Illicit Trade of Tortoises and Hard-Shell Turtles

Latest Context

• A recent study titled 'From Pets to Plates,' published in Oryx, The International Journal of Conservation, has provided information about the illicit (illegal) trade of tortoises and Hard-shell turtles.

• The study was conducted by experts associated with the Counter Wildlife Trafficking Programme of the Wildlife Conservation Society-India.

Major Highlights

1. Chennai emerges as the primary node in the tortoise and hard-shell turtle trafficking network.

• The city plays a central role in the global pet trade, facilitating the illicit trade in these reptiles.
• Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Anantapur, Agra, North 24 Parganas (in West Bengal), and Howrah (near the India-Bangladesh border) are also crucial in the network, contributing significantly to the trafficking of tortoises and turtles.

2. Soft-shell turtle trafficking is primarily domestic in nature.

• International trafficking of soft-shell turtles to and from India is mostly limited to Bangladesh.

3. The Asian Turtle Crisis:
   1. Wild populations of tortoises and freshwater turtles face immense pressure from illegal trade for pets, food, and medicines.
      1. At least 15 of the 30 threatened TFT (Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles) species in India are illegally traded.
      2. Freshwater species, such as the Indian flapshell turtles, are in great demand in illegal markets.
      3. The Indian Softshell turtle, also known as the Ganges Softshell turtle, is a freshwater reptile found in the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi rivers in northern and eastern India.
4. Comparing Networks:
   1. The study found that the tortoise and hard-shell turtle network had a more extensive geographical scale with more international trafficking links compared to the soft-shell turtle network.
5. Dire Condition of Trafficked Turtles:
   1. Turtles involved in the illegal trade often arrive dehydrated, starved, and with injuries.
   2. High mortality rates among trafficked turtles highlight the urgency of addressing this issue.

Tortoise and Hard-Shell Turtles

1. All tortoises are turtles as they belong to the order Testudines/Chelonia.
2. Tortoises are distinguished from other turtles by being land-dwelling, while many (though not all) other turtle species are at partly aquatic.
3. Hard-shell turtles have rigid and bony shells that provide protection and cannot be easily compressed.
4. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) most of the species of turtles and tortoises are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
5. Indian star tortoise, Olive Ridley Turtle and Green Turtle are a few examples of Tortoise and Hard-Shell Turtles in India.

Soft-Shell Turtle

1. Softshell turtles are a large group of reptiles in the family Trionychidae.
2. They are called softshells because their shells lack hard scales, and are instead leathery and flexible.
3. They often lie buried in mud, sand, and shallow water.
4. Commonly found Soft-Shell Turtles in India are Indian Flapshell Turtles, Indian peacock softshell turtles, and Leith’s Soft-shelled Turtle.

Characteristic	Tortoises	Turtles
Shell Shape	High-domed, rounded, heavy shell	Thinner and more streamlined
Habitat	Primarily terrestrial (land-dwelling)	Adapted for life in water
Diet	Primarily herbivorous	Omnivorous or herbivorous
Limbs	Thick, columnar legs, claw-like toes	Flipper-like legs, webbed feet

 

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