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Leap to Freedom – By a peacock soft shell turtle

Leap to Freedom – By a peacock soft shell turtle

Sunith carrys the turtle back to freedom

The rescue and release of a peacock soft shell turtle at Native Place Kamshet

Last weekend we got to Native Place on Friday evening just after sunset. It was too dark for me to make my usual quick round of the garden but Pushkar had something interesting for us to check out in the reflection pond.

It was a peacock soft shell turtle! He had rescued it from a little village boy who had found in a nullah by the lake while fishing. The thought of it lurking sadly in the confines of a little pool was too much to handle and we decided to set it free as soon as possible

The next morning Ravi, Dwane, Sunith and I set out with the tiny creature in a bucket hoping to release it in familiar territory. We set down the bucket by the edge of the lake and as the water drained out the turtle looked a little unhappy and hesitant. He / she took a few backward steps with its finned feet and then it spotted the water of the lake and in an instant Leapt to Freedom.

I was caught unawares by this burst of speed and missed the main picture. The sight however of the freedom leap had created a happy amazed smile on each of our faces and after wishing the speedy turtle well we went back home feeling great!

peacock soft shell turtlefreedom gets closertilt the bucket and save the turtle

Sunith and Dwane conduct the turtle release ceremonyInto the welcoming water of the vadivali lakeThe turtle release ceremony was super sucessful

The Peacock soft shell turtle is listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Near Threatened to Vulnerable in India, its main range state. This Soft-shell Turtles are swift-moving carnivorous reptiles. The species lives in slow-flowing rivers or ponds with sand or mud bottom. Sometimes the turtle lies buried in mud or sand and occasionally emerge to bask in the sun. The tissues in the pharynx help the reptile to extract oxygen for respiration from the water. It is aggressive when captured and is capable of biting viciously.

Author: Astrid Rao

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