On my visit to Agartala in the last week of September, 2019, as a member of the jury of the photography competition organized by Pict-O-Real Club, I had a horrific experience. On 28th night, Souvick Mukherjee, one of the members of the club, informed me that in Maharaj Ganj market, one the biggest fish markets in Agartala, different types of turtles were being sold for meat, including species like Indian Softshell turtle and Black Soft-shell Turtle.
To check out the … Read More
The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the only existing species of the family Dermochelyidae. They are the largest of living sea turtles, growing up to 2 metres and weighing as much as 900 kg. Guided by the earth’s geomagnetic field to navigate, leatherback turtles can migrate more than 10,000 kilometres across oceans from breeding to feeding grounds. Unlike other marine turtles, leatherbacks can regulate their body temperature by a combination of their large size, insulation, and a blood … Read More
Forest officials along with Mr. Santosh Martin, Honorary Wildlife Warden of Bellary, raided and arrested several people in the notorious wildlife trading markets of Bengali camp number 2 in Sindh Anur taluk of Raichur district, who were poaching and selling hundreds of turtles and terrapins.
Martin informed Karnataka PCCF (Wildlife) Mr. Deepak Sarmah along with photographs of the thriving wildlife market and the PCCF initiated immediate action. Ms. Radha Devi, CCF Gulbarga and Mr Chakrapani, DFO Raichur sent forest officials … Read More
Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest marine turtles. They hatch in millions on certain sections of Orissa’s coasts. But due to several threats (all man-made), very few of those that hatch make it to the sea — a distance of less than a 100 metres. And even those that make it to the sea get caught in fishermen’s dragnets further lessening the number that grow into adults to come back and lay eggs.
Some NGOs are working hard to protect … Read More
Orissa has imposed a 7-month fishing ban within 20 kms of the coastline in three districts where there are olive ridley turtle nesting sites. Turtles have started congregating for their annual mating and mass nesting ritual. The ban has been imposed near the beaches of Gahirmatha, Rushikulya and Devi. Patrolling will be intensified to enforce the ban strictly. Last year, there were two nesting events and a record 7.2 lakh turtles had nested on the beaches. However, despite many conservation … Read More
A study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified 11 most endangered turtle species and has said that the five of the danger zones are in the exclusive economic zones of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Poaching and killing of wildlife is rampant on Indian shores. The Olive Ridley and the Hawksbill turtles nest on Indian shores and they face their most danger from becoming bycatches in fisheries as well as direct harvest of turtles and … Read More
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops have intercepted around 120 kg of dried turtles being smuggled from India into Bangladesh. This is the largest haul in the region. A kilogram of dried turtle can fetch around $140 in the international market. Dried turtles are used for soups and in oriental medicine. The region has seen an increase in smuggling of live as well as dried turtles. Bangladesh is said to be turning into a transit point for wild animal trade into … Read More
A Leatherback Turtle — the biggest, most endangered and the deepest swimmer among seven turtle species known worldwide — clocked more than 2,000km in 145 days. The turtle (tagged 103335) began her journey from the Little Andaman islands on the rim of the Indian Ocean in January and, on Saturday, was spotted near the Indonesian coast.
In 2008, a team from Bangalore’s Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore initiated a long-term monitoring programme … Read More
Turtle populations all over India have declined significantly in the last few decades. A variety of human activities are direct and indirect factors attributed to the decline. Six out of twelve species found in the Ganga are deemed endangered and categorised so Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Yet the population of turtles has plunged drastically primarily due to over exploitation, activities along the rivers, waste disposal and habitat loss. Poaching and smuggling of turtles are another … Read More
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