Tripura: Bostami Turtle Conservation Drive Launched at Kalyan Sagar Lake, Udaipur

Agartala, June 16, 2025: A high-level team from the Turtle Survival Alliance Foundation accompanied by Gomati District Magistrate Tarit Kanti Chakma visited the turtle hatching site at Kalyan Sagar Lake on Sunday to assess the status of hatchlings and kickstart a long-term conservation initiative for the endangered Bostami turtles.

The visit marks the formal launch of a yearlong scientific study that aims to monitor the critically endangered species and support the Tripura government in formulating effective preservation strategies. The survey is being undertaken in collaboration with the district forest department and local administration.

Kalyan Sagar Lake, situated beside the historic Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, around 55 km from Agartala is a unique freshwater ecosystem. The temple itself, one of the revered 51 Shaktipeethas in Hinduism sits atop a turtle-shaped hillock enhancing both its spiritual and ecological significance.

The lake is home to the Bostami turtles (locally known as Mohini turtles), a species once declared extinct in the wild by the IUCN. Their rare presence in this sacred water body has drawn both religious pilgrims and conservationists in recent years.

“This joint inspection was conducted with officials from the Turtle Survival Alliance, the District Forest Officer, and the Chairperson of Matabari Panchayat Samiti. We are working to ensure the safe growth of hatchlings, and the study will generate actionable insights for long-term conservation,” informed District Magistrate Chakma.

The initiative highlights growing awareness of Kalyan Sagar’s ecological importance and represents a coordinated step toward protecting one of India’s most threatened turtle species.