FRESHWATER AND OF KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK AND THEIR CONSERVATION

Rajeev Basumatary, D.R. College, Golaghat

& Rabindra Sarma, WLRO, Kaziranga National Park.

Twenty nine of tortoises and freshwater turtles occur in and the Northeastern India has the largest species diversity with 21 species. Nevertheless, most of these records are from Brahmaputra plain and adjoining areas in lower eastern Himalayas. Recently, the Brahmaputra drainage has been identified as world’s highest priority freshwater conservation area (Buhlmann et al., 2009) and in this region the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) is the largest remaining natural of Brahmaputra drainage, known to harbor 17 species of Northeastern regional freshwater turtle and diversity (Ahmed & Das, 2009; Basumatary & Sharma, 2013).

The chelonian species recorded so far from KNP are hurum, N. gangeticus, N. nigricans, indica, punctata, sylhetensis, P. tecta, P. tentoria, P. smithii, Geoclemys hamiltonii, Hardella thurjii, Cuora amboinensis, tricarinata, gemeli, petersi, Cuora mouhotii and phayrei (Ahmed & Das, 2009; Basumatary & Sharma, 2013).

Among them three species, Morenia petersi was reported from the park without any locality record and Manouria emys was recorded from nearby Karbi-anglong Hills by Choudhury (1996, 2004) and Cuora mouhotii record by Ahmed and Das (2009) was based on two shells from Borjuri village, which were reportedly collected from Panbari RF area of Kaziranga. The rest species are reported from the floodplain part of KNP in various including (see Table.2). The Brahmaputra River, Jiya Difolu River and Wetlands are the most important reservoirs of turtles. However chelonians are threatened by human exploitations in Brahmaputra, Mora Difolu and Reserved Forest patches at Karbi-anglong foot hills. The Brahmaputra river and its sandy deposition (Sixth addition) shelters most numbers of turtle species of KNP (n=11) and provide nesting habitat. Two slow flowing rivers, Mora and Jiya Difolu of the park, which is only 0.69% of the total area, is a critical habitat for chelonians in KNP, where 8 numbers of species (N. nigricans, L. punctata, P.

86 Tiger Conservation Plan- Kaziranga Tiger reserve (Core Area) sylhetensis, P. tentoria, P. tecta, P. smithii, G. hamiltonii and H. thurjii) are recorded. The endangered P. sylhetensis is found to prefer this habitat than other habitat types. Nine species of turtles are found in various lakes and marshes. The nearby Reserve Forests in the Karbi Anglong foot hills is also an important turtle and tortoise habitat; the Endangered Cuora mouhotii, the only tortoise species from park Manouria emys phayrei and recently described species of leaf turtle Cyclemys gemeli are reported from this habitat (Basumatary & Sharma, 2013).

Most of the chelonians recorded from Kaziranga NP are included in the threatened category in IUCN Red list, 2012. Among recorded C. indica, P. sylhetensis, C. mouhotii and M. emys are ‘Endangered’ and N. nigricans is in ‘Extinct in Wild’ category. However, presence of wild populations of N. nigricans has been reported by Ahmed and Das (2009) from Kaziranga National Park. In the context of Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, 7 species are in Schedule I and 4 in Schedule IV category. Moreover, 14 species are listed in CITES (2011) Appendix I and II (see Table.3). Recently, C. indica and N. nigricans have been included in World’s Most Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles With High Risk Of Extinction list (Rhodin et al., 2011).

