一種稀有的紅樹林水龜，已有20年間從未在野外發現，如今在泰國東部被漁民所捕獲。世界自然基金會泰國分部科學家表示，這隻水龜非常幸運沒有被人拿來食用，或賣給野生動物商人。
這隻烏龜是在是在泰國空敦（Klong Tum）上源區被發現的，世界自然基金會現正在該區規劃一項保護計畫，同時持續該會對稀有動物的研究。該會海洋海岸保育成員提帕亞旺（Songpol Tippayawong）指出：「在泰國發現人們認為已絕跡的生物，是一件大事！這代表這個地區的自然棲地仍充滿生命，應該加以保育。」
紅樹林水龜是亞洲體型最大的淡水龜之一，其特徵是朝上翹起的嘴部與僅有四爪的足部──其他烏龜的腳掌有五爪。牠們依賴紅樹林等岸邊植物的豆莢與蝦蟹為食，分佈範圍包括綿延自孟加拉、緬甸、泰國、馬來西亞的亞達曼海岸河口區與溪流，印尼蘇門達臘、以及南中國海在泰國、柬埔寨與越南的海岸邊也都有分布。
A rare mangrove terrapin, a species of turtle that has not been seen in the wild in Thailand for over 20 years, has been caught by a fisherman in the western part of the country. "She is probably very lucky that she wasn't eaten or sold to a wildlife trader," said a scientist with WWF Thailand.
WWF Thailand now plans to develop a project that will protect the headwaters of the Klong Tum, where the terrapin was discovered, as well as continue efforts to research the rare species.
"The discovery of a species that was believed to be extinct in Thailand is considered to be a very important event," said Songpol Tippayawong, head of WWF Thailand's Marine and Coastal Resources Unit. "It shows that the natural habitat, in which it was found, is still rich and should be conserved."
Mangrove terrapins represent one of Asia's largest species of freshwater turtles. They are distinguished by an upturned snout and feet with only four claws, while other turtles have five.
Feeding on the seed pods of mangrove and other coastal trees as well as shrimp and crabs, mangrove terrapins live in creeks and estuaries on the Andaman coast, from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia to as far as Sumatra in Indonesia, as well as in the South China Sea in the Gulf of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
