A rare turtle was rescued on Saturday at Jiakur No.1 village under Kamrup West Forest Division in Kukurmara area in Kamrup district of Assam.
The turtle was discovered by some villagers, who later handed it over to forest personnel.
The turtle is currently in the custody of the Guwahati Wildlife Division.
Guwahati Wildlife Division DFO Jayanta Deka said the turtle was found on Friday by some teenagers who released it in a pond.
Forest officials extensively searched the area, fearing that the turtle could be killed by miscreants. Local villagers were also alerted.
The turtle weighing around 10 kilograms was finally rescued by some villagers on Saturday and handed it over to the personnel of Kukurmara Forest Beat Office, Deka said.
The rescued turtle is an Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum), which is listed by the IUCN as a vulnerable species.
It is mainly found in India and Bangladesh.
