Assam University teacher rescues turtle from fish market, gives it to Cachar Forest Division

Nov. 29: Dr. Sarbani Giri, Head, Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics and Dean, School of Life Sciences, Assam University, Silchar went to the fish market in Silchar as usual to buy fish. She suddenly saw that a man was selling a live turtle in the market. He wanted to cut the turtle into pieces and sell it.

Dr. Sarbani Giri immediately offered to buy it alive for Rs. 4000. Her kind gesture moved the man selling the turtle and he gave it alive to Dr Sarbani who brought it to her home and called up Cachar Forest Division, Silchar to take it to some safe place and release it in its natural and safe habitat.

The Forest department took the turtle from Dr Sarbani Giri and thanked her profoundly for saving the life of this turtle. The Forest Department has also decided to team up with Fisheries Department to create an awareness among the fisherman about turtles so as to protect it from such incidents in the future.

The turtle recovered is an Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum). It belongs to a species of turtle found in South Asia and is listed on the IUCN Red list as vulnerable species.