Endangered pig-nosed turtles in Singapore remain in care amid repatriation delays

Wildlife rescue group ACRES planned to send 30 endangered pig-nosed turtles back to Indonesia in early 2026, but the repatriation had not taken place by May 2026 ^{[1, 2, 3]}. The turtles, rescued over several years starting in 2009 from pet owner surrenders and locations such as Kallang River and East Coast Park, are currently housed at ACRES’ wildlife rescue centre in Jalan Lekar ^{[1, 2, 3]}.

ACRES has been working since the 2010s to repatriate these turtles but lacked an established relationship with Indonesian authorities until 2024. Since then, the group has been liaising with Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) and Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry to facilitate the return ^{[1, 2, 3]}. NParks is assisting in obtaining the necessary permits from Indonesia ^{[1, 2, 3]}.

In December 2025, ACRES sought permits to send blood samples of the turtles to Indonesia for genetic testing. The aim was to verify the turtles’ original locations, which would influence whether the animals are released into the wild or used for captive breeding programs in Indonesia ^{[1, 2, 3]}. However, permit delays have held up both the genetic testing and the planned repatriation ^{[1, 2, 3]}.

Pig-nosed turtles inhabit rivers, streams, and lagoons in Indonesia, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. They are classified as endangered by the IUCN and are protected under CITES. It is illegal to keep them as pets in Singapore ^{[1, 2, 3]}.

ACRES has secured sponsorships to cover most of the repatriation costs and has conducted rehabilitation and enrichment programs to assess the turtles' fitness for survival in the wild ^{[1, 2, 3]}. Mr Kalaivanan Balakrishnan, ACRES CEO, said, “Repatriation efforts have taught me to be patient. I believe it’s just a matter of time before the turtles return.” ^[1]

The next key step is obtaining the permits needed to send the blood samples for genetic testing and finalising arrangements with Indonesian authorities. Once testing is complete and permits are granted, ACRES expects to move forward with releasing or breeding the turtles in Indonesia.