ECOLOGY OF INDIAN ROOFED TVRTLF, PANGSHURA TECTUM (GRAY 1831)IN BANGLADESH

Md. LokmanHossain*, Shomb Uddin Sark€rand Noor JahanSarker +NationalAcademy tor EdncarionalManagement (NAEM), Dhaka D€partmentof Zoology,University of Dhaka ' Dhaka-ioo0,Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

lndie roofedtultlc. Pdrarrrld reclrn. wasfourd h all twes ofaquatichabitats in Bsngladesh.Of the 8 catesoriesof habitatsstldicd, thc lighcsinunber (42.74%) {as foundin domcsticponds followedby derelictponds, ranks, nurshlands, canah, asrlcnlture fields, lakcs, streams and puddles Mostoftho timc thc turtle was fourd in baskingcordition (60 09%), while rarely it wasobscn€d in burowingcondilion. In additionto thh,lndianroofed tunlc spcDt 3l.75% tide h feedingand 8.16%

Kcynords:lndi^n roofed tuille, ecology, habilat prcference, behavioralpatterns.

INTRODUCTION Studieson ecologyand habitat prelerence are veryimportant for sustenanceofany specicsin its Turtle plays an importani role in naturalhabital as well as in captivily,Although, sociocconomicconditions of Bangladcsh.In 1980- some work have been done on lhe ecologyof 2002,3164.24 tons ol freshwaterturtle was lndianroofed hrrtle by Fugler(1984), Barua and exportedfrom Bangladesh,and annualaverage Islam (1986), Rashid and Swingland(1997), earningfrom turtl€sond turtle producishad been Hossainand sarker(1993, 1995), Raju (1997).A over Tk.7, 80,00,000(Annonymous 2002), ln th€ numbef of experimentsdehonstrated that this pr€sentdecade the exploitationof the turtleneat speciescould be culturcdcommercially rHossait increasedsignificantly, these are consumedby a 2000)t thereforc,detailed studies on behavlor gloup of people lor its delicacy (Rao 1987), pattern, micro and macro habitat, feeding habit, Turtl€splay an impo ant role in mainlainingtlre browsing habit, basking habit, €tc., hav€ b€en felt for ecological balance in nature (Sark€r and veryessential to exploitlhe species cornmercial farming. The pr€s€ntinv€stigation was undertaken Hossainl997),aM areimporlant component ofth€ to addsome information to th€ existingknowl€dge biota in fteshwater ecosyst€m.Freshwater turtles on theabove mentioned aspech ofthe species. perfom as scavengersin aquaiicbodi€s viz. the ponds, rivers, otherstagnant wat€r bodi€s, and thus MA.TERIALS AND METHODS help ke€p aqualic systemsfre€ liom pollution (Rao, 1987). Freshwaternutles have been The study was conduct€d between January subjecledlo humanpredation for centuries(Sandra la97 ard Deccmber2000 ar Marlab.Haziganj. andDanieta 2000). Indian roofed turtle, P &crrm, Sonargaon,Naraynganj, Hariranpur and Shivalaya has been enlist€d as \,ulnefablenationally (IUCN upazilasof Bangladesh(Fis. 1). 2000).

ECOPRINT VOL 13, 2006 Habitat ass€ssm€.tin captivity: An enclosue aquatic systemslvith diverse aquatic vegelahons wasmade in the Zoological garden,Deparment of The notablevegetations w€rc Eichhomtu crussipes Zoology, Dhaka Universiry, with 6 earthenjals (Kachoripana), Hydrilto wiicillata (Jhzjipata), (100 cln':,Twelve aquaria were placed to rearthe Ydlli$ei! spirclis (Pataseola), Sztrodsid tunlc:.Warer rupply $as mainlained.moorhlyin potythin nd Lenna sPp. Khudipana), tnrldra all seasonsdudng the studyperiod. An artificial sp. (Helencha), Pistia spp. (Topzpat\a), WaAJid habitatwas developedin the enclosurehaving a qtrhiza, W. microscopia, Najas stuninea, variery of ecologicalconditions with different Potamogeton crispus, Linnochotis tava, lt?esol soil.There sere sornegrorrnds made in Tenagocharis latifolia (Paashcol^), qtklia the comer of the enclosureto €siimale the alhnoides, Hydrochatis dubia, Rlym auberti, ecologicslniche. beha\iordl paficms and nc.ting Iponoea aquatica, ,4pa ogeton spp, Trcpa spp., Ludwigia adsNendens^nd Nyn?haea spp.

