Royal Turtles Grow in Numbers - 5th June 2020

In Southwest Cambodia, 23 Royal turtles have hatched this year. That's more than the previous three years combined. The Royal turtle is also known as the Southern River terrapin and it's Cambodia's national reptile.

The species was poached for its eggs and meat and was thought to be extinct in Cambodia until 2001. That year, a small population was re-discovered along the Sre-Ambel river.

The area is now protected by Royal decree which forbids the hunting of the species. Conservationists have also been working to improve the habitat for the turtles. Illegal activities such as sand dredging have been stopped and the environment for the turtles has improved.

Another critically endangered species, the Cantor's giant soft shell turtle, has also laid many more eggs this year. So far over 824 baby turtles have hatched.