Thus the Kaziranga National Park is a very critical habitat for freshwater turtle and tortoise conservation, which harbours some very rare and most endangered chelonians of in particular and India in general. For instance, the wild population of ‘Extinct in wild’ N. nigricans () was reported from the park, majority population of ‘Endangered’ P. sylhetensis () is found in Kaziranga and also harbours other most endangered chelonians like M. emy phayrei (Asian Brown Tortoise), C. mouhotii (Keeled ) and C. indica (Narrow headed softshell turtle). The turtles are well preserved in the mainland Kaziranga but it is highly exploited in Brahmaputra River (Sixth addition area) especially in Bishwanath Ghat where turtles are caught as fishery bycatch and exposed to the poachers. Turtles caught from Brahmaputra and Difolu (Mora) are sold in various markets in Bokakhat and Bishwanath Ghat (Praschag & Gemel, 2002; Ahmed and Das, 2009; Frazier and Das, 1994). Moreover the forest patches in Karbi-anglong foothills also need special attention and have to be freed from anthropogenic disturbances. Ahmed and Das (2009) reported that annual grassland burning practice also tends to upset the Kaziranga turtle population, especially the grassland dwellers.

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Threats to Kaziranga Chelonians- 1. Fishery Bycatch due to extensive fishing in Brahmaputra as well as Bishwanath Ghat in particular and Mora Difolu river. 2. Habitat degradation due to mining and in Karbi-anglong foothill and siltation in wetlands. 3. Management Grassland burning. 4. Collection of logs from rivers (e.g. Brahmaputra), that provide basking habitat. 5. Egg collection, as reported in some chars.

Management implications- 1. Extensive conservation measures are needed in Karbi-anglong foothill forests along with strict vigil and regulation in firewood collection and mining. 2. Immediate Regulation of fishing activities in sixth addition area (including Bishwanath Ghat) and Mora Difolu river is required. In Bishwanath Ghat 9 species of turtles including 3 are found to be affected by unregulated fishing (Basumatary, unpublished data). The fishing gears which are kept for long in water like ‘Gill nets’ should be banned, as turtles die comparatively more in such gears than others due to asphyxiation. Also use of alternative ‘turtle exclusion fishing gears’ having escape windows, developed by researchers worldwide will reduce turtle bycatch. 3. Removal of logs from wetlands and rivers both from Difolu and Brahmaputra river has to be stopped to preserve their basking habitat. 4. Awareness programs among fisher community in particular and other inhabitants in general, in the park boundary about turtles and tortoises and use of appropriate fishing gears, will help in survival of turtles. 5. Setting up of a Chelonian Research and Rescue facility, particularly in Bishwanath Ghat will reduce the turtle mortality due to bycatch.

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Table.1. Common English and Assamese names of Kaziranga turtles and tortoises Species Common English name Assamese Name(s)

Nilssonia hurum Peacock Softshell Turtle Bor Kaso/ Chokori Kaso

Nilssonia nigricans Black Softshell Turtle Bor Kaso

Nilssonia gangeticus Laomura Kaso

Chitra indica Narrow headed Softshell Baghia Kaso Turtle

Lissemys punctata andersonii Bagh Dura/ Halodhiya Phutuki Kaso

Pangshura sylhetensis Assam Roofed Turtle Salika Dura

Pangshura tentoria Salika Dura

Pangshura tecta Phutuki Salika Dura

Pangshura smithii Muga Dura

Geoclemys hamiltonii Spotted Pond Turtle Nol Dura

Hardella thurjii Crowned River Turtle Kaldhap Dura/ Bor dura

Cuora amboinensis Jaap Dura

Melanochelys tricarinata Sil Dura/ Paharia Dura

Cyclemys gemeli Indian Leaf Turtle Sepeta Dura

Cuora mouhotii Pahari Jaap dura

Manouria emys phayrei Asian Brown Tortoise Paharia Kaso

Morenia petersi _

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Table: 2. Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises so far recorded in different habitat types of KNP (+ sign denotes Presence & - sign denotes absence) (Basumatary & Sharma, 2013)

Species Brahmaputra Difolu Woodland Grassland Beels Karbi- anglong Foot hill N. hurum + _ _ _ + _

