Wildlife officials in Noakhali rescued 425 endangered turtles, including Indian roofed, flapshell and peacock softshell species. Of them, 325 were alive, later released; 100 were found dead during the raid.
In a late-night raid on Friday, the Forest Department and the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) rescued 425 endangered freshwater turtles from an abandoned house near Loknath Temple at Mondolpara in Begumganj upazila, Noakhali.
Acting on a tip-off, WCCU officers and local informants traced the hidden stockpile. As traffickers attempted to shift the turtles, a joint team led by the WCCU, Coastal Forest Department, divisional officials, and conservation volunteers from the Noakhali Wildlife and Animal Team swooped in, uncovering one of the largest seizures of freshwater turtles in recent years.
Among the rescued were Indian roofed turtles (kori kaitta), Indian flapshell turtles (sundhi kachim), and Indian peacock softshell turtles (dhum kachim) all protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012.
“Of the 425 turtles, 325 were found alive and 100 dead. The surviving turtles will be released into natural habitats under official guidance,” said Wildlife Inspector Ashim Mallik of WCCU.
Officials stressed that these turtle species are vital to aquatic ecosystem balance, contributing to wetland health, fish populations, and biodiversity stability.
Wildlife crime has been rising in Bangladesh, with freshwater turtles increasingly targeted for illegal trade and consumption. The WCCU has pledged to intensify crackdowns on wildlife trafficking networks, warning that such offences threaten both species survival and ecosystem resilience.
