In a significant conservation effort, 240 hatchlings of the critically endangered Black Softshell Turtle were released into Roumari Beel, a protected wetland in Biswanath district of Assam.

Key Highlights

• The release was announced by Assam’s Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah.
• The initiative was jointly undertaken by the Biswanath Wildlife Division, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Survival Alliance Foundation India (WSAFI).
• Locally known as Bormuria Kaso, its scientific name is Nilssonia nigricans.
• It is confined only to ponds of temples in northeastern India, mainly Assam and Bangladesh.
• It is hunted for its meat and cartilage also, silt mining, wetland encroachment and changing flooding patterns also contribute to reducing populations.
• The Black Softshell Turtle was once considered extinct in the wild, but recovery efforts have helped rebuild a stable population in Brahmaputra-Kariranga landscape.
• The species has survived in Assam largely through captive breeding programmes and traditional faith-based conservation practices in temple ponds.

Other Important Turtle Conservation Initiatives in Assam 

• Hayagriva Madhava Temple, Hajo: Temple pond has historically supported populations of threatened freshwater turtles, including black softshell turtles. 
  • Its Temple Committee has signed a MoU with two NGOs Turtle Survival Alliance India and Help Earth for long-term conservation of Black Softshell turtle.
• Kaziranga Tiger Reserve: Collaborates with conservation organisations and the Assam Forest Department to support turtle recovery. 
• Nagshankar Temple, Biswanath: The ancient Shiva shrine serves as a model temple site for turtle conservation.
• Biswanath Wildlife Division: An important landscape for artificial incubation, rearing and release programmes. 

Conservation Significance

• Temple-based conservation: Religious institutions associated with the Hayagriva Madhava Temple and Nagshankar Temple have played an important role in protecting the species through traditional pond conservation.
• Wild population recovery: Releasing captive-bred hatchlings into suitable natural habitats can help strengthen wild populations.
• Wetland conservation: Protecting Roumari Beel and other freshwater habitats is essential for the survival of aquatic species.
• Community participation: Combining scientific breeding programmes with traditional conservation practices offers opportunities for long-term biodiversity protection.

Exam Hook: Key Takeaway

The release of 240 Black Softshell Turtle hatchlings highlights Assam’s efforts to combine scientific conservation, wetland protection and traditional community-based practices to safeguard threatened freshwater biodiversity.