580 endangered giant softshell turtles released into Cambodian section of Mekong River

STORY: 580 endangered giant softshell turtles released into Cambodian section of Mekong River DATELINE: May 24, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:24 LOCATION: Phnom Penh CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of rare giant softshell turtle hatchlings in NE Cambodia's Kratie province 2. various of the release ceremony STORYLINE: Some 580 endangered Cantor's giant softshell turtle hatchlings were freed into the wild along the Mekong River in northeast Cambodia's Kratie province on Monday. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia and Cambodia's Fisheries Administration jointly released them in order to mark World Turtle Day, the WCS said. In the 2022 nesting season, the community nest protection team found 63 nests with 2,155 eggs, it said, adding that from March to date, 982 baby turtles hatched from 40 nests, of which 402 hatchlings were released into the wild, while the rest were released today, said Ken Sereyrotha, country program director for WCS Cambodia. The conservation team awaits the fate of the remain