FWD: River terrapin population in Perak facing extinction

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This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/6/20/nation/11267111 & sec=nation

 

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Monday June 20, 2005

River terrapin population in Perak facing extinction

 

 

IPOH: River terrapins, once found in huge numbers in Sungai Perak, are facing

extinction following a sharp decline in the number of females of the species.

 

Only 25 terrapins landed at the river’s sandy bank to lay eggs during the

recent season which ended in February.

 

The terrapins, which make their way upstream, each lay 20 to 40 eggs per

season.

 

Perak Tengah Wildlife chief Mohd Nazri Idrus said the decline started in 2002.

Then, 68 terrapins came ashore compared with 181 the previous year.

 

“The sudden drop of terrapin landings in 2002 was due to the El-Nino effect.

Since then the number of terrapin landings has continued to plunge by more than

50% each season,” he said.

 

“We are a bit worried that the reptiles are in danger of extinction.

 

Mohd Nazri, who is also the caretaker of the River Terrapin Conservation and

Breeding Centre in Bota Kanan, about 60km from here, blamed pollution for the

dwindling terrapin numbers.

 

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