National: In a significant stride for river conservation, the critically endangered red-crowned roofed turtle has been reintroduced into the Ganga River system.
This landmark event, spearheaded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Namami Gange Mission, marks the return of the species after a disappearance spanning over three decades.
Twenty of these rare turtles ( Batagur kachuga ) were released into the Haiderpur Wetland Complex on April 26th.
This Ramsar site, strategically chosen for its connection to the Ganga during the monsoon season, serves as the initial reintroduction point for a species that had virtually vanished from the main channel of the sacred river.
The turtles were carefully nurtured at the Garhaita Turtle Conservation Centre, situated within the National Chambal Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh. To ensure their survival and track their adaptation to their new environment, each turtle has been fitted with a sonic tracking device. Furthermore, a dual-release strategy was employed, with turtles released at two distinct locations: one upstream and one downstream of the Haiderpur barrage.
This approach aims to determine which habitat conditions best facilitate their integration into the Ganga ecosystem, forming part of a comprehensive study on ‘soft’ versus ‘hard’ release techniques.
Prior surveys conducted under the TSAFI project had painted a concerning picture, revealing the absence of any viable red-crowned roofed turtle populations along the entire stretch of the Ganga, a stark contrast to sightings reported in the early 1990s.
While more recent field studies in 2020 and 2022 at Haiderpur and Prayagraj indicated a promising diversity of other turtle species, the red-crowned roofed turtle remained conspicuously absent until this reintroduction.
This ambitious conservation endeavor, receiving crucial support from the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, will involve a rigorous two-year monitoring phase. Conservationists are optimistic that this initiative will pave the way for the establishment of a self-sustaining population of these critically endangered turtles, thereby contributing significantly to the long-term ecological revitalization of the Ganga River.
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