400 Juvenile River Terrapins Released Into Natural Habitat In Terengganu

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- A total of 400 juvenile river terrapins were released into their natural habitat in Sungai Terengganu, Kuala Berang, near Hulu Terengganu, today to strengthen the conservation of the endangered species and safeguard the country’s biodiversity.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the release programme, organised by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Peninsular Malaysia) (Perhilitan) and launched by him, was part of the government’s ongoing efforts to restore the population of the reptile species in the country.

“River terrapins are among the unique wildlife species that play an important role in maintaining the balance of aquatic ecosystems.

“The threats facing their habitat and the risk of extinction must be taken seriously. Through Perhilitan’s breeding, conservation and release programmes, we aim to restore river terrapin populations along the country’s river basins,” he said in a Facebook post.

Arthur said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) would continue to support community- and science-based conservation programmes to ensure the survival of increasingly threatened wildlife species.

However, he said the success of such conservation efforts did not depend solely on government agencies, but also required the continued cooperation and support of local communities to maintain the cleanliness and safety of river habitats.

-- BERNAMA