14 turtles die in dried-up pond in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, May 31 (IANS) Gujarat Forest Department officials found 14 turtles dead in a dried up pond in the desert district of Kutch, officials said on Friday.Forest officials said that they rushed to the pond in Gagodar village in Rapar taluka (tehsil) on Thursday evening and rescued 15 other turtles, while recovering the 14 carcasses.Officials said the turtles must have perished after the pond had dried up due to extreme heat conditions with temperatures hovering around 45 degrees Celsius. This was the first time that this pond had dried up because the authorities did not pump water in it.The rescued turtles were shifted to another pond in Thanisara village, which had sufficient water. Water from the Narmada dam was recently pumped into this pond.
--IANS desai/vd