Crowned River turtle (Hardella thurjii)
Taxonomy
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum
: Chordata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily : Testudinoidea
Family : Geoemydidae
Subfamily :
Geoemydinae
Genus :
Hardella
Species : H. thurjii
(Gray, 1870)
Common Names
Brahminy river turtle, crowned terrapin or the Indian sawback turtle
Conservation Status
IWPA : Schedule I
Cites : Appendix II
Geographical Distribution
Crowned river turtle is found in Northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Its range includes the watersheds of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus rivers, specifically within the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin in northern India and Bangladesh, as well as the Indus basin in Pakistan and northern India.
General Information
The crowned river turtle typically breeds between January and June. Females lay clutches of 4-7 eggs in sandy areas near water bodies. The incubation period lasts between 60-80 days, after which hatchlings emerge and make their way to the water. The species is commonly found in shallow, slow-moving water bodies such as ponds, rivers, lakes, marshes, irrigation canals and even rice fields. The crowned river turtle is omnivorous, feeding on a variety of aquatic plants and animals. Its diet includes plant matter like grasses, sedges, algae and water hyacinths, as well as aquatic animals such as prawns, fish, insects and snails.
Threats
- Habitat loss due to pollution, dam construction and sand mining.
- Hunting for its meat and shells.
- Drowning in fishing nets.
- Poaching and illegal trading.
- Hydro-electric schemes and river-bed agriculture.
Aquatic Species / Turtles / Crowned River turtle