PHNOM PENH, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Twenty nearly-extinct Royal Turtles were freed into their natural habitat in the Sre Ambel River in southwest Preah Sihanouk province in Cambodia on Wednesday, a conservationist group said.
The turtles were released by Cambodia's General Directorate of Fisheries in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other organizations, according to a joint press release.
The Royal Turtle, also known as Southern River Terrapins (Batagur affinis), remains one of the world's most threatened freshwater turtles and is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as Critically Endangered.
In Cambodia, the recovery effort has focused on protecting nests, raising young turtles until they have a better chance of surviving in the wild, monitoring released animals, and protecting the river system from illegal fishing, sand dredging and habitat loss.
"Over the past decade, the program has returned more than 200 turtles to the wild," the press release said.
The Sre Ambel river system is the only place in the Southeast Asian country where the species is still known to survive and breed in the wild.
"The Royal Turtle is one of 58 threatened fisheries species that the General Directorate of Fisheries is actively prioritizing for protection and conservation to ensure their long-term survival in natural habitats," said Ouk Vibol, director of the Fisheries Conservation Department of the General Directorate of Fisheries.
Alistair Mould, country director of WCS Cambodia, said this species remains highly vulnerable, and recovery will only last if nesting beaches and the river system stay protected.
The Royal Turtle was designated as Cambodia's national reptile by a royal decree in 2005. The species was believed to be extinct until 2000, when a small population was rediscovered in the Sre Ambel River. ■
