RAHIM YAR KHAN: A Punjab Wildlife Department team on Tuesday rescued two Indian flapshell turtles (Lissemys punctata) from a well near Chowk Bahadurpur.

Wildlife Assistant Director Sultan Anjum told Dawn on Tuesday that the wildlife department watchers Shahid Iqbal, Zaman Ajmal and Inspector Ghulam Mustafa rescued the turtles after hectic efforts from a deep well and released them in their natural freshwater habitat in Adam Sahaba Distributry Canal near Katcha Sadiqabad Road.

According to Mr Anjum, Indian flapshell turtles have been declared a vulnerable species as per International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list.

He says it is a freshwater turtle species, and besides India it is also found in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar.

These are usually found in stagnant water of rivers, streams, marshes, ponds and lakes.

The size of a grown up male turtle is up to nine inches, while that of female is up to 14 inches.

These are omnivores and feeding on snails, insects and fragments of dead animals.

They disperse seeds, recycle nutrients and dig burrows to create new habitat for other organisms.

He said the species has a major threat from humans as these turtles are smuggled and killed because of the misconception that their meat has aphrodisiac and medicinal properties.

These turtles are also killed for their leather.

The female flapshell turtles lay eggs twice or thrice a year and bury them in sand for hatching, Mr Anjum added.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2024