Freshwater turtles are crucial for keeping the water ecosystems healthy as they clean the rivers and ponds by consuming dead matter and algae. The charismatic species also control invasive fish varieties and often serve as a source of protein for other animals in the water body.
There are 29 species of freshwater turtles in India, out of which 17 species are threatened due to the high demand in the international market, illegal trafficking, trading and loss of habitat, says Shailendra Singh, a wildlife conservationist.
“Many of these species are moving towards the brink of extinction and pose a threat to the environmental balance,” he tells The Better India. “The species in great danger are Batagur baska, Batagur kachuga, Nilssonia nigricans, Chitra indica, Pangshura sylhetensis and Manouria emys pharie,” he adds.
However, in a fight to prevent the same, Shailendra has dedicated his life and spent the last 13 years successfully bringing seven species back from the brink of extinction.
'I Left a Govt Job & Argued With my Family, All to Save 7 Turtle Species From Extinction
There are 29 species of freshwater turtles in India, out of which 17 species are threatened due to the high demand in the international market, illegal trafficking, trading and loss of habitat, says Shailendra Singh, a wildlife conservationist.
“Many of these species are moving towards the brink of extinction and pose a threat to the environmental balance,” he tells The Better India. “The species in great danger are Batagur baska, Batagur kachuga, Nilssonia nigricans, Chitra indica, Pangshura sylhetensis and Manouria emys pharie,” he adds.
However, in a fight to prevent the same, Shailendra has dedicated his life and spent the last 13 years successfully bringing seven species back from the brink of extinction.
'I Left a Govt Job & Argued With my Family, All to Save 7 Turtle Species From Extinction