Herpetology Notes, volume 12: 631-636 (2019) (published online on 20 June 2019)

‘Community ponds: a tool for conservation’. A case study of Nilssonia gangetica (Cuvier, 1825) in Kashipur village, Uttar Pradesh, India

Debanjan Sarkar¹, Anuja Mital¹, Raja Mandal², R. Suresh Kumar¹, and Gautam Talukdar¹,*

Abstract. Ganges Softshell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica), a species listed as Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, A1d+2d, Ver 2.3), is generally associated with the major river systems of northern India. However, anecdotal records indicate this species has strong associations with community and temple ponds. Connectivity between rivers and these ponds play an important role in the exchange of individuals between wetlands thus maintaining viable healthy populations of the species in the landscape. This article details a survey of a pond (area 3381 m²) in Kashipur village, Uttar Pradesh, India, to investigate the current status of a large population of Nilssonia gangetica. The ponds were found to be extremely polluted with solid and liquid garbage and under several landscape level pressures impeding connectivity which threatens the survival and fitness of this population. We also review the implications of such community and temple ponds and their future in conserving these threatened turtles.

Keywords. Freshwater turtles, Ganges River, seasonal wetlands, temple ponds, biological connectivity

Introduction for its major flooding events that happen once every few years. The frequency and magnitude of such flooding The freshwater turtles of India inhabit a wide range events are of immense significance as they cause the of aquatic habitats, and due to their diverse life-history water from the main river to flow across the floodplains, traits and role as transformers of biomass, they are often temporarily connecting small wetlands to the river (Junk considered keystone species of aquatic ecosystems et al., 1989). This connectivity can result in an influx (Moll et al., 2004; Souza and Abe, 2000; Ernst et al., of freshwater turtles from the river to smaller seasonal 1994). Scavenging freshwater turtles, particularly soft- waterbodies. The drying and seasonality of the wetlands shell turtles of the genus Nilssonia are known to exist acts as a primary driver of biological connectivity for in highly polluted stretches of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh aquatic turtles between the river and wetlands (Smith et and are regarded as water purifiers having profound al., 2018). However, habitat fragmentation and alteration importance in cleaning rivers from sources of human of lands in the floodplains can impact movements of pollution (Sinha, 1995). The River Ganga is currently species between perennial and seasonal waterbodies in a precarious state as one of the five most polluted leading to isolation of turtle populations (Joyal et al., rivers in the world (Vaseem and Banerjee 2016). Among 2001). growing concerns are partially cremated human corpses The Ganges soft-shell Nilssonia gangetica (Cuvier, on the ‘ghats’ of the river and untreated sewage from 1825) is a large turtle that grows 70 - 90cm in length. It open drains. Thus the ability of these turtles to thrive in has strong webbing developed on its fore and hind limbs polluted rivers and the overall far reaching benefits of and is generally associated with lotic rivers and streams, turtles as scavengers must be valued and not overlooked with occurrences in the main stems of the Indus, Ganga, (Lovich et al., 2018). The River Ganga is also known Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Kosi and other rivers across upper Peninsular India (Das, 1995). However, there are anecdotal records of the species being encountered in stagnant lakes and ponds near flowing streams which

¹ Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001, are either dispersing or isolated populations. They are Uttarakhand, India. also strongly associated with the Temple Pond culture ² Narora Atomic Power Station, Narora, Uttar Pradesh, India. and religious beliefs which consider turtles the holy * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] ‘kurma’ reincarnation of the Hindu God ‘Vishnu’. 632 Debanjan Sarkar et al.

These century old customs have been archived dating Nilssonia hurum) reported in the Kashipur village ponds back to reports by Annandale and Shastri (1914) who near the middle stretch of river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh. commented on the sacredness of the Ganges softshell There were repeated concerns from the members of turtle, Nilssonia gangetica in various shrines across the Environment Stewardship Programme (ESP) of Nuclear country. Devotees are known to keep and feed turtles in Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) Narora, Temple ponds which have now become a safe house for Uttar Pradesh, that the two ponds were reaching its many extant freshwater turtle species with reports from carrying capacity after observing the growing numbers many states, compiled in this study (Table 1). of turtles over the years. We also review the implications This article details a survey investigating the current of such Temple and community ponds, and their future status of large turtle populations of two species in conserving these threatened turtles. (Nilssonia gangetica and the Peacock Softshell Turtle

Table 1. A compiled list of Temple ponds in Bangladesh and India from published literature sources available, and the list of species presentTable in the 1. Aponds. compiled list of Temple ponds in Bangladesh and India from published literature sources available, and the list of species present in the ponds.

