A rare Olive Ridley sea turtle, weighing approximately 45 to 50 kilograms, was discovered dead along the banks of the Rupnarayan River in the Manikpur village of West Bengal. Local youths stumbled upon the massive turtle during low tide, prompting a crowd to gather to witness the unusual find.
Wildlife conservationist Chitrok Pramanik, along with members of the Howrah District Joint Environment Forum, arrived at the scene to examine the turtle. They noted that the turtle showed no visible signs of injury, but its cause of death remains unknown. The local forest department later retrieved the body for autopsy.
Pramanik emphasized that Olive Ridley turtles are not typically found in Howrah district, as they usually inhabit deep ocean waters. These turtles are predominantly found in tropical regions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, with preferences for certain coastal areas. Although they typically reside in saltwater, the presence of this turtle in freshwater may have led to physiological stress, potentially causing its demise.
This incident follows a previous discovery in the same area, where a 40-kilogram Olive Ridley turtle was successfully returned to the ocean with the help of the forest department. The exact cause of this turtle's death will be determined after the autopsy.