Uttar Pradesh: Community project revives endangered turtles in Ganga

MEERUT: A decade-long community initiative in Uttar Pradesh has rescued over 12,000 endangered turtle eggs from riverbed farms, reviving the freshwater turtle population along the Ganga.
The project began in 2012 and has spread across 10 districts and involves more than 1,300 Ganga mitras (friends of the river), who have dedicated themselves to turtle conservation.

Sanjay Srivastava, principal chief conservator of forests and wildlife warden for Uttar Pradesh, said, "The strength of this project lies in the community-led initiative that sensitised riverbed farmers and gave them ownership of the conservation process.
Farmers have grown passionate about saving turtles, even moving their farming activities 40 metres from the riverbank to protect the nesting sites."
He added that the UP forest division, in collaboration with WWF India, plans to extend the project to cover the entire stretch of the Ganga and its tributaries.

The programme, backed by WWF India, started in the village of Makhdoompur and has since expanded beyond Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary and Narora Ramsar Site to Kasganj.
Thanks to these efforts, more than 10,000 turtles are expected to thrive in the Ganga by the end of this year.
The focus of the conservation is on three endangered species: the three-striped roof turtle (Batagur dhongoka), the brown roof turtle (Pangshura smithii), and the Indian tent turtle (Pangshura tentoria).

The process involves rescuing turtle eggs from riverbed farms, transferring them to specially designed hatcheries, and releasing the hatchlings into the wild once they are ready.
A 2010 IIT-Kanpur study highlighted the Ganga's riverine ecosystem as a crucial habitat for freshwater turtles. However, riverbed farming, particularly in western Uttar Pradesh, has destroyed much of the turtles' nesting and basking areas.
The overlap of farming seasons with turtle nesting further led to large-scale destruction of eggs, exacerbated by sand mining, human activities, and predation by animals.

The Ganga mitras initiative was launched to address these challenges, bringing together the local farming community to protect turtle nests. Farmers were tasked with monitoring nests on their land and transferring the eggs to safe enclosures for conservation.
Suresh Babu, senior director at WWF India, said, "This programme was designed to protect freshwater turtles, whose populations were under severe threat. We worked with the UP forest department to engage farmers and connect them with aquatic species, creating a model of coexistence."
Babu explained that the project spans 66 villages across 10 districts, with 1,385 Ganga mitras actively involved. He added, "We hope this model becomes part of the District Ganga Plans across the Ganga basin."

Religious significance has also played a role in encouraging community participation, as turtles are revered in Indian mythology as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu known as Kurmavatar. Babu noted that this connection has helped farmers feel a sense of duty toward turtle conservation.
In 2015, the model was extended to the Ramganga river, and by 2017, it had reached the Upper Ganga Ramsar Site. Now, it includes Kasganj, strengthening the conservation efforts. Papesh Kumar, village head of Lathira, said, "We have saved 100 nests in three years. We mark the sites and erect fences to protect them, informing the expert team when nests are found."
Babita Devi, an anganwadi worker in Kishorepur village, has been instrumental in raising awareness. "It's a win-win for all. These turtles help clean the river by consuming cadavers and harmful insects. Saving them is now seen as a religious duty," she said.