Spotted Pond Turtles

• 09 Jun 2023

Why in News?

Three persons engaged as mahouts (keepers and drivers of an elephant) in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Assam, have been arrested for capturing and consuming spotted pond turtles, a rare species of a freshwater turtle.

• The incident has raised concerns about the illegal consumption of protected species by park employees, leading to investigations and arrests.

What are Spotted Pond Turtles?

• About: Spotted pond turtles( Geoclemys hamiltonii) are named for the yellow or white spots on their black heads, legs and tails. They have large heads and short snouts, and their webbed feet help them swim.
  • They are also known as Black Pond Turtle, Black Spotted Turtle, Hamilton’s Terrapin.
  • They bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature. Their need for warm water and an intense basking area is important.
  • When they retreat into their shells, spotted pond turtles make a soft croak.
• Range and Habitat: They are found in large, deep rivers in India, Assam, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  • In India, the species is distributed across the north, northeast and a few parts of central India
• Diet Requirements: These turtles are primarily carnivorous and eat aquatic invertebrates.
• Sleep Habits: Spotted pond turtles are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at twilight (dusk and dawn).
• Conservation Status:
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) : Endangered
  • CITES : Appendix I

What are the Key Facts about Kaziranga National Park?

• Location: It is in the State of Assam and covers 42,996 Hectare (ha). It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
• Legal Status:
  • It was declared as a National Park in 1974.
  • It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007. It has a total tiger reserve area of 1,030 sq km with a core area of 430 sq. km.
• International Status:
  • It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
  • It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
• Important Species Found:
  • It is the home of the world's most one-horned rhinos. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of one-horned rhinos in the world and second highest number of Rhinos in Assam after Kaziranga National Park.
  • Much of the focus of conservation efforts in Kaziranga are focused on the 'big four' species— Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.
  • Kaziranga is also home to 9 of the 14 species of primates found in the Indian subcontinent.
• Rivers and Highways:
  • The National Highway 37 passes through the park area.
  • The park also has more than 250 seasonal water bodies, besides the Diphlu River running through it.
• Other National Parks in Assam are:
  • Dibru-Saikhowa National Park,
  • Manas National Park,
  • Nameri National Park,
  • Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. Consider the following pairs: (2013)

	National Park	River flowing through the park
1.	Corbett National Park	Ganga
2.	Kaziranga National Park	Manas
3.	Silent Valley National Park	Kaveri

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2 
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) None

Ans: (d)

Q. Consider the following fauna of India: (2013)

1. Gharial
2. Leatherback turtle
3. Swamp deer

Which of the above is/are endangered?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) None

Ans: (c)

Source: TH