Black Softshell Turtle

Black Softshell Turtle

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Biodiversity

In news

• Recently, the Assam forest department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two NGOs and adopted a Vision Document to raise at least 1,000 black softshell turtles by 2030.

About Black Softshell Turtle

• Scientific Name: Nilssonia nigricans
• Habitat:
  • They are found in ponds of temples in northeastern India and Bangladesh. 
  • Its distribution range also includes the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: No legal protection
• Threats:
  • Consumption of turtle meat and eggs, 
  • Silt mining
  • Encroachment of wetlands 
  • Change in flooding pattern.

Turtle Conservation

• National Marine Turtle Action Plan:
  • It contains ways and means to not only promote inter-sectoral action for conservation but also guide improved coordination amongst the government, civil society and all relevant stakeholders.

• Indian Ocean Sea Turtle Agreement (IOSEA)

• • India is a signatory to the Indian Ocean Sea Turtle Agreement (IOSEA) of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).
  • It puts in place a framework through which States of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region and other concerned States can work together to conserve and replenish depleted marine turtle populations for which they share responsibility.
• KURMA App:
  • It has a built-in digital field guide covering 29 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises of India.
  • Developed by: Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network (ITCAN) in collaboration with the Turtle Survival Alliance-India and Wildlife Conservation Society-India.

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World Turtle Day 2020