Location List of Species recorded Source Bangladesh- Bostami Pond, Chittagong district N.N Annandale & Shastri, 1914; Praschag et al., 2007; Deb, 2008 West Bengal, India- Baneshwar temple pond, Cooch C.I, L.P Deb, 2008 behar district Assam, India- Madhab Temple Pond (Hajo); C.I, G.H, H.T, L.P, M.T, N.G, N.H, N.N, P.S, P.Syl, P.T, P.Tec Kamakhya Temple Pond (Guwahati); G.H, N.G, N.H, N.N, P.S, P.Syl, P.T, P.Tec Deopani Temple Pond (Diphu) N.N, P.T, P.Tec Gorokhiya Gohainr Than, (Sorbhog); C.I, G.H, N.G, N.N, P. Syl, P.T, P.Tec Barokhelia Temple Pond, (Golaghat); N.N, Pangshura sp. Praschag et al., 2007; Devi and Nagshankar Temple Pond, (Tezpur); C.I, N.G, N.H, N.N, P.S, P.Syl, Mishra, 2012; Purkayastha, 2013; P.T, P.Tec Kundu et al., 2018 Ugratara Temple Pond, (Guwahati); G.H, N.H, N.N, P.Syl, P.T, P.Tec Atkhelia Temple Pond, (Golaghat); N.N, P.T, P.Tec Mandir Devalaya, (Golaghat); N.N Kedar Temple, (Hajo); N.N, P.Syl, P.T, P.Tec Dhareshwari Devalaya,( Silguri); N.G, N.N, P.Syl, P.T, P.Tec Srimanta Shankardev Namghar, N.G, P.T, P.Tec (Golaghat) Orissa, India-

Vishnu temple pond, Puri; N.G, Annandale & Shastri, 1914; Sethy, Temple pond of Paralakhemundi and G.E, M.T Samantasinghar and Pramanik, gajapati districts 2015 Gujarat, India- Gomti Temple Pond L.P Soni and Thomas, 2013 Andhra Pradesh Das et al., 2014 Kotapalli village temple pond N.L C.I: Chitra indica, G.E: Geochelone elegans, G.H: Geoclemys hamiltonii, H.T: Hardella thurjii, M.T: Melanochelys trijuga, N.G: Nilssonia gangetica, N.H: Nilssonia hurum, N.L: Nilssonia Leithii, N.N: Nilssonia nigricans, P.S: Pangshura smithii, P.Syl: Pangshura sylhetensis, PT: Pangshura tentoria, P.Tec: Pangshura tecta

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A case study of Nilssonia gangetica in Kashipur village, Uttar Pradesh, India 633

Study Area and Methods have dispersed out of the ponds. The two ponds were surveyed on multiple visits in Kashipur village (GPS 28.1518° N, 78.5097° E) January 2017 and in January 2018. We walked along is located in Budaun district, Uttar Pradesh and lies the boundary to look for turtles, turtle tracks and nesting approximately 5.25 km away from the Ganges river on signs. The ponds were scanned using binoculars for the left bank of the floodplains. The two village ponds basking turtles. The water level and overall quality of the are in the centre of settlements with about 50 houses ponds was visually assessed to note if it was adequate situated at the periphery of the two ponds (Fig. 1.). for the turtles and if the nesting habitat was suitable. The turtles were said to have established themselves Turtles were not captured or physically assessed due to after a major flooding event that occurred in 1998. After the sentiments of the local people. the flooding event, the pond has been divided into two by the District Administration, separating them by a Results narrow cement road with a culvert below, connecting them (Fig. 2.). The combined area of the two ponds is On the first preliminary survey in January 2017, 3381 m² and the distance of the pond from the main approximately 40 turtles were observed in the pond stem of the Ganga River is 5.25 km. Unlike ephemeral which were identified as Nilssonia gangetica. On the ponds, the ponds are monsoon dependent and are prone subsequent visits in January 2018, a total of eight N. to low water levels in the summer seasons. Major flash gangetica turtles were observed surfacing and two large flooding events replenish the ponds and the last flooding adult turtles were observed basking on straw piles. Turtle event occurred in 2011 when a few turtles are said to sightings varied and were opportunistic due to lack of

Figure 1. Map of the surveyed Kashipur Village ponds, in Uttar Pradesh, India, showing the outline of the two community ponds split into two ponds by a narrow village road, and surrounded by settlements and agricultural fields. 634 Debanjan Sarkar et al.

