The number of critically endangered freshwater turtles, Batagur Baska (Northern river terrapin), is gradually increasing in the rivers of the Sundarbans thanks to various conservation efforts. The forest department has been working to conserve this rare species under the Bangladesh Forest Department’s Turtle Breeding Program in collaboration with the IUCN and Vienna Zoo.

The Batagur Baska is currently one of the three rarest turtle species in the world. The rivers of Bangladesh, Myanmar, and northeast India were home to these animals in the previous century.

However, when the overfishing and egg harvesting went unchecked, this river terrapin came to the verge of extinction. Although the populations of turtles stayed relatively constant as long as they were caught and eaten primarily to assist in meeting the fundamental needs of the local population.

All of that changed when hunting became more industrialized and vast quantities of animals were exported to China for profit.

In 2010, only 20 individuals were reported worldwide.

However, the scenario drastically changed when three Batagur Baska turtles laid a total of 82 eggs on February 15 at the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre under the East Sundarbans Forest Division. Among them, a total of 65 hatchlings were born.

According to the Sundarbans East Forest Division, the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center has successfully bred this species since 2017. In total, 52 turtles have been released into the wild so far. The rest are being raised in a semi-natural environment for future release.

Forest Officer Md. Belayet Hossain stated that, “Batagur Baska turtles, which are listed as critically endangered globally, were once found abundantly in the Sundarbans. However, due to river pollution, poaching, and destruction of nesting sites, their numbers have sharply declined. Conservation efforts have now made it possible to restore their population.”

The Sundarbans Forest Department believes this initiative will help establish a stable and sustainable population of Northern river terrapin in the wild once again.

Jaber Bin Abdul Bari
Department of Oceanography, NSTU

The post Critically endangered Batagur Baska (Northern river Terrapin) making a comeback in the Sundarbans appeared first on Seafood Network BD.

Sea turtles are an essential component of the planet’s food system, helping to regulate and preserve the health of the ocean. Such as, Hawksbill turtles, which are specialized in consuming a few types of marine sponges, live in coral reefs. The absence of hawksbills allows sponges to grow too quickly, suffocating slower-growing corals until they perish. The hawksbill’s importance to the reef is increasing as threats from climate change and other factors make reefs more vulnerable.

Jellyfish populations are managed by leatherback sea turtles, who are experts at devouring them. Jellyfish populations would skyrocket if leatherbacks went extinct. Since jellyfish feed on larval fish, the sea would be devoid of fish if leatherbacks didn’t exist. It’s all about equilibrium once more.

Sea grasses are the main food source for adult green sea turtles, who serve as aquatic lawnmowers to maintain the health of seagrass beds. Many fish species have access to safe nursery sites, food sources, and habitat thanks to seagrass beds, which are found in shallow marine waters. This allows the fish to avoid predators until they grow larger. In addition to storing carbon, robust seagrass beds stabilize the ocean floor, reducing erosion caused by storms and waves.

Outside of the water, sea turtles also have a positive impact. By leaving their eggs in the sand, sea turtles that are nesting benefit coastlines. The nutrient-rich eggshells and unhatched eggs that are left behind support beach grasses and other dune flora that stabilizes dunes and reduces coastal erosion.

Long migrations are undertaken by sea turtles, who also assist in the movement of diatoms, remoras, algae, and other small crustaceans. Additionally, fish that use them as cover from predators utilize them as a kind of canopy. Similar to a reptile aircraft carrier, sea turtles occasionally offer seabirds a place to land when they need to breathe or rest at the surface of the water.

Sea turtles play an important cultural role for many coastal communities around the world. Many indigenous cultures revere them or consider them ancestors. They are also an important source of income for coastal residents through turtle-watching ecotourism.

It involves everything from preserving healthy coral reef ecosystems to moving vital nutrients from the sea to beaches and coastal dunes. The extinction in many parts of the world has resulted in significant changes to the waters. Our oceans are ill and seriously threatened by pollution, overfishing, and climate change. In order to guarantee resilient and healthy oceans in the future, it is imperative that we safeguard sea turtles and restore their populations to healthy levels.

