Scientists Save From Extinction A Rare Species Of Turtles That Laugh All Day Without Stopping

Man is mostly to blame for the planet’s devastation; while we live in this home with hundreds of other species, we have had a terrible influence, which is reflected in the extinction of certain creatures.

While some people don’t appear to care at all about this truth, others go above and beyond to repair the harm we have done.

The good news that many scientists and conservation organizations are celebrating is evidence of this ongoing work. It concerns the survival of a unique species of turtle that, just a few years ago, was in danger of going extinct, but today, thanks to a breeding program, we can declare that they have been preserved.

They are Burmese roof turtles, the world’s happiest reptiles according to records kept by scientists. These aquatic turtles appear to be smiling every day because of their raised lips.

These tiny animals, which dwell in Myanmar’s river systems and grow to a height of 60 cm, are found in southwest Asian countries. American biologists and scientists succeeded in expanding the turtle population to more than 1,000 individuals after 20 years of a magnificent endeavor.

The project was directed by herpetologist Steven G. Platt of the Wildlife Conservation Society. He began it after purchasing one of the tortoises at a Chinese wildlife market and collecting two more in the wild while conducting research.

The species was included to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s list of the 25 most endangered turtles in 2000. (IUCN).

“We almost lost her, really. This turtle would have just gone away if we hadn’t intervened when we did, according to Steven G. Platt, who oversaw the effort to launch the breeding program.

According to biologists, “chronic collection of eggs, subsistence gathering of adults, and the destruction of vital nesting habitat” were to blame for the precipitous decline in turtle populations that put the species in jeopardy.