The freshwater turtles of northeast India are under threat from several anthropogenic activities.
H.T. Lalremsanga, Professor & Head, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University is working tirelessly to conserve softshell turtles in the Northeast.
Freshwater turtles are facing a rapid decline in numbers due habitat loss, climate change, and more infamously – pet trade and their meat and use in traditional medicines. Conservation then is not just the need of the hour but also needs a long-term, community-based approach, that needs the help of local youth, researchers, and forest staff.
H.T Lalremsanga’s proposal to save these lesser-known species is central to The Habitats Trust. He and his team have the local knowledge of language, culture, and terrain, along with a track record of working on research and conservation in Mizoram and Manipur. “One of the major ecological outcomes of the project will be an understanding of the distribution and habitat use of softshell turtles, and the identification of potential sites for further work. This will set the groundwork of saving some of these threatened turtle species. This makes H.T Lalremsanga’s work on the neglected species and regions of NE India extremely important,” says Rushikesh Chavan, Head, The Habitats Trust.
Read the full story that first appeared in Wildlife Watch Binocular here:
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