N. nigricans + + _ _ + _

N. gangeticus + _ _ _ _ _

C. indica + _ _ _ + _

L. punctata + + _ _ + _

P. sylhetensis + + _ _ + _

P. tentoria + + _ _ + _

P. tecta + + _ _ + _

P. smithii + + _ _ _ _

G. hamiltonii + + _ + + _

H. thurjii + + _ + + _

C. amboinensis _ _ + + _ _

M. tricarinata _ _ _ + _ _

C. gemeli _ _ _ _ _ +

C. mouhotii _ _ _ _ _ +

M. emys phayrei _ _ _ _ _ +

M. petersi*

NB- * No locality record available

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Table: 3. of Chelonians recorded in Kaziranga NP (Basumatary & Sharma, 2013)

Scientific Name Indian WLPA , 1972 IUCN Red List(2012) CITES(2011)

Family: Nilssonia gangeticus Schedule I VU - A1d+2d Appendix I

Nilssonia hurum Schedule I VU - A1cd+2d Appendix I

Nilssonia nigricans Schedule IV EW – Extinct in wild Appendix I

Chitra indica Schedule IV EN - A1cd+2cd Appendix II

Lissemys punctata Schedule I LR/lc Appendix II

Family: Pangshura sylhetensis Schedule I EN - B1+2c Appendix II

Pangshura tecta Schedule I LR/lc Appendix I

Pangshura smithii Not listed LR/nt Appendix II

Pangshura tentoria Not listed LR/lc Appendix II

Melanochelys tricarinata Schedule IV VU - B1+2c Appendix I

Hardella thurjii Not listed VU -A1cd+2cd Not listed

Geoclemys hamiltonii Schedule I VU - A1d+2d Appendix I

Cuora amboinensis Not listed VU - A1d+2d Appendix II

Cuora mouhotii Not listed EN - A1d+2d Appendix II

Cyclemys gemeli Schedule I Not assessed Not listed

Morenia petersi Not listed VU– A1cd+2d Not listed

Family: Testudinidae Manouria emys Schedule IV EN - A1cd+2cd Appendix II

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Pangshura sylhetensis Chitra indica

Nolssonia nigricans Nilssonia hurum

Geoclemys hamiltonii Hardella thurjii

Pangshura tecta Manouria emys phayrei

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References:

Ahmed, M.F. and Das, A. 2009. Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles of Kaziranga National Park, Assam- Diversity, Distribution, Conservation Status. In: Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises of India. ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas, 12(1): 57-70. Vasudevan, K., Ed., WII, Dehradun, India. Basumatary, R. and Sharma, D.K. 2013. The turtle fauna of Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India with notes on natural history and conservation status. Notes. 6: 59-72.

Buhlmann, K. A., Thomas, S. B. A., John, B. I., Deno, K., Russell, A. M., Arthur, G., Anders, G. J. R., Van Dijk, P.P. and Whitfield, G. 2009. A global analysis of tortoise and freshwater turtle distributions with identification of priority conservation areas. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 8 (2): 116-149. Choudhury, A. 1996. New localities for Brown Hill Tortoise Manouria emys (Schlegal and Muller) from Karbi Anglong Assam. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 93(3):590. Choudhury, A. 2004. Kaziranga- Wildlife of Assam. Rupa and Company, New Delhi. Frazier, J.G. and Das, I. 1994. Some notable records of Testudines from the Indian and Burmese subregions. Hamadryad.19:47-66. Praschag, P. and Gemel, R. 2002. Identity of Black Soft-shell turtle Aspideretes nigricans (Anderson, 1875), with remarks on related species (Reptilia: Testudines: Trionichidae). Faunistiche Abhandlungen, Staatlliches Museum fur Tierkunde Dresden 23(5): 87-116. Rhodin, A.G.J., Walde, A.D., Horne, B.D., Van Dijk, P.P., Blanck, T. and Hudson, R. 2011. Turtles in Trouble: The World’s 25+ Most Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, p. 1-54. Lunenburg, MA: IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Conservation Fund, Turtle Survival Alliance, , Chelonian Research Foundation, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, and San Diego Zoo Global.

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