Endangered red-crowned roofed turtles return to River Ganga

This transformation is particularly evident in the return of the endangered Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle to the waters of the Ganga. These species had previously seen a continuous decline in their population. This new hope in the Ganga's waters is not only a significant step for these ancient creatures but also for the restoration of the entire ecosystem.

Supported by Namami Gange, the TSAFI project team conducted a detailed assessment of turtle diversity and abundance at the Haiderpur Wetland Complex (HWC) in 2020, followed by a Habitat Evaluation study on the newly formed turtle sanctuary near Prayagraj, along the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, in 2022. A study along the HWC suggested the presence of 9 turtle species, whereas indirect evidence of 5 turtle species was gathered in Prayagraj.

One of the most astounding findings of the above and prior studies was that none of the viable population or individuals of the Red-crowned Roofed turtle (RRT) Batagur kachuga were sighted or reported from the entire Ganga.

The findings suggested that this was the most endangered species of the entire North India, particularly Uttar Pradesh. Rao (1993) has seen a couple of specimens of this species above and below the Bijnore barrage. In the last 30 years there was no confirmed report of any adult from the main channel of Ganga.

On April 26, 2025, 20 turtles were carefully transferred from the Garhaita Turtle Conservation Center located within and under the supervision of the National Chambal Sanctuary, UP, and released into the Haiderpur Wetland. These turtles were tagged with sonic devices to monitor their safety and migration.

For the reintroduction process, the turtles were divided into two groups - one group was released above the barrage of the Haiderpur Wetland, while the other was released downstream in the main channel of the Ganga. This approach aims to determine which method is more effective for reintroducing the turtles.

This initiative marks a historic step in the Ganga's ecosystem. During the monsoon season, the Haiderpur Wetland will be fully connected to the main channel of the Ganga, allowing the turtles to disperse at their own pace. Over the next two years, the tracking and monitoring of these turtles will be conducted. This is the first attempt at reintroducing this species into the Ganga, following a 'soft' versus 'hard' release strategy. The goal is to establish the species' population in the Ganga in a stable manner with active assistance from the UP Forest Department.

This important initiative will not only conserve turtle species but also inspire improvements to the ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh.

The conservation effort for the Ganga has demonstrated that, when all stakeholders work together, even significant challenges can be overcome. The Namami Gange Mission's initiative has become an inspiration not only in making the Ganga cleaner but also in restoring biodiversity and the ecosystem. (ANI)