Habitat assessment in nrture: Habitat Macro habitat: In nalure,P, /eclrm inhabitcdall prelerenceswere calculatedby observingthe ftpes of stagnantwaterbodies whiclr includes, ftequencyof occurrenceof the turtle in the study domesticponds, derelict ponds (ditclr),puddles, areAs. The lnacro and microhabitatswcrc tanks,deghe€s (large and old pond),lakcs, marsh differentialedin nahrreby exrensivefield visit. The areas,wetlands, flooded agriculturc ficlds, canals, ideal habitatswere differentiatodon the basisof tributadesand distributariesoriginaled from the abundanceor availabrliryof the ruflle species. Meghna Dhonaghoda,Dhakatia and lchamati Sonetimes, habitats were studied by rivels. accompanyingthe commercialhrrtle collectors, In 1997, P. lectrm was found mosllY m This lacilitated to gather infomalion on the doneslicponds and rarely in streams.The highesl methodsofturtle collectionfrsm differenthabilats nu ber (m€an67.2 + i8.l) of tudlc individuals throughoulthe year. Habitat classificalionwas (49,9%)was found in domesticponds (range 4l basedon ihe plantcover and moisi$e contenlsof and 102 individuals)and thc averagelowesl th€soil. numbcr (mean 1,4 + 0.6) of turtle individuals Data on habitatsutilization and preferences (l.l%) ir ibc puddles.The highestnumber of werc lesled by one and two way analysisol turtleswas lound in domesticponds in Januaryatrd va ance(ANOVA). The means were differentiated the loweslin July, and the habitatprefercnce was by arc sign lransfomution and habitat prefcrcnces statisiicallysiglificant at l% lcvel wilh I I degrcc werecalculated by Duncan'sN€w MultipleRange offteedom(r': = 26.02). (DMRT)(Duncan 1955). Cbi Squaretesi was Test In the four years study, it was found that ihe done to compare diff€rent habitat in differeni ma{imum nunber of P- tectum preferred ihe seasons.SPSS (version 10.0) siatjsticai package on domesticponds among the other8 categoriesof wasused for dataanalysis. a computer aquatichabitats. The highestabundance of P rectun was obsefled (49.93 %) from the domestic RESTJLTSAND DISCUSSION pondsin 1997and the lowestin 1998(36.61 %) Aquatic hrbitat: Indianroofed tJrtle, P. tectun, (Table1). Therewas hishly sisrificantdifference p-c-enedaquflic and pc'erual wJrerbodies. i.e.. in the mean distribution of P. rectum in differcnt ponds, ditches, pools, lakes, canals, kuas, marsh, habitatsin the studyareas (F : 56.01,df: 8/24 streams,etc. It wasobserved that the speciespreibr andp < 0.01)and ihe highestprefened lrabitat was

ECOPRTNTVOL 13, 2006 2 studv mav havehad due domesticponds followed by dereliot ponds,tanks, This variation behveentbe condiiion of the study manhlands, canals, agdcutture fields' lakes, to diferent ecoclimatic (1994) observedthat it is strearnsand puddes (Tabl€ 1) and there was no areas.Frazier and Das large waterbodies.Das (1995)' significant difference among the study p€r;od usually found in and Swingland (199?-2000) (F = 1.591,df = 3/24and p < 0.01) Hossainand Sarker(1993), Rashid the country (Table2). Klan (1982)and Fugler(1984), Moll (1997) fo nd the turtle tbroughout of Bay of Bengal in (1987,1993), Raju (1997), stated dnt thetude, P. including Sundarbanarea It lives in clear and warm tectutu irlhabks alt t ?es of stagnant and slow southem Bangladesh 1964).It inhabits ponds' flowing rivers including small or modent€ si7-ed deepw6ter (Hans Hvsss, suchas ponds with aquatjc vegetation or algal bloom. puddles,tank,,?r/lar and other waterbodies flrnning rivers and systems ! Skesrha (199?) in his extensiveinvesligation roadsides,ditches, slow most of the found that the turtle inhabited riverc, lakes, and (Raju and Patel, 1993).Therefore, good ageement with the marshlandsunder aquatiovegetations, Sa.rker and above studies are in Hossain(1997) addedthst the turtle dwel stagn'nt presentobservatio$. waterbodiesand rarely lound in rivers and streams.

