India's first satellite-tagged Ganges soft-shell turtle released in Kaziranga National Park for conservation.
India's first satellite-tagged Ganges soft-shell turtle, an endangered species, was released in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam. This event coincided with Endangered Species Day. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed it as a major step for wildlife conservation. The Ganges soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) is a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Satellite tagging helps understand movement patterns, home range, and identify critical habitats for nesting and breeding, aiding active management in the Brahmaputra river basin.
Key Points
- India's first satellite-tagged Ganges soft-shell turtle was released in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
- The Ganges soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) is an endangered species, listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and on the IUCN Red List.
- Satellite tagging helps in understanding the turtle's seasonal movement patterns, home range, and critical habitats for breeding.
- The initiative aims to aid active management and conservation efforts in the Brahmaputra river basin.
- Assam is recognized as a top priority area for freshwater turtle conservation, with five of India's eight soft-shell turtle species found in Kaziranga.
Exam Facts
- Species: Ganges soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica).
- Location: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Assam.
- Conservation Status: Endangered (IUCN Red List), Schedule I (Wildlife Protection Act of 1972).
- Project funded by: National Geographic Society.
- Exercise led by: Wildlife Institute of India, under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
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