Several of the eggs of the critically endangered Cantor’s giant softshell turtle, which were found in Stung Treng province on March 5. FiA
A nesting site of the Cantor’s giant softshell turtle was discovered on the shores of the Mekong River, between Kratie and Stung Treng provinces.
While the new nesting site is encouraging news for the critically endangered species, conservationists expressed concerns about the continued degradation of the adult turtle population.
Srey Sam Vichet, head of the Fisheries Administration (FiA) Stung Treng provincial cantonment, explained on March 6 that a fisherman spotted signs that eggs had been laid on the night of March 4, and immediately reported his find to river guards, who informed the FiA.
He added that although the report reached them at a late hour, a working team was on site early the next morning, at a beach near Koh Chroem village, in Siem Bok district’s O’Mreas commune.
When the officials carefully dug up the sand on the beach, they unearthed 55 eggs.
The Cantor’s giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. An ambush predator, they can reportedly grow to a length of over one metre, and weigh more than 100kg.
“The fisherman spotted the nesting site because he noticed traces of a mother turtle. This species is on the verge of extinction, but thanks to the work of the FiA and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS Cambodia), they are still present in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces,” Sam Vichet continued.
He explained that the turtles face a serious risk from fishing activities, because they are prone to trying to take the bait from fishing hooks.
“They often swallow fishing hooks, which leads to their capture. Even legal fishing equipment is a threat to them, so I call upon any fisherman who captures one of these rare reptiles to release it back into its natural habitat immediately,” he said.
“Any member of the public who sees signs of a nest, or hatchlings, should report their find to the FiA as soon as possible,” he added.
WCS Cambodia Mekong regional coordinator Gnourn Chanti explained that the 55 eggs that were collected would be incubated and hatched, and that the hatchlings will be released into the Mekong River.
He expressed concerns about a decline in the number of egg-laying adult turtles, believing the decrease is due to illegal fishing and trafficking.
“In 2019, we began to educate the public about the importance of reporting sightings, and were pleased to see widespread cooperation,” he said.
“Between 2021 and 2022, we had found more than 60 nesting sites, but unfortunately this declined to less than 20 in 2023. So far this year, we have identified just six, a worrying trend,” he added.
Chanti explained that the WCS did not track any of the turtles, so it has no specific data regarding the total population, but that an estimate could be made, based on the number of nesting sites that are recorded.
“It is possible that there are as few as 15 egg-laying adults remaining in this stretch of the Mekong,” he said.
He added that between the 2007 rediscovery of the local population and 2023, around 13,000 Cantor’s giant softshell turtle hatchlings had been released into this part of the Mekong. Even without human interaction, very few turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood.
“I call upon the public to join us in the care and protection of this precious species. They should not eat, buy, sell or transport endangered species, especially one as rare as these turtles,” he said.