InDomestic pond tr DerelictDond E Deghe E Lake trPuddle tr Maish lAgr field Scanal I Stream

50

*." €so E

1997 1998 1999 2000 Habitattype

Fig. 1. Habitah used by Pdgr, wa rectum intln.e sitrilv ^reas from 1997-2000'

ECOPRINT VOL 13, 2006 Table 1. Habitat pref€rences of Pattgsh ra tectuttt in tralure (1997-2000)r(Figur€s in p'rentheses show Dercentageof occurrence). a Hlbitrt t'?e Studyp€riod MeD SD 1998 1999 2000 DMRT

67,2+ ta.9 46.9+7] M]*7.3 45.0+4.9 50.8+11r (49.93) (36.6D (t.62t @2.78) (42.74')

Derelictponds 17.3+5.1 16.4+3.1 16.5+3.8 668+0,4b

02.38) 03.5) 05,47) (1J.6s) (14.26b) 14.9+3.1 16.2+6.3 t2.4+2.4 13.5+2.5 57.0+16b (lr.r0) (t2.64) (12.0) (12.33) 02.145 l,.kes 4.t+2.0 4.0+ 1.8 3.6+1.3 3.0+2.0 14.?+0.5" (3.0s) (3.12) (3,40) (2.8s) (3.11)

Puddles I.4+ 0.9 1.2+ 1.0 1.1+1.2 0.8+1.3 5.1+0.4" (1.04) (0.e4) 0.6) (0.76) (1.0e)

Marshlads n.4+5.5 2l.o+10.8 9.8+6.0 l2,O+31 54.3+5.1b (8.47) (r6.3e) (s.23) 01.41) (11,381

A8riculturefields 5.0+5,3 4.6+ 5.6 6.1+ 6,7 4.9+ 6,1 206 r'0 7 " (3.7D (3.se) (s.45) (4.66) (4.35)

Ca!6ls 12.7! 6,1 14.5+7.g 10.1*7,1 8.0+3.? 45.3+2.8b (9,43) 01,34) (9,s3) (1.6\ (e.485 1.2+ 1.1 2.4+0.9 1.8! 1,9 1.5+1,4 6.8+0.5" (0.89) (1.8?) (1.7) (1.43) 0.47) rMeansfollowed by theIetters in commonin columndo not diflor significant4t 5 % levelofDMRT

Tabl€2. ANOVA for dillerent hsbitat usedlry P. t ct&tt in different vears. Sumof df Mem sum F squares ofsquare (crtculst d) (Iabuhted)

Betw€erthe goups (Study periodo 3 25.22 1.519i 3.01 Betweenvdiety Surnofsquares (Habitat) 7440.01 930.00 56.01** 3.36 394.47 24 16.60 ** Significanl at 1% Ievel; t Insig4lficant at 5% level.

