UP Forest Department Releases Turtles Into Chambal River In Etawah: WATCH

It is in the Chambal river landscape, marked by gullies and ravines that some critically endangered species like the Batagur kachuga is found. 

UP forest department releases turtles into Chambal river

Source : @ANINewsUP/Twitter

Uttar Pradesh's Chambal landscape is an important habitat for freshwater turtles. These turtles use the sandy riverbank for nesting but illegal sand mining in the region has caused their numbers to decrease. However, the 'Turtle Survival Alliance India' in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh forest department on Saturday released turtles in the Chambal river in Etawah to control their dwindling population.

According to the Regional Forest Officer 50 turtles were released in the river and the number will increase when they release more turtles in July.

"50 turtles have been released in Chambal River under the project ‘Turtle Survival Alliance’. More turtles will be released at the end of July", said Hari Kishore Shukla, Regional Forest Officer, as reported by news agency ANI.

Etawah, UP | 50 turtles have been released in Chambal River under the project ‘Turtle Survival Alliance’. More turtles will be released at the end of July: Hari Kishore Shukla, Regional Forest Officer pic.twitter.com/zlRVG0XtWH

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 4, 2023

According to Mongabay, a conservation news web portal, the Chambal river landscape is semi arid. It is in this region, marked by gullies and ravines, and spanning three of India’s largest states, that some critically endangered species like the Batagur kachuga is found. 

The large freshwater turtles of the Batagur genus are also found in the 425 km-long Chambal river which flows along the National Chambal Sanctuary that was set up in 1979, according to the portal.

Turtle Survival Alliance India started its work of turtle protection around 2006 after the global conservation organisation identified 10 species of freshwater turtles that needed immediate attention. Of this, three endangered species were present in Chambal.

According to the conservation news web portal, TSA has introduced a spatial monitoring and reporting application for turtle monitoring and conservation. The app will help forest department officials and TSA staff to evaluate critical turtle habitats and nesting sites