Wed May 21 10:29:04 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the information from the provided text:
**Kerala Community Celebrates Success in Protecting Critically Endangered Turtle**
**Kasaragod, Kerala – May 21, 2025** – A dedicated ecologist and the local community in Kasaragod, Kerala, are being lauded for their successful efforts in protecting the critically endangered Asian giant softshell turtle, also known locally as Bhimanama. The efforts have been captured in the documentary “Saving the Bhimanama: Ayushi Jain and a Giant Turtle,” which recently received the prestigious “Best Documentary (Jury)” award at the 15th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2025.
The documentary highlights the work of Ayushi Jain, a Zoological Society of London–National Geographic EDGE fellow, who arrived in Kasaragod six years ago to study the elusive turtle. Facing a lack of data and the secretive nature of the species, Jain gained the trust of local fishermen, traditionally impacted by the turtles in their nets. She educated them about the turtle’s importance and trained them to release captured individuals. In turn, the community shared valuable knowledge of nesting sites, enabling their protection.
“This documentary is part of the Science in Action series, which talks about the scientists and their work through which we know more about the species. Ayushi’s story stands out not just because of the turtle but also because of the community’s involvement,” said Samreen Farooqui, who produced the documentary for Roundglass Sustain.
The Asian giant softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, is threatened by habitat loss due to illegal dams, check dams, and extensive sand mining. The documentary showcases the collaborative effort to safeguard the species, culminating in a recent event where newly hatched turtles were released into the Chandragiri River, with the community and forest department officials participating.
According to Ayushi, “There are continued efforts in Kasaragod to protect the nests and release the hatchlings into the Chandragiri River, with community and the forest department playing a central role in this initiative.”
The documentary, produced by Roundglass Sustain, aims to raise awareness and support conservation efforts for India’s often-overlooked wildlife. Ayushi continues her research as part of her PhD, focusing on sustainable dam management to prevent nest inundation in Kasaragod. The documentary can be viewed on Roundglass Sustain’s YouTube channel.
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