Important Facts For Prelims
Peacock Soft-shelled Turtle
- 01 Dec 2020
- 2 min read
Why in News
Recently, Peacock soft-shelled turtle (a turtle of a vulnerable species) has been rescued from a fish market in Assam’s Silchar.
Key Points
- Scientific Name: Nilssonia hurum.
- Features:
- They have a large head, downturned snout with low and oval carapace of dark olive green to nearly black, sometimes with a yellow rim.
- The head and limbs are olive green; the forehead has dark reticulations and large yellow or orange patches or spots, especially behind the eyes and across the snout.
- Males possess relatively longer and thicker tails than females.
- Habitat:
- This species is confined to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
- In india, it is widespread in the northern and central parts of the Indian subcontinent.
- These are found in rivers, streams, lakes and ponds with mud or sand bottoms.
- Major Threats:
- The species is heavily exploited for its meat and calipee (the outer cartilaginous rim of the shell).
- Threats in the River Ganga to the species are those generic for all large river turtles, including reduction of fish stock, as a result of overfishing, pollution, increase in river traffic, and sand-mining, among others.
- Conservation Status:
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
- CITES: Appendix I
