E-Paper
Pune forest dept to launch rehabilitation programme for turtles rescued from Maha
In keeping with its species-specific conservation approach, Pune forest department will start rehabilitation programme for turtles rescued from across Maharashtra except the Vidarbha region
Pune: In keeping with its species-specific conservation approach, the Pune forest department is now starting a turtle rehabilitation programme especially for turtles rescued from across Maharashtra except the Vidarbha region in various rescue operations. The rehabilitation programme will target six freshwater turtle species and will be carried out at the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC) in Bavdhan, Pune.
The programme will be carried out in four phases with data collection and planning in the first phase, turtle collection and transfer from various districts to the Pune facility in the second phase, quarantine and rehabilitation in the third phase, and the release process in the fourth phase.
The first phase of the project has already started in October. The forest department has created an online link for data generation which is being shared with all district forest offices in Maharashtra, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and individuals working in the area of turtle conservation. Through this link, they are expected to fill up information about the turtles in their possession that will be transferred to the TTC in Pune. In the first phase, the department is aiming to rehabilitate 400 to 500 turtles.
The wildlife division of the Pune forest department and the RESQ Charitable Trust will play a key role in the planning and implementation of this programme. As per the information shared by the forest department, both will be responsible for assistance in creating collection processes; generating protocols to be approved by the chief wildlife warden; and managing medical care, rehabilitation, and associated costs. They will also be responsible for logistic support and generating regular reports on the health and rehabilitation status of the turtles, ensuring transparency and communication with the relevant authorities.
Tushar Chavan, deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), Pune forest department, said, “Several freshwater turtles were rescued from the illegal trade, abandonment, and trafficking in Maharashtra. Since the turtles required proper care and the department did not have any such facility, they were handed over to NGOs for further care. However, the forest department holds the primary responsibility for these turtles. Now that the Pune forest department has the TTC which is a separate facility for turtles, we have decided to recall the turtles and take them back to our facility in Bavdhan. This initiative will be implemented in all districts of Marathwada and north, central and southern Maharashtra.”
“After the turtles are transferred to the TTC in Pune, proper care will be taken and they will released back into their natural habitat even if it is outside Maharashtra. For this, proper communication will be maintained with the concerned forest departments,” Chavan said.
“The required permission has been obtained from the chief wildlife warden and currently, we are working on data collection around the number and type of turtles in possession of the forest department, NGOs or individuals,” Chavan further said.
For the transfer of turtles, the local forest department will form a ‘turtle collection team’ including a wildlife handler, veterinarian, and local forest staff. The turtles will be segregated according to species and sick turtles will be isolated before being transported to the TTC.
Targeted species under the rehabilitation programme
1. Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone Elegans)
2. Indian Roofed Turtle (Pangshura Tecta)
3. Spotted Pond Turtle (Geoclemys Hamiltonii)
4. Indian Tent Turtle (Pangshura Tentoria)
5. Crowned River Turtle (Hardella Thurjii)
6. Brown Roofed Turtle (Pangshura Smithii)
7. Any protected species having natural distribution within India
