10 Jan 2007 - TaKua Tung, Thailand – A local villager fishing
in a mangrove in western Thailand got a surprise when he
caught in his net a large turtle. The catch turned out to
be a rare mangrove terrapin, a species that has not been
observed in the wild in Thailand for over 20 years.
Realizing that this was an unusual find, the village contacted
a local specialist from WWF Thailand’s Marine and Coastal
Resources Unit, based in the coastal province of Phang Nga,
some 800km from the capital, Bangkok.
“In Thailand, this species is considered to be critically
endangered and is classified similarly in Cambodia, Vietnam
and Malaysia,” said Dr Chavalit Vidthayanon, a freshwater
biologist at WWF Thailand.
“In the past, villagers could catch up to one thousand
of these terrapins a year for their eggs, meat and shells.”
Today, the mangrove terrapin population has been drastically
reduced and is facing extinction in the wild, especially
in Thailand. The main threats are hunting, egg harvesting,
loss of habitat and nesting beaches, and the incidental
drowning in fishing nets.
The female mangrove terrapin that was found weighed in
at 28kg and measured over 50cm in length. It was suspected
that she was on her way to nest.
“She is probably very lucky that she wasn’t eaten or sold
to a wildlife trader,” added Dr Vidthayanon. “We have recommended
that the terrapin be brought to a fisheries department facility
to be cared for and bred so that her offspring can be released
back into the wild.”
WWF Thailand also plans to develop a project to protect
the headwaters of the Klong Tum, where the terrapin was
discovered, as well as continue efforts to research the
rare species.
“The discovery of a species that was believed to be extinct
in Thailand is considered to be a very important event,”
said Songpol Tippayawong, Head of WWF Thailand’s Marine
and Coastal Resources Unit.
“It shows that the natural habitat, in which it was found,
is still rich and should be conserved.”
END NOTES:
• Mangrove terrapins (Batagur baska) are one of Asia’s
largest freshwater turtles. They live in creeks and estuaries
on the Andaman coast, from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand,
and Malaysia to as far as Sumatra in Indonesia, as well
as in the South China Sea in the Gulf of Thailand, Cambodia
and Vietnam. Mangrove terrapins feed on the seed pods of
mangrove and other coastal trees. Smaller terrapins also
eat shrimp and crabs.
• Mangrove terrapins have small heads and an upturned snout.
The feet are webbed with only four claws. The body and shell
is brownish-black, the underside a bit lighter. They lay
their eggs at the end of the year, from November to January,
during which time the females will travel up the rivers
to lay their eggs in undisturbed sandbanks or beaches. Females
can lay 2-3 clutches of approximately 20 eggs. The eggs
have an incubation period of about two months.
Radda Larpnun, Communications Manager
WWF Thailand
