of about to abolished specie’s turtle has laid 31 eggs for the first time in the artificial breeding center at Karomjol point in the east Sundarbans on Saturday night.
Forest Division informed the matter on Sunday night to journalists.
Forest division sources said, among the four female turtles, one laid 31 eggs for the first time. After laying the eggs, they were kept in the hole nest with a view to hatching them in scientific methods.
It is learnt that in 2014, in order to spread the numbers of this rare specie’s tortoise, the artificial breeding center was established at Karomjol point in the east Sundarbans. Both scientists of home and abroad are making observation and preservation works of the center.
Md. Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of Karomjol wild life breeding center said, In the last year, after collecting four full-aged turtles were released in the ponds of the Karomjol breeding center. There after, during three months they were observed by the foreign experts. However, among the four, one tortoise has laid 31 eggs on Saturday night. The rest three turtles would also lay eggs, he expected. The eggs were kept in the hole nest after removing from the bank of the pond. It would require at 55 to 60 days for coming out kids, he added.
Md. Sayeedul Islam, DFO of the East Sundarbans said, on February 5, 2017, two Batagur Baska, a kind od of about to abolished specie’s turtles from the Sub-continent of Asia were released in the Sundarbans area setting up satellite transmitters upon their backs.
The forest division, Turtle survival alliance (America), Viena Zoo (Austria) and Prokriti Jibon foundation have started research after collecting photos of lives conduct and environmental conditions, Saydul Islam added.
Sources of the east division of the Sundarbans informed the journalists that after hatching eggs of turtles in Karomjol breeding center, they would be released gradually in the Sundarbans and the Bay of Bengal.
