Assam University professor rescues endangered turtle from fish market

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GUWAHATI:

'A small act of kindness can make a big difference' is a quote exemplified by Sarbani Giri, when she saved an Indian peacock soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) from being sold in a fish market.

Giri is also the head of the Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics and Dean of the School of Life Sciences, Assam University, Silchar.

According to sources in the Cachar Forest Division (in Silchar), Giri had gone to the market to buy fish.

“She noticed a man putting up a turtle (which was alive) for sale in the market. He wanted to cut the turtle into pieces and sell it when she immediately stopped him and offered to buy it for Rs 4,000,” a forest official informed on Monday.

“Her kind gesture moved the man selling the turtle, and he gave the turtle to Dr Sarbani who brought the species to her residence," the official said.

Sarbani Giri

Giri later called up the Cachar Forest Division to release the turtle back into its natural habitat.

The forest department took the turtle from the professor and lauded her for saving the life of an endangered species.

Meanwhile, the state forest department decided to team up with the fisheries department to spread awareness among the fishermen about turtles.

The Indian peacock soft-shell turtle is a species found in South Asia and is listed on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List as a vulnerable species.

(Edited by Ladiangti Rani)

Forest officials with the rescued turtle