Cousin? Freak? Or Almost Extinct!

Nah, just the Batagur Baska, the Northern River terrapin, one handsome (and most unusual) species of riverine turtle! The River Terrapins (Batagur) once plied the great rivers and estuaries of southern Asia from the Indian Subcontinent to the islands of Indonesia.

Most Batagur now owe their survival and recovery to intensive conservation and management programs. Multiple organizations have come together in partnership to recover these species, and fortunately Batagur respond well to nest protection, hatching and head-starting.

Unfortunately, it is also one of the most critically endangered turtle species according to a recent assessment by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).