A rare soft-shell turtle thought to be on the brink of extinction has been discovered in Cambodia in a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, conservationists said Wednesday.
A 24-pound female Cantor's giant turtle -- known for its rubbery skin and jaws powerful enough to crush bone -- was captured and released by researchers in March, U.S.-based Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund said in a statement.
Scientists from the two groups and Cambodian wildlife officials discovered the animal and a nesting ground during a survey in Cambodia's Mekong River region.
"We thought it might be almost gone, but found it in abundance in this one pristine stretch of the Mekong, making the area the world's most important site for saving this particular species," David Emmett, a CI wildlife biologist, said in the statement.
A 24-pound female Cantor's giant turtle -- known for its rubbery skin and jaws powerful enough to crush bone -- was captured and released by researchers in March, U.S.-based Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund said in a statement.
Scientists from the two groups and Cambodian wildlife officials discovered the animal and a nesting ground during a survey in Cambodia's Mekong River region.
"We thought it might be almost gone, but found it in abundance in this one pristine stretch of the Mekong, making the area the world's most important site for saving this particular species," David Emmett, a CI wildlife biologist, said in the statement.
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