Rare turtle found in Thailand

Thai villagers have caught a river terrapin turtle that was thought to be extinct in the country, a leading conservation group said Wednesday.

The female turtle - known for its egg-shaped shell and upturned snout - was found Jan. 3 in a mangrove canal in Phang Nga province on the country's Andaman Coast, said the World Wide Fund for Nature, Thailand. It was the first time the species was found in Thailand in two decades, the WWF said.

"The discovery of a species that was believed to be extinct in Thailand is considered to be a very important event, and it shows that the natural habitat in which it was found is still rich and should be conserved," said WWF official Songpol Tippayawong.

photo credit: Asian Turtle Conservation Network