ECOPRJNT VOL 13, 2006 Micro habitat: The lndie roof€d turde wasfbund basking-while basking,sometim€s, one might to inhabit in aquatic weeds like water hyacinth, climb up on the top of other hrdes. fiey us€dto water cabbage,water chestnut,watercress, Zrap4 drop into water by encounteringany daDgel or Enh)llra.Ipono.a. Lud'igio. aDdother noaling. evenin liitle disturbances. semi-submergedand submerged,vegetation in and In captive condition, the tutle was found to aroundth€ shallow water areas.In sumrnermonths, bask on the drjftwood, floating bananaplant, and while the water level reducedto a certain depth, the elevatedportion in the middle ofthe cemented the food availability and shelterwas harnpered, and tank and baDkof the mini ponds.But at nighl th€y Lhenlhe nlrlle enleredinlo lhe mud.Howeler, in remaininactive in weedsor mlld underwater. casewhen aquatic habitatswere dried up then the Feedinghabitat: The turtle was found to feed lurde left for other waterbodies.It 1las observed over the whole daytime by continuousmovement that P. tectxm milJated to newly €xcavat€dplaces in the aquatichabitats. Sometimes, they depended where wat€r temporarily coileots for a while. This on rheroot of noatingregelalion 3nd also on semi- turtle was found to adapt in habilats of different submergedweeds and fed stemsor tender leaves environmental conditions like puddle, drainage by extending the ncck. By swilt crawling st the area,and polluted water, open latrine attbc edgcof bottom of water, the hltle, sometimes,tried to theaquatic bodies, etc. snatchcanion from the down stairsof ghat of Terrestrhl habitrt: Indianroofcd turtle uscd thc domesticponds. It was alsonoled thai Ge turxles lerestrialh6bitats like, giasslandsat the edgeof generallyconcentrated on the staiff of domestic waterbodies for feedingof grass-blades.Besides, ponds and moved around fr€quently in searchof it crossedthe landmassi.e. roads,highways and food. agdculturelands in dry seasonto mi$ate into Browsing h.bltat: The turtle fed on plantsand othersuitable habitak, Th€ turtle also used bank of animalparls in and aroundtheir habitats.After ponds,tanks, oanals, aud other waterbodiesfor having foods, P. teclun was seen browsing basking,resting and nesiing purposes. throughoutthe aquatichabitats. Btsking htbitatt The Indianroofed turtle, spent Burrowing habitrt: Indian roofed turtle was longertime for baskingin a sunnyday on any rarelyfound in bunowingcondition. Thc turtlewas floating material such as emerg€nt objects fouDd,in four cases,under mud lor a while when iucludibglogs, trce stcms, sunken boats, sand bsrs, waler wasdried for irigation and fiBhing. bananaplants, semi submerged trees, pilcs ofthe w6st€ products and rotten veggtation, watet Comparisonof habitats:In the four yearsstudy, hyacinth and also on th€ bart aquatic bodies. It the highest number of z tectun of a7l a9fa was was noted rhar basking of rhrs species in found baskirg and the lowest in browsing (Table associationwith other sympatric cong€ner'slik€ 3). The highest percentageP. tatum was folr'ad Kachuga snithi, K. tentoria. On one occasion,P. baskins(60.46%) tbat followedf€edins (31.45%) re.tun waslound ro clinb up a branchof a semi- and browsing(8.09%). Th€re was a significant subm€rgedfig tre€ (Ficus carica\ ole( a pond at diflerence ol dilTerent habitats used in differcr the height of three met€rs above wat€r. The yearc(F = 55.791,df= 11and p < 0.01)(Table 4). baskiDghabitat ofP. ,ect wascommon in winber Das(1995) mentioned that basking takes place on and parts of swer, it extended its neck and dvelsides,banks ofponds, sandbars,driftvood and raisedlbe bead wirl. limbs ,nd relaxeddurins floating vegetation.

ECOPRINML 13, 2006 F BaskingE FeedingE Browsing

90 ^40

F60 -." !40

(D 10 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 StudyPeriod

I'ig.2.Behavlor patt€rns ofP. tect rr ln nlture from 1997-2000,

Table3. Behlvlor pstternsP, tectumln nature (1997-2000)l (Ftgures in parentheslsshow percentaqeof occufience) Behavior Studyperiod Mean+ SD Percentage patterns 1997 1998 1999 DMRT Basking 90.0t25.2 15.3+14.6 61.8+23.9 59.7+19,2 71.7r12.1' 60.46 (66.19) (s8.78) (58.03) (56.64) (66.09) Feeding 36.t;r32 39,8+29,531.9 124.1 35.3+21.6 3',7.3l.l.7' 31.45 (26.84) (31.07) (3s.se) (33,49) (31.7s) Browsing 8.41+4.9 13.0+5.3 6.8r2.1 tO,4+2.2 9.6+2.3" 8.09 (6.2s) 00.15) (6,38) (9.87) (8.16) rMean6followed by theletters in commonin colum[do not difler si8lificantat 5 % levelio DMRT.

Table4. ANOVA for b€hrvior DatternsofP. ,sdrr.t . Sourceofvariation Sumol df Meansum F squares ofsquare (Cslculated) (Iabulrted) Betwegothe groups(Paiterns) 1113043.02 556521.6 55.79** 8.02 Residual(Habitats) 89115.5 9 9915.s6 ** Significantat 1% level

