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First Distribution Records of Pangshura Tentoria, Chitra Indica , And Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 157-159 (2020) (published online on 23 February 2020) First distribution records of Pangshura tentoria, Chitra indica, and Nilssonia gangetica in the major rivers of Chitwan National Park, Nepal Bed Bahadur Khadka1 and Saneer Lamichhane2,* Turtles and tortoise of Asia are least known and (3 in the Rapti, and 3 in the Narayani). Rapti sections most threatened species of vertebrates in the world included Sunachari (E 84.7401530, N 27.5375710) to (Engstrom et al., 2002; Buhlmann et al., 2009). They Sauraha (E 84.4964180 N 27.5735660 (29 km), Sauraha are consumed as a luxury food items, ingredients in to Kasara (E 84.3390900 N 27.5568990 (20.20 km), traditional Chinese medicine, and curio items (Van Dijk and Kasara to the confluence of the Rapti and Narayani et al., 2000; Shah and Tiwari, 2004). The collections of River (84.1587030, 27.5634500) (22.20 km) for a total turtles and their eggs by professional fishermen, tribal of 71.6 km. Similarly, for the Narayani, the sections people, and censorial collectors are putting tremendous were from the Sikhrauli (E 84.3237350, N 27.6905510 pressure to these species (Schleich, 2002). In addition to the Amalatari (E 84.1208330, N 27.5546960 (from to overexploitation, water pollution, flow modification, the eastern stream, 30.40 km), Sikhrauli to the Amalatari destruction and degradation of habitat, and invasion of (from the western stream, 28.20 km), and Amalatari to exotic species has accelerated the population decline of Tribeni (E 83.9351820, N 27.4519630 (42.80 km) for a these fresh water turtles in Nepal (Dudgeon, et al., 2006; total of 101.4 river km (Fig 1). Rhodin, 2005). Surveys were conducted from a small wooden boat. In Nepal, turtles were never a priority group and This type of watercraft is common in these major rivers governmental protections are typically limited to the and therefore, we hypothesize the species’ tolerance to large mammals (Schleich, 2002). The formation of this boat type may be high in comparison to other types protected areas are centred on charismatic or keystone species and the presences of the turtles are incidental (Gogger et al., 2004). Not surprisingly then the status and current distribution of chelonians in Nepal is poorly known (CEPF, 2005; Aryal et al., 2010). The IUCN red list status shows the occurrence of these fresh water turtle species in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, but not Nepal despite their presence in Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nepal. A systematic survey of the major rivers (Rapti and Narayani) of the CNP was conducted from 2010 to 2017 to identify the locations of Pangshura tentoria (IUCN Red List: Least Concerned), Chitra indica (IUCN Red List: Endangered), and Nilssonia gangetica (IUCN Red List: Vulnerable). The study area was divided into 6 sections 1 Assistant Conservation Officer, Chitwan National Park. Figure 1. Distributions of Pangshura tentoria, Chitra indica, 2 Conservation Officer, National Trust for Nature Conservation. and Nilssonia gangetica within Chitwan National Park, * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Nepal. 158 Bed Bahadur Khadka & Saneer Lamichhane Table 1. Observation of number of turtles of each species in each section along with the duration of survey. Nilssonia gangetica Date A Date B Date C Date D Date E Date F 15. Nov 10 1 16. Nov 10 1 17. Nov 10 1 18. Nov 10 2 19. Nov 10 2 20. Nov 10 2 04. Feb 11 1 05. Feb 11 1 06. Feb 11 2 07. Feb 11 3 08. Feb 11 2 09. Feb 11 3 04. Feb 12 1 05. Feb 12 1 06. Feb 12 2 07. Feb 11 1 08. Feb 12 3 09. Feb 12 2 06. Feb 13 0 07. Feb 13 1 08. Feb 13 1 09. Feb 13 2 10. Feb 13 3 11. Feb 13 3 19. Jan 14 1 20. Jan 14 1 21. Jan 14 1 22. Jan 14 1 23. Jan 14 1 24. Jan 14 1 10. Jan 15 1 11. Jan 15 1 12. Jan 15 1 13. Jan 15 0 14. Jan 15 1 15. Jan 15 1 04. Jan 16 1 04. Jan 16 1 05. Jan 16 1 06. Jan 16 1 07. Jan 16 1 08. Jan 16 1 09. Jan 17 1 10. Jan 17 1 11. Jan 17 1 12. Jan 17 1 13. Jan 17 0 14. Jan 17 1 Chitra indica Date A Date B Date C Date D Date E Date F 15. Nov 10 0 16. Nov 10 1 17. Nov 10 1 18. Nov 10 1 19. Nov 10 0 20. Nov 10 1 04. Feb 