{"id":29017,"date":"2020-08-21T15:45:05","date_gmt":"2020-08-21T10:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nepalisansar.com\/?p=29017"},"modified":"2020-08-21T15:45:05","modified_gmt":"2020-08-21T10:15:05","slug":"a-rare-golden-turtle-discovered-in-nepal-for-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nepalisansar.com\/world\/a-rare-golden-turtle-discovered-in-nepal-for-first-time\/","title":{"rendered":"A Rare, Golden Turtle Discovered in Nepal For First Time!"},"content":{"rendered":"
Nepal made headlines around the world after a rare, golden turtle<\/strong> has been discovered in the country for the first time.<\/p>\n
The Mithila Wildlife Trust<\/strong> identified it as an Indian flap shell turtle (scientific name: Lissemys punctate).<\/p>\n
According to the Trust, Chandradeep Sada, an animal keeper at Dhanushadham Protected Forest (DPF), rescued the rare golden turtle from Dhanushadham Municipality on April 14, 2018.<\/p>\n
Three reptile experts have documented the find and published a research paper titled \u201cA golden turtle in Nepal: First country record of chromatic leucism in the Spotted Northern Indian Flap shell Turtle, Lissemys punctata andersoni\u201d on August 6, 2020.<\/p>\n
Photo by: Dev Narayan Mandal<\/p><\/div>\n
The experts are:<\/p>\n
\n
Kamal Devkota, Nepal Toxinology Association<\/li>\n
Dev Narayan Mandal, Mithila Wildlife Trust, Nepal<\/li>\n
Hinrich Kaiser, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, ZFMK, Germany<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As per the research paper, the turtle gets its unique color from a rare genetic mutation that alters its pigmentation. The lack of body pigmentation made the turtle appear golden in color, with only the eyes showing a dark pigmentation. This condition is called chromatic leucism.<\/p>\n
This is the fifth time that a golden turtle of the species Lissemys punctata andersoni has been spotted globally, and the first time in Nepal.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
However, the golden turtle was released back into its natural habitat after taking its pictures for proof.<\/p>\n