The state animal resources development (ARD) department has formed a team of experts to probe the cause of deaths of the black softshell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans) at Baneswar in Cooch Behar district.

The turtles, deemed critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are found in Shibdighi, a pond next to a prominent Shiva temple in Baneswar.

On September 22, the director of animal husbandry and veterinary services of the state issued an order, stating that a three-member team would visit Shibdighi in Baneswar to find out the cause of the deaths of turtles and make suitable recommendations to prevent such deaths in the future.

The three-member team, sources said, comprises Pralay Mandal, the assistant director (veterinary) of the department, and Arunava Saha and Abhiroop Majumder, both veterinary officers posted in Cooch Behar-I & II blocks.

“The ARD department has made the move in response to a communication made by the district magistrate of Cooch Behar. Earlier this month, the DM had mentioned that despite efforts by the Cooch Behar Debottor Trust Board, the turtles are dying in Shibdighi,” said a source.

In the letter, the district magistrate had stated that although measures such as pond maintenance and water supply had been undertaken, incidents of turtle deaths had caused growing concern in the area, especially as the exact cause of the deaths remains unknown.

The turtles, also referred to as “Mohon” by locals, are considered sacred by them.

“Since January this year, 42 “Mohons” have died till now. It is good that the administration and the state government have taken initiatives to form a team of experts to find out the cause of the deaths,” said Parimal Barman, the president of Baneswar Mohon Raksha Committee, a local organisation that works for the conservation of the turtles.

He, however, could not determine the present population of turtles in Shibdighi.

“The probe is important not just for turtle conservation, but also for maintaining the ecological balance in the aquatic environment. It will begin shortly,” said an official of the animal husbandry department.