A 39-kg Indian black softshell turtle, lying injured beside Kachrali lake at Panchpakhadi in Thane, was rescued by the regional disaster management cell (RDMC) on Monday. The turtle, a rare species usually found in Assam, suffered minor injuries to its legs and is being treated at a pet hospital.
An RDMC official said this was the first time a turtle was spotted at Kachrali lake.
“The injured turtle was spotted by a resident, who alerted us at 9.30am. It was lying injured on the lakeside. We rescued it and took it to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) hospital in Thane,” said the official.
Dr Suhas Rane, a veterinarian from SPCA, said the turtle is around 40 years old and its lifespan is around 100 years.
Dr Preeti Sathe, another veterinarian from SPCA, said, “It’s a black softshell turtle, a rare species normally found in Assam. The turtle will be under observation for two days and will be handed over to the Thane forest team once it recovers.”
