Air India airlift after 6-week’s stay in Hyderabad’s Zoological Park in a coordinated action by the of UP, Telangana forest departments; turtles are in good health says TSA Director, Dr Shailendra Singh
A large consignment of displaced turtles, as many as 266, are happily back in their own territorial waters of the Gomti River and its contiguous wetlands in Lucknow.
The translocation of the rescued turtles – both Indian tent turtles, and Indian roofed turtles, both endangered species – came about as a result of prompt action by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). Under the Wildlife Protection Act, they are given the highest priority.
The year-old baby turtles were airlifted on Saturday, in specially designed cargo containers on an Air India, eight-hour flight from Hyderabad to Lucknow. The two organisations worked in close coordination with concerned forest and wildlife authorities in Telangana and the Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad.
Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) Director Dr. Shailendra Singh says “The turtles are in good health and none the worse for their troubles, after their long spell in an alien environment so far away from home”.
After their seizure and rescue from poachers on August 1, the turtles were housed as ‘special guests’ at the Hyderabad zoological park until the time of their safe repatriation.
Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) Director Dr. Shailendra Singh says “The turtles are in good health and none the worse for their troubles, after their long spell in an alien environment so far away from home”.
Kindly refer to our previous article of Sept 3: “Global Award for India’s Turtle Warrior
There is thriving illegal trade of these endangered turtles. Their tiny size makes them a suitable novelty, either as individual pets, or as ‘fixtures’ in living room aquariums of private owners. And that’s what pushes up their demand across the country, explains Dr Singh
The two poachers, were arrested while trying to sell the turtles to pet shops here in Hyderabad. This is a first for Telangana and the fourth such instance in the country,
UP chief wildlife warden Pawan Kumar Sharma says such coordinated efforts between states will set good examples for timely repatriation of rescued wildlife.
Imran Siddiqui, conservation biologist from Wildlife Conservation Trust, which works with TSA, said, “It is overwhelming to see the turtles getting rehabilitated in their natural environment. This is a great success for both the UP and Telangana forest departments.”
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