Rudrapur: The rare sighting of a soft-shell turtle at an altitude of about 2,950 feet (about 900 metres) in Bageshwar district has prompted the state forest department to consider conducting a survey to determine how the reptile reached the area.
According to forest officials, the presence of a soft-shell turtle at this altitude is uncommon, as this species is generally found in plains and riverine ecosystems. The results indicate the potential impact of changing climate and anthropogenic conditions on the species.
Aditya Ratna, forest officer of Bageshwar, said the sighting was unusual as these turtles are usually found at low altitudes.
“Seeing a soft-shell turtle at an altitude of about 900 meters is an uncommon occurrence. Generally, they are found at an altitude of about 600 metres, especially in the landscape within the Ganges basin,” Ratna said.
The turtle was spotted on Thursday by Mohan Chandra Joshi, a resident of Bhanartoli village under Kavaligir tehsil in Bageshwar district, in a monsoon stream locally known as ‘Gadheera’. He was surprised by the presence of reptiles in the area and informed Hem Chand Joshi, a former member of the block development committee in the area.
Joshi informed the forest department, after which Shamsher Singh, a forester present in the area, reached the spot with his team and rescued the turtle.
The turtle was taken to the district forest office where it underwent a medical examination as per standard protocol, forest officials said. After examination, the reptiles were released back into their natural habitat.
The softshell turtle is listed in Part II of Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which provides the highest level of protection to wildlife species in India.
This species usually feeds on fish, carrion and aquatic plants, and is commonly found in the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi river systems, usually at altitudes between 400 and 600 meters above sea level, officials said.
Forest officials said the visibility at an altitude of about 900 meters could also be related to changing weather conditions.
Ratna said the forest department is considering conducting a survey in the surrounding area to determine if there are more of these turtles there.
“We are thinking of conducting a survey and studying whether more of these turtles are present in the area where they were found. If more turtles are spotted, a protection plan will be prepared accordingly,” Ratna said.
