Native Indian turtles face threat across Northeast
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Environment
- Published
15th May, 2021
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Context
Herpetologists have warned that the invasive red-eared slider which was released in natural water bodies by people could turn nasty for the 29 native species of turtles and tortoises in India.
About the Red-eared slider
- It is an American turtle that is popular as a pet and known as cute.
- Native: It is native to the U.S. and northern Mexico.
- Scientific nomenclature: Trachemys scripta elegans
- Characteristics: It has red stripes around the part of its ears.
- It can slide quickly off any surface into the water.
- This turtle is popular pet due to its small size, easy maintenance, and relatively low cost.
- They grow fast and leave nothing for the native species to eat.
- Trade: The red-eared slider is traded legally.
- In India: The red-eared slider has already affected States such as Karnataka and Gujarat.
- It is threatening to invade the natural water bodies across the Northeast.
- Between August 2018 and June 2019 red-eared sliders were also found in the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ugratara temple pond both in Guwahati.
- Its presence in Northeast is concerned as Northeast home to more than 72% of the turtle and tortoise species in the country, most of them are rare.
Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary
- Deepor Beel is located about 10 km Southwest of Guwahati, Assam.
- It is considered as one of the large and important riverine wetlands in the Brahmaputra Valley, Assam.
- It is one of the staging sites for migratory birds in India.
- Deepor Beel is also an Important Bird Area (IBA) sites selected by Birdlife International.
- Deepor Beel has also been designated as the Ramsar Site in November 2002.
*Beel means wetland or large aquatic body in Assamese
Ugratara temple pond
- It is home to the black back softshell turtle (Nilsoonia nigricans).
- It is situated in Guwahati, Assam.
- A good number of rare turtles come in the pond of this 295 years old temple for hatchling.
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