Rare Turtle's Nesting Site Discovered By Conservationists In India

The first breeding site of the "incredibly rare" Cantor's giant softshell turtle was discovered in India.

Secretive Species

A team of conservationists led by the University of Portsmouth discovered the nesting place of the "secretive" species.

The cantor turtle is native to the freshwater of South and Southeast Asia, and conservationists have long been fascinated by and concerned about this species.

To find out where the species are, a team of conservationists resorted to locals who live in and share their ecosystem, which led them to the verdant banks of Kerala's Chandragiri River. By speaking with local people, the team was able to systematically monitor turtle sightings and engage communities in conservation efforts.

This effort resulted in the first record of female nesting and the recovery of eggs from flooded nests. The hatchlings were eventually released into the river.

"For years, the Cantor turtle's existence has barely been a murmur against the backdrop of India's bustling biodiversity, with sightings so scarce that the turtle's very presence seemed like a ghost from the past," said Dr. Francoise Cabada-Blanco, from the university's school of biological sciences.

Habitat loss has caused it to disappear from much of its natural habitat. Locals also gather them heavily for flesh, and fishermen frequently kill them when they get trapped in fishing gear.

The freshwater turtle is currently classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and its population is declining.

Community Help

Following numerous unsuccessful attempts to track them down using traditional ecological survey methods, the study team tried a novel strategy, using local knowledge and prior sightings to determine the exact site of the nest.

The team was able to actively involve the community, sharing stories of past sightings, providing leads on current occurrences, and even assisting in the live release of persons who were mistakenly trapped as bycatch.

"Through household interviews and the establishment of a local alert network, we did not just listen; we learned," said Ayushi Jain, from the Zoological Society of London's Edge of Existence Program.

The community's desire to engage served as the backbone of the study, allowing the team to record not only fleeting glimpses of the turtles but evidence of a reproductive population-a revelation that rewrites the story of a species considered to be vanishing from India's waterways.

Ayushi's team is currently working on establishing a community hatchery and nursery.

According to the study, the findings also highlight the vital importance of local knowledge in conservation science, which is just as important as any satellite tag or camera trap in the fight to understand and safeguard our planet's biodiversity.

The creation of the alert network is a trailblazing strategy in the field, as community involvement leads to real-time insights and quick action, opening the way for a more responsive and inclusive model of wildlife conservation in Kerala.

"Our study is a narrative of rediscovery, of finding hope in the stories told by the river and its people, and of laying the groundwork for a future where this magnificent species can thrive, not just survive," added Dr. Cabada-Blanco.