Rare Peacock Softshell Turtle Rescued in Rajabari, Bokakhat
17 March 17 – 2026 :
A rare Peacock Softshell Turtle was rescued today from the fish-rearing pond of Apurba Borthakur in Rajabari, Bokakhat Co District. The turtle got trapped in a fishing net placed in the pond. After the discovery, the information was quickly conveyed to the nearby forest camp at Moriahola. Under the leadership of forester Rohan Gogoi, a rescue team from the Bokakhat Forest Range Office of Assam Wildlife Division successfully retrieved the turtle.
Later, the turtle was released into the waterbody of Agoratoli Range in Kaziranga National Park. It is noteworthy that the Peacock Softshell Turtle, scientifically known as Nilssonia hurum, is a critically endangered species listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972, making its conservation highly important.
In Assam, these turtles are mainly found in the Brahmaputra River and the deep wetlands and riverine stretches of Kaziranga National Park. They cannot survive in confined pond water, which is why the rescued turtle from Rajabari was released into the expansive waterbody of Kaziranga today.
