UDAIPUR, May 21(TIWN) : Getting a seemingly suitable habitat in the artificial hatcheries on the east bank, the rare N-Nigricans turtles, found in the Kalyan Sagar of Tripureswari Temple of Udaipur , one of the 51 pithas and probably the main tourist destination of Tripura, Turtles started behaving as if they have found their natural habitat once again after the embankments were bulldozed partially. In the early morning of 4th May one N-Nigricans turtle laid five eggs near the Shib Temple located at around 150 metres away from Kalyan Sagar.

This is first time after 2009 that such rare species turtle termed as 'Bostami species turtle ' laid eggs in the Matabari. This was also be the first significant development since the temple authorities started to destroy the cemented embankments of Kalyan Sagar under tremendous pressure from the environmentalists. Though the temple authorities said that such initiative was taken in the interests of saving this rare Bostami species turtles but when asked why the decision to build the cemented embankments was taken in 1998, the official(unwilling to reveal his name) told TIWN , " Little learning is a dangerous thing."

   Though delayed a bit, the decision to break the cemented embankment of Kalyan Sagar has already been proved a blessing for the turtles, a great attraction for the tourist. The turtles are now learnt to be going to the hatcheries quite often, said an official. And very recently another species of turtle namely ' Lissemys punctata or flap shelled turtle (shown in the picture) other than the most endangered 'Black Soft shelled turtle and pungshura' was found one night after the N-Nigricans turtle laid five eggs. Now the hatcheries are being closely monitored under the District Forest Officer, Gomati Arun Kumar(IFS). On Tuesday night DFO Arun Kumar told TIWN , " Those five eggs were buried in the hatchery at a depth of 30cm. Daily I myself  monitoring the hatchery through two camera traps. The staffs of District Forest Office, Gomati are guarding the hatchery 24×7." Arun Kumar said that on 18th May at around midnight 00.10 hours one turtle came out of hatchery while a few dogs tried to catch the turtle ; but the guards of DFO Office chased the dogs away and saved the turtle. He said, " On 23^rd April when I visited the hatchery , I could see the marks of turtle on the newly built hatchery and immediately I contacted Turtle Specialist Smt Rupali Ghosh from Turtle conservancy and we hope the turtle had laid eggs."

Being enthusiastic and optimistic, Arun Kumar prepared a tentative immediate plan and duly submitted to the Gomati District Administration for providing necessary fund . The plan, as said by DFO Arun Kumar(IFS), includes fencing the old hatchery with bamboo, fencing with chain link mesh of the already prepared hatchery, feeding the turtles in the hatchery with meat/dry fish so that the hatchery will be introduced to the turtles and finishing the ramp work in the big hatchery, which is yet to be completed. Arun Kumar told TIWN correspondent, " I am waiting for the funds from the Gomati District Administration(DM Gomati being the Sevait of the Tripureswari Temple by virtue of his post). Once the fund comes , the new hatchery and the old ones will well be prepared and can be easily used by the turtles."

   In this connection TIWN correspondent had a telephonic chat with Environmentalist cum Turtle Specialist Rupali Ghosh(now in Gujarat) , who said, " It is really a good sign that the Forest Department, especially DFO Arun Kumar has been closely monitoring the hatchery on daily basis to protect these N-Nigrican turtles and the eggs to keep the species alive. Aa far as I am concerned at least something is going on concrete direction." But she expressed that the Gomati District administration must not waste any time to release the required funds as suggested by the DFO Arun Kumar to protect these turtles.

 It is to be mentioned that it was Rupali Ghosh , who submitted a report to the Forest Department, Govt of Tripura in Nevember 2013 , asking the Department to destroy the cemented embankment of the Kalyan Sagar so that these rare species Bostami turtles can be saved from extinction. However, the people and tourists who come to Matabari , feel surprised about the seemingly careless attitude shown by the Tourism Department in this regard. They hope that Tourism Minister Ratan Bhowmik, being an elected representative from Udaipur,must take the necessary intiative so that adequate funds are released immediately. There is no denying of the fact that the rare N-Nigricans turtles found in the Kalyan Sagar are equally as attractive to the tourists and devotees as the Tripureswari Temple.

Earlier News on Matabari Bostami Turtles:

www.tripurainfoway.com/news-details/TN/5971/a-rare-mystery-of-nature-matabari-n-nigrican-turtle-laid-five-eggs-after-cement-embankments-bulldozed.html

www.tripurainfoway.com/column-details/18/bulldoze-the-embankments-at-matabari-pond-to-save-the-turtles.html

www.tripurainfoway.com/news-details/TN/4384/embarkments-demolition-in-matabari-to-save-rare-n-nigricans-turtles.html

After Matabari embankments were built, many of these rare Bostami Turtles died and stopped breeding. After bulldozing embankments, its a first time in many years a Bostami Turtle laid 5 eggs on 4th may, 2014. TIWN Photo