Pune: In line with its species-specific conservation approach, the Pune forest department is currently launching a turtle rehabilitation program, especially for turtles rescued from across Maharashtra, except Vidarbha region, during various rescue operations. The rehabilitation program will target six species of freshwater turtles and will be carried out at the Transit Treatment Center (TTC) in Bavdhan, Pune.

The program will be carried out in four phases with data collection and planning in the first phase, collection and transfer of turtles from various districts to the Pune facility in the second phase, quarantine and rehabilitation in the third phase. , and the process of liberation in the fourth. phase.

The first phase of the project already started in October. The forest department has created an online link for data generation which is shared with all district forest offices in Maharashtra, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals working in the field of turtle conservation. Through this link, they should fill in information about the turtles in their possession which will be transferred to the Pune TTC. In the first phase, the department aims to rehabilitate 400 to 500 turtles.

The Wildlife Division of the Pune Forest Department and the RESQ Charitable Trust will play a key role in the planning and implementation of this programme. According to information shared by the forest department, both will be responsible for assisting in creating collection processes; generate protocols which must be approved by the chief wildlife warden; and manage medical care, rehabilitation and associated costs. They will also be responsible for logistical support and generating regular reports on the health and rehabilitation status of the turtles, ensuring transparency and communication with the relevant authorities.

Tushar Chavan, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Forest Department, Pune, said, “Several freshwater turtles have been rescued from illegal trade, abandonment and trafficking in Maharashtra. As the turtles required proper care and the department did not have such facilities, they were handed over to NGOs for further care. However, the forest department is primarily responsible for these turtles. Now that the Pune forest department has the TTC, which is a separate facility for turtles, we decided to recall the turtles and bring them back to our facility in Bavdhan. This initiative will be implemented in all districts of Marathwada and North, Central and South Maharashtra.

“Once the turtles are transferred to the Pune TTC, proper care will be taken and they will be released into their natural habitat even if it is outside Maharashtra. For this, good communication will be maintained with the concerned forest departments,” Chavan said.

“The required permission has been obtained from the Chief Wildlife Warden and currently we are working on collecting data on the number and type of turtles in the possession of the forest department, NGOs or individuals,” added Chavan.

For the transfer of turtles, the local forest department will form a “turtle collection team” including a wildlife manager, veterinarian and local forestry staff. Turtles will be separated by species and sick turtles will be isolated before being transported to the TTC.

Species targeted as part of the rehabilitation program

1. Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone Elegans)

2. Indian roofed turtle (Pangshura Tecta)

3. Spotted pond turtle (Geoclemys Hamiltonii)

4. Indian tent turtle (Pangshura Tentoria)

5. Crowned River Turtle (Hardella Thurjii)

6. Brown-roofed turtle (Pangshura Smithii)

7. Any protected species having a natural distribution in India