January 8, 2007

Thailand

A rare river terrapin has been found for the first time in 20 years in the Thai province of Phang Nga. The river terrapin was thought to be extinct in Thailand, prior to villagers catching the female turtle on January 3, 2007, in a mangrove canal on the country's Andaman coast.

Turtles are often eaten in this part of Thailand, local conservationists say. This one was lucky to be purchased by a conservation-minded villager who alerted local conservation authorities. The young 20-inch-long (51-centimeter-long) turtle will be raised in captivity and eventually released back into the wild.

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