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| A member of Conservation International measures a Cantor's giant soft-shell turtle (AFP, Suy Se) |
AFP
KRATIE, Cambodia — Cambodian monks and environmentalists launched a new conservation project on Wednesday to help save one of the world's rarest and largest freshwater turtles from extinction.
A centre for the endangered Cantor's giant soft-shell turtle has been set up on the grounds of a temple near the central town of Kratie on the Mekong river, with support from wildlife group Conservation International.
"The turtle faces serious threats in its natural habitat," said Conservation International's Sun Yoeung, explaining that the centre would look after baby turtles.
"We hope they will have a better chance at survival when they are bigger and can protect themselves," he said.
The turtle, capable of growing up to 50 kg (110 pounds), was thought to be nearly extinct until it was rediscovered on an isolated stretch of the river in 2007.
At the opening ceremony for the centre, an orange-clad monk blessed a female Cantor's turtle weighing 18 kg (40 pounds) and released her into a large pond inside the temple complex, a popular tourist attraction in the area.
Staff at the facility hope to find her a mate soon to kick-start a breeding programme.
The centre is also home to nearly 100 baby turtles who were moved from their nests for their own protection.
"In one or two years we will release them back into the river," Sun Yoeung told AFP. "Now they are too small and they can be eaten by birds or fish."
The Cantor's turtle is also under threat from hunters and from the destruction of its habitat.
The animal spends 95 percent of its life hidden in sand or mud and is listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the same status given to tigers and pandas.
It was discovered in an area closed off to scientists until the late 1990s because of decades of civil conflict in the country.
It is not known exactly how many of the creatures are left but since 2007, CI has protected 51 nests on the Mekong river and watched more than 1,000 turtles hatch successfully.
5 comments:
Kbal andeuk douch kbal kdor preah ang machas..Ranariddh!
every khmer pagoda compound have this soft, leather shell turtle. they lay lots of eggs in the soft embankment along the many reservoirs, ponds, lakes, rivers, etc of cambodia, you know!
and khmer people love to eat their eggs, too, really!
it's good someone is helping cmabodia to protect it for future generation to see and learn. god bless the this khmer turtle.
first look i thought it was a curled up leech.
Lok Mom Yin & Ly Diep: I appreciate you as being yourself - a true unique Khmer. Believe in what you are doing, you will succeed!
To all SRP supporters & Khmers: it's time to learn some history. Youns/Viets always paint our Khmer nationalists and then we start biting each other without thinking.
You need to accept the truth that Sam Rainsy's political career almost comes to an end. I appreciate his courage and his commitment to changes, but when comes to Leadership, he is not the most charismatic leader for Cambodia yet.
I invite you to be open-minded and to re-assess all his deeds:
- Changing 2/3 majority to 50%+1 is the biggest mistake to exchange for his return
- Claiming to boycott the 4th-term assembly meeting today and switching to attend the meeting the next day is considered what?...
- Blaming others for not wanting him and SRP to unite with other democratic parties. What his rationale being a leader?
- Dropping case against Hun Xen in the US? Why need to drop?...
- Why running away from your loyal members? Look at MP Mu Sochua. What Hun Xen can do to her?
- SRP needs to solve the internal issues and stop painting the ones who offer the ideas/opinions
- Public debates among all opposition and self-claimed democratic parties should be held publicly and let the public judge.
I'm not a supporter of HRP, SRP and whosoever, but always attend those leaders' meeting. One solution for our nation is to UNITE, UNITE & UNITE. Don't use pretext/excuses.
Please learn to trust with vigilance.
Best Regards to all true Khmers!
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