Figure 2. (A) Kashipur village Pond 1 with polluted water surface with solid garbage and algae, with straw piles on one side. (B) Pond 2 which is larger in size than Pond 1 and has a relatively cleaner water surface. Photos by Debanjan Sarkar.

basking areas, poor water quality, and their hibernation Discussion behaviour during winter months. Interactions with local Freshwater turtles inhabiting seasonal wetlands require people revealed observations of approximately 100 connectivity through the landscape to adjacent aquatic turtles subsisting in the ponds. ecosystems for foraging and breeding needs to ensure The ponds were extremely polluted. Solid garbage viable populations are maintained (Smith et al., 2018). and liquid sewage flow through open drains from the These exchanges across various gene pools improve households on the periphery of the pond. Villagers were the survival and reproductive fitness by sustaining observed offering cooked food or rice cereal to the genetic variation within and among populations turtles (Fig. 3.), and the turtles seemed familiar with the (Castellano et al., 2009). Human activities that modify villagers, similar to behaviour seen at Temple ponds. the floodplains with settlements and agricultural fields, The turtles bask on large straw piles on the periphery of decrease biological connectivity significantly (Ficetola the pond and use these piles as nesting substrates, and et al., 2004) making the transfer of individuals between also occasionally nest in adjoining fields. There is no wetlands a possibility only in the events of large-scale monitoring or protection of these nests from predators, flash floods as is the case in the present study site. The and hatchlings encountered by local villagers are isolation of the Kashipur pond from the main stem of released back into the pond. the river Ganga is exacerbated due to water abstraction by the Narora barrage upstream and anthropogenic modifications of associated floodplains, which alters the propensity of annual flooding events. The turtles have limited dispersal abilities due to barriers such as the road and settlements surrounding a significant portion of the pond. This loss of connectivity can ultimately lead to reduced fitness of turtles due to inbreeding and risk of diseases from the pollution in the Kashipur ponds. Moreover the turtles of the Kashipur pond now exhibit temple pond behaviour wherein the turtles have assumed a similar semi-domesticated state. Currently, nesting sites are not protected and potential predators such as domesticated dogs, Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) and Monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis) Figure 3. Two large adult Nilssonia gangetica turtles being are abundant, which are predominant predators of N. fed rice cereal by local villagers of Kashipur residing near the gangetica eggs (Vasudevan, 1998). Once the ecological pond. Photo by Debanjan Sarkar. needs of many large bodied N. gangetica far exceeds the A case study of Nilssonia gangetica in Kashipur village, Uttar Pradesh, India 635 current available habitat, the pond reaches its carrying Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000): Nilssonia gangetica capacity. The threats to this site need to be mitigated (errata version published in 2016). to transform it into a community pond which can serve The IUCN. Red List of Threatened Species 2000. Available at www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed on 01 November 2018. as an assurance colony for N. gangetica which is listed Buhlmann, K.A. (1995): Habitat use, terrestrial movements, and as a Vulnerable species by IUCN (Asian turtle trade conservation of the turtle, Deirochelys reticularia in Virginia. working group, 2000). Journal of Herpetology 173–181. Similar to the concept of Sacred Groves in India, which Castellano, C.M., Behler, J.L., Amato, G. (2009): Genetic diversity are owned by village Panchayats and managed by all and population genetic structure of the wood turtle (Glyptemys villagers (Deb, 2008), an inter-departmental combined insculpta) at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, USA. Conservation genetics 10(6): 1783–1788. approach is recommended for the overall improvement Das, I. (1995): Turtles and Tortoises of India, 1st Edition. Bombay, and upgradation of the Kashipur Turtle Pond and similar Delhi, Calcutta and Madras, WWF India and Oxford. community ponds elswhere. The local stakeholders Das, I., Sirsi, S., Vasudevan, K., and Murthy, B.H.C.K. (2014): can be empowered to take on the responsibility for the Nilssonia leithii (Gray 1872): Leith’s Softshell Turtle. In: upkeep of the pond, ensure proper sewage disposal Rhodin, A.G.J., Pritchard, P.C.H., van Dijk, P.P., Saumure, R.A., systems, and prevent further pollution. Setting up Buhlmann, K.A., Iverson, J.B., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.). 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Accepted by Eric Munscher