By TC News Desk
Agartala, 20th May 2025: The state government has approved funding for a year-long research project to be conducted by the Turtle Survival Alliance Foundation, focusing on the Bostami turtles inhabiting Kalyan Sagar Lake. This lake is located in front of the revered Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, Gomati District.
The Tripura Sundari Temple, situated in southern Udaipur—the former capital of princely Tripura—is one of India’s 51 Hindu Shaktipeethas. About 55 km from Agartala, the state capital, the temple stands atop a hillock shaped like a turtle’s back, adding both spiritual and ecological importance to the site.
The Bostami turtle, once native to this region, is currently classified as “Extinct in the Wild” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, a surviving population remains in Kalyan Sagar Lake, attracting significant interest from conservationists and environmentalists.
Gomati District Magistrate Tarit Kanti Chakma emphasized that the study and conservation of the Bostami turtles are high priorities for the Forest Department and district administration. “The year-long study will focus on accurately assessing the current population of Bostami turtles in Kalyan Sagar. Hatchlings usually appear at the start of the monsoon and are monitored before being released into the lake. However, there is a lack of recent scientific data on their population,” he explained.
Chakma also mentioned that a preliminary visit was conducted to prepare for the fieldwork by the Turtle Survival Alliance Foundation. “The State Government has already sanctioned funds to support this important conservation initiative,” he added.