Farhana Islam
Agriculturist, Researcher
Fisheries Resource Management, CVASU

The post How sea turtles are essential for the balanced aquatic ecosystem appeared first on Seafood Network BD.

Turtles are regarded as ecosystem engineers due to their environmental significance. Turtles not only preserve their own living habitat by natural or behavioral engineering, but they also provide a favorable environment for other creatures.

Furthermore, sea turtles are valued as an important component of a healthy ocean.

While they spend the bulk of their life at sea, they have a distinctive nesting habit known as Arribada during the mating season. This word, which means “arrival by sea” in Spanish, refers to a phenomenon in which hundreds of mother turtles return to their nesting beaches to lay eggs.

However, the growing expansion of human activity on nesting beaches, as well as the deterioration of the maritime environment, have increased the threats these turtles confront, jeopardizing their existence and that of the entire marine ecosystem.

The situation is no different in Bangladesh. Olive Ridley turtles, which were formerly common sight on the country’s coastal beaches, are becoming increasingly rare.

The grimness of the situation became apparent in the first two months of 2024.

95 dead Olive Ridley turtles were found strewn across different parts of the beach by researchers from the Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (BORI) between January and February 27.

In various areas of the shoreline, since February 25, ten turtles have been discovered dead. These include two at Bailyakhali Beach and Motherbunia, and one each at Daryanagar Parasailing Point, Royal Tulip Beach, Baradailpara, and Hazampara Teknaf Beach. Two days earlier, on February 23, 24 more dead turtles were found.

But why are so many turtles dying on the coast of Cox’s Bazar?

“The only possibility is that fishing activities drown the turtles in their nets, where they get suffocated and die,” said Dr. Saif Mohammed Al Ghais, General Director, Environment Protection & Development Authority, Government of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Preliminary evaluations also demonstrate that the Olive Ridley turtles died as a result of entrapment in leftover fishing nets, sometimes known as ghost nets. Many turtles with injuries, such as those from ropes, sharp objects, and severed flippers, die at sea owing to their inability to swim.

A mother turtle weighing 30-35 kg typically lays around 110 eggs. During the initial investigation, eggs were discovered in the stomachs of nearly all of the dead turtles. Most of them are thought to get wounded and die while traveling to the shore to lay their eggs.

Over the last 15 years, the dangerous environment has resulted in a considerable fall in the number of mother turtles making their way to the beach, resulting in a decrease in the number of eggs laid.

Tariqul Islam, a senior scientific officer at BORI, noted that the physical qualities of Olive Ridley sea turtles, notably the size of their flippers, usually keep them from becoming caught in the smaller fishing nets commonly employed along the coast.

He believes that larger gill nets, which are commonly employed by fishing trawlers, represent a greater threat to these turtles.

Many trawlers operate closer to the beach, frequently crossing their allocated fishing areas. This approach most likely results in the inadvertent capture of coastal turtles and other marine species in their nets.

Furthermore, fishing trawlers captured turtles since the majority of their fishing gear lacked turtle-excluding devices.

“Despite restrictions requiring these trawlers to operate inside authorized deep-sea zones, many wander closer to the coast, increasing the chance of unintentionally catching marine species, including turtles,” said Tariqul Islam.

Assistant Prof. Najmus Sakib Khan from the Department of Oceanography, Noakhali Science and Technology University, underscored the need for conservative measures to protect the turtles.

“The unplanned tourism industry is disrupting the nesting environment of sea turtles. To save sea turtles, it is necessary to identify their nesting sites and take conservation measures as soon as possible. Establishing a sea turtle research center is essential. There is a need to organize workshops on sea turtle conservation with local people and engage them directly in conservative measures. With these steps we can hope to increase our commitment to conserve these Mysterious Marine Navigators,” he said.

However, experts have expressed concern over the widespread mortality of turtles and have stated that more research is necessary. It is also vitally important to educate fishermen about the proper usage of ropes and fishing nets in the Bay.

Jaber Bin Abdul Bari
Department of Oceanography, NSTU

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