Bringing back Cantor’s softshell turtle (was thought to be lost from Cambodia until 2007)

[Omaha Steve]

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http://www.conservation.org/stories/Pages/Bringing-back-Cantors-softshell-turtle.aspx

Cantor’s softshell turtle was thought to be lost from Cambodia until a 2007 survey by CI and partners found a small population in the Mekong River.

Since then, CI Greater Mekong has been working with local communities to restore this population, which has been diminished by threats like habitat degradation and human consumption.

In 2011, the Mekong Turtle Conservation Center was established, and it has been bursting with baby turtles ever since.

The purpose of the center is to raise wild-born turtle hatchlings until they grow big enough to survive predators like birds and snakes. After a period of about 10 months, the turtles are released back into the river. Returning animals like turtles back into the wild is a common Buddhist tradition; a previous incarnation of Buddha was believed to be a turtle.

FULL story and donation info at link.

Published on Jun 30, 2014
Near Kratie, Cambodia, Conservation International pays local villagers to protect nests of the highly threatened Cantor's giant softshell turtle. When the turtles hatch, they are taken to the Mekong Turtle Conservation Center - located on the grounds of the 100 Pillar Pagoda - where they are raised until they are big enough to better resist predators like birds and snakes. Then, they are released back into the Mekong River.
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http://www.conservation.org/mekong

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