Endangered turtle saved and released back into the wild

KOTA KINABALU: An endangered Asian giant softshell turtle rescued from a market here has been released into the wild at Danau Girang in the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

A member of the public, Serene Voo Nyuk Wei, saved the 15kg turtle by buying it for RM700 from a tamu (local market) in Donggongon-Penampang in July and giving it to the Wildlife Rescue Unit for conservation.

“I love and respect all living creatures. I knew that buying that animal would encourage the trade, but I could not face up to the fact that this poor turtle was going to end up in someone’s soup,” said Voo, who lives in Kota Kinabalu.

Dr Diana Ramirez, an assistant manager with WRU, said they conducted a full medical check-up on the turtle.

“It had a slight malformation on the carapace but after a few days of observation and receiving vitamin supplements, we decided that it was a good candidate to be released back into the wild,” Dr Ramirez said.

The turtle is listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ Red List and listed on Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. However, it is not listed on Schedule 1 or 2 of the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997.

“Like many other freshwater turtles in the region, the greatest threat to this species of turtle is hunting for trade, followed by habitat destruction due to deforestation, logging, forest fires and conversion of land for agriculture, settlements and transmigration,” Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said.

He said the turtle usually measured between 70 and 100cm, and could weigh up to 100kg.