11 1 05. Feb 11 0 06. Feb 11 0 07. Feb 11 1 08. Feb 11 0 09. Feb 11 1 04. Feb 12 0 05. Feb 12 0 06. Feb 12 1 07. Feb 11 1 08. Feb 12 0 09. Feb 12 1 06. Feb 13 0 07. Feb 13 0 08. Feb 13 1 09. Feb 13 1 10. Feb 13 0 11. Feb 13 1 19. Jan 14 0 20. Jan 14 0 21. Jan 14 0 22. Jan 14 0 23. Jan 14 0 24. Jan 14 0 10. Jan 15 0 11. Jan 15 0 12. Jan 15 0 13. Jan 15 0 14. Jan 15 0 15. Jan 15 0 04. Jan 16 0 04. Jan 16 0 05. Jan 16 0 06. Jan 16 0 07. Jan 16 0 08. Jan 16 0 09. Jan 17 0 10. Jan 17 0 11. Jan 17 0 12. Jan 17 0 13. Jan 17 0 14. Jan 17 0 Pangshura tentoria Date A Date B Date C Date D Date E Date F 15. Nov 10 0 16. Nov 10 0 17. Nov 10 0 18. Nov 10 3 19. Nov 10 3 20. Nov 10 5 04. Feb 11 0 05. Feb 11 0 06. Feb 11 0 07. Feb 11 5 08. Feb 11 4 09. Feb 11 3 04. Feb 12 0 05. Feb 12 0 06. Feb 12 0 07. Feb 11 1 08. Feb 12 5 09. Feb 12 4 06. Feb 13 0 07. Feb 13 0 08. Feb 13 0 09. Feb 13 2 10. Feb 13 3 11. Feb 13 5 19. Jan 14 0 20. Jan 14 0 21. Jan 14 0 22. Jan 14 1 23. Jan 14 1 24. Jan 14 2 10. Jan 15 0 11. Jan 15 0 12. Jan 15 0 13. Jan 15 1 14. Jan 15 2 15. Jan 15 3 04. Jan 16 0 04. Jan 16 3 05. Jan 16 0 06. Jan 16 1 07. Jan 16 1 08. Jan 16 2 09. Jan 17 0 10. Jan 17 0 11. Jan 17 0 12. Jan 17 1 13. Jan 17 1 14. Jan 17 3 Note: Rapti river section : A= Sunachari – Sauraha, B= Sauraha- Kasara, C =Kasara - Rapti/Naryani confluence. Narayani River section: D = Sikhraulighat – Amaltari Ghat via-south channel of Narayani, E= Sikhraulighat - Amaltari Ghat via-north channel of Narayani and F = Amaltari Ghat –Tribeni of watercraft. Two highly experienced staff of CNP correlation to anthropogenic disturbance. Illegal fishing, conducted monitoring sessions and identified species. washing of clothes/dishes, bathing, habitat destruction, OLYMPUS DPSR 10x50 binoculars and Etrex 10 etc., were factors influencing the detection of turtles. GPS were used to identify and mark the location of the This is the first study to describe the distribution species respectively. Monitoring was only conducted of these species within CNP. Therefore, our study during clear periods of the day (Fig. 1). The results for should be useful to researchers and managers who the continuous eight years monitoring effort of these formulate management and conservation strategies. sections showed the highest distribution of turtles in the It is a benchmark for the distributional range of these Sikhrauli to Amaltari section (Table 1). In comparison species and opens a new horizon for formulating and to the other sections, this segment is less disturbed by implementing the action plan to conserve them. We humans. The distribution of the three species showed propose that the river inside the park should be declared First distribution records for three turtle species in Chitwan National Park, Nepal 159 as protected and that human activities within these Kinzig, A.J.S. (2000): Global biodiversity scenarios for the year sections be limited. This kind of monitoring should 2100. 287: 1770 –1774. be replicated in other possible areas to ensure their Schleich, H.H. (2002): Amphibians and reptiles of Nepal: Biology, systematics, field guide, Gantner. distributional range and this document may acts as a Shah, K.B., Tiwari, S. (2004): Herpetofauna of Nepal: A reference for further studies. conservation companion, IUCN Nepal. Shrestha, T.K. (2000): Herpetology of Nepal: A field guide to Acknowledgement. We would like to thanks the Department of amphibians and reptiles of trans-Himalayan region of Asia, National Park and Wildlife Conservation, Chitwan National Park Steven Simpson Books. and National Trust for Nature Conservation. We highly appreciated Van Dijk, P.P., Stuart, B.L., Rhodin, A.G. (2000): Asian turtle the work of the technical staff involved in the monitoring. trade: Proceedings of a workshop on conservation and trade of freshwater turtles and tortoises in Asia--Phnom Penh, Cambodia, References 1–4 December 1999, Lunenburg, Mass.: Chelonian Research Foundation. Anonymous (2019): Available at https://www.chitwannationalpark. Van Dijk, P.P., TFTSG, I. (2010): Status of the World’s Tortoises gov.np/index.php/highlights-1/1-chitwan-national-park. Last and Freshwater Turtles. Conservation International and IUCN accessed on 8 June 2019.
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