Agartala, May 23, 2025: Tripura observed World Turtle Day on Friday with a vibrant series of awareness and conservation programs centered around the endangered Bostami turtles at the sacred Kalyan Sagar Lake near the renowned Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur on Friday.

The main event was held at Mukta Mancha inaugurated by State Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy and state Forest minister Animesh Debbarma alongside senior officials from the Gomati District Administration and Forest Department. The state government also announced a year-long research project to be conducted by the Turtle Survival Alliance Foundation, focused on studying and preserving the unique Bostami turtles (Nilssonia nigricans) of Kalyan Sagar.

On Thursday, ahead of the main event, local college students gathered at the lake under the guidance of DM Gomati Tarit Kanti Chakma, TFS Officer Anurag Chakraborty, and BDO Matabari, reaffirming their commitment to protecting these rare creatures. The students were educated on the ecological distinctions between turtles and tortoises—vital knowledge for effective conservation.

Officials reiterated that Kalyan Sagar is a natural habitat for turtles only, not tortoises, and warned against the public practice of releasing tortoises into the lake. One such incident involved the discovery of an Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), which authorities plan to relocate to Sepahijala Zoo, as tortoises are land-dwellers and unsuited to aquatic habitats.

This year’s theme, “Dancing Turtles Rock!”, emphasized the ecological importance of turtles and tortoises and encouraged public participation in conservation efforts. A key highlight is the launch of a detailed survey by the Forest Department, documenting the population and health of Bostami turtles at Kalyan Sagar and surrounding water bodies.

Declared extinct by the IUCN in 2002, the Bostami turtle resurfaced in temple ponds across Assam and Tripura. Kalyan Sagar, spanning 1.11 hectares, has served as a sanctuary for over 600 years, earning spiritual significance as the “Kurma Peetha”, due to its turtle-shaped land formation.

In 1998, a state-led cementing of the lakebed threatened this habitat, leading to turtle deaths. However, following a 2015 High Court order, restoration measures including removal of embankments and the construction of two hatcheries helped turtle populations recover.

According to the Forest Department, the turtle numbers have significantly increased, and it is hoped the new research and survey will further strengthen Tripura’s conservation blueprint.