ECOPRTNTVOL 13, 2006 Indian roofed trrile, P. /ecr'r?, was observed Hans Hvass. 1964.Repltles and Anphibiant ofthe nainly in habitatdomestic ponds, derelicl ponds, It'or'ld Illustrated by William Eigener' tanl(s,rurshlands, canals,agriculture fieids, lakes, Methuenand Co. Ltd., London, 125 PP puddles. In Bangladesb,of about 1 3 streamsand Hossain,M.L. 2000. WdliJe in Wena*h. IUCN' I8% ared€rel,ct millionfteshwater bodies, around Bangladesh CoLmtIy Office, Dhaka, ponds(Annon)ntous 2002). Thesewater bodies Bangladesb.140 pp. are filled with aquatic veg€iation and used as sarker' 1993 Freshwater breedinggound for mosquitoand other obnoxious Hossain,M.L. and S.U. Bangla Academv aquatic insects.Thercfore, wat€I bodies could be Turtles of Ban4ladesh 109-1 20. successfullybrought nder turtle cultivation BigganPatrjca, Dhaka. 20(r): 1995.Ecology and The presentinvestigation also showsthat this Hossain,M.L. andS.U. Sarker. t\xtle, Kachuga species,as a caffion feedel helps scavengewater of food habit of Indian rcoted Unb J Bio,Sci, water bodies thereby acts as water pollution tecla,iJJBanEladesh. Dhaka controller, Dhaka4(2)r19-24. IJCN. 2000. Red Book ol Thrcate ed RePtilesoJ REFER.ENCES Bangladesh.IUCN, Batgladesh,95 pp Annonymous. 2002. Expoi fron Raneladesh Kian, M.A.R. 1982. Wildufe of Bangladesh.A' 1980-2A02.Expoft Plomotion Bur€6u of Checklist.University ofDhaka, 174 pp Bangladesh.Matijheel, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 77 Moll, E.O. 1987.Survey ofthe freshwat€rturtles pp. of India; Pan 11. The Eenr\sKachuga I. Annonymous.2002. Slalislical Book. Bangladesh Bomba!Na. Hist,Soc.,lndia 84(1):7'25 Bur€au of Statistics, Gov€rnment of Moll, E.O, 1993.Bffecis of the habitatallemation Bangladesh. on river nrrtlesolTropical Asiawift emphasis on sandmining and dams ln: Consenralion Barua,G. and M.A. lslam, 1986.Siatrrs of the Res.Manage ett ofTorloiseand Turlles ll' edible Clclonian export from Bangladesh l6 July 1993,New York, USA pp 37-41 BangladeshJ. of Fish. 9(1-2)133-38. Raju, V. 1997.Notes on $owih and rnaturityin lhe Das,I. 1995. fuftk and Tortoires of India. Oxfotd Indian roofed finle, Kachuga tecla, Bomba, pp. UniversityPress, Bombay, India, 176 Not. Hist. Soc.,lndi\^94t160-162

Frazier,J.G. and I. Das. 1994. Some notable Raju,V. andB.H. Palel.1993. Captiv€ brceding of records of testudines ftom the India and the Indian rooled tnrtle, Kacktga tecta, J. Burmes€sub-regions. Herpetology center for BombarNaL Hist.Soc., lndia 90(1): I 09-I 12. Madras Crocodile Bank Ttnst, Hanadryad Rao, R.J. 1987. Ecological studieson Indian t9|47-66. firtles. Tigerpaper.l4(3)t21'25 .

Fugler, C.M. 1984. The conrmercially exploited Rashid,S.M.A. and I.R. Switgland 1997.On the Cheloniaof Baneladesh:Taxonomy, Ecology, ecolog) of {ome fre+qater ruflles in Reproductive Biology and Onlogeny. Bangladesh. In Proc- Conse,a,ation BansladeshFish. Int. R l.2(1)tl.'52. Restorutionand Managenent af Tortoiseand

ECOPRTNT VOL 13, 2006 ?,/,,t/ar. I I'16 July 1993,New York, USA pp. aspect..In: P/oc. Consenation, Restoration, 225:242. and Managenent.ll-r6 July, 1993, New Yo*, USA.pp. 290-294. San&a,A. and F. Deniela. 2000. Asian nrrdesare rluea(eDedby exrinctrotr. Irr'le and Tortoise Skestha, T.K 1997. Status,biology, conservation rvers /erel, Chelorian Res.,Fo ndation,USA and managementoftoitoises and turdes in the ttl-9. Himalayanfoothills ofNepal,ln Prcceedi gs of Ansenatian, Restoraliotl a d Sa*er, s.U. and M.L. Hossain. 1997. Population Mahagemenlof Tortoises a d fur es, 1l'16 and habifat status of fteshrater turtl€s ard . July 1993,New York, USA. pp. 278t86. tortoisesof Bangladeshand their conservation

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