An up-close experience of turtle conservation in the Chambal ravines

It’s a rare occasion that finds me setting my alarm for an unearthly hour when on a leisure break. Given a choice, I’d much rather savour a sunset than snare a sunrise. Then again, combing riverbanks for nests of critically endangered wildlife more than demands the forgoing of a few hours of sleep.

An Eye-opener

Waking up to the animated prattle of children at Chambal Safari Lodge in Jarar (Agra) was a first. It was birdsong that customarily roused my restful slumber at this fauna-flora-rich boutique destination. Peering out the window, I found the top half of a cut-out partially blocking my view. A gaggle of kohl-lined village kids in their Sunday best were seated in neat rows in the leafy patio beyond. I stepped out to find a larger-than-life green turtle, its arms akimbo, leaning against my window. Beside the portly chelonian hung a banner with ‘Turtle Camp’ emblazoned across it in Hindi. Coffee mug and curiosity in tow, I joined the ranks–the oldest in a group of two to ten year olds–to learn about vulnerable aquatic life that calls River Chambal home.

Collaborative Conservation

The educative morning was co-hosted by Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA India) and Chambal Conservation Foundation (CCF). A jointly-held community outreach project for riparian villages that share habitats with freshwater turtles, dolphins and crocodilians within the National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS). Once widespread across the Gangetic floodplains, these species have come under major threat from environment degradation and illegal hunting. The Red-crowned Roofed Turtle (Batagur kachuga) and Three-striped Roofed Turtle (Batagur dhongoka) in particular, as both are lucrative favourites with poachers. More so the former, coveted as a pet for the brilliantly hued–crimson, cobalt, yellow, and white–breeding plumage the male develops during courtship. Awareness programs, such as the one I’d stumbled onto, become especially imperative in February as it coincides with the onset of nesting season, which continues till the end of March.

Rewarding Ramble

TSA India’s Batagur Recovery Project focuses on nest protection through its hatchery program. Towards that end, a daily patrol in the early hours of the day is conducted along the sandbanks of the river. It spots and protects nests mother turtles are readying to lay their eggs in. Chuffed to find myself in the right place at the right time, I requested to join the TSA team on their next beach-comb. That’s how I found myself jumping out of bed at 5AM that day, preparing for the hour-long drive to Garaita village in neighboring Etawah. We–one other guest and I–were accompanied by a CCF team member, and other than slowing down for musters of peafowl crossing the well-tended highway; we made it to the project location by daybreak. One of the local staff guided us through the atmospheric ravines to the mist-shrouded river’s edge; here we were met by the Project Officer.

He led us across the closest sandbank, pointing to tracks that made their way inland, created by turtles scouting for a predation-safe nesting place. This was followed by a trudge to the site earmarked as the hatchery. Where nests once located are immediately mimicked, and the eggs skillfully transported for incubation, a period that lasts from April to early May. This temporary pen is monitored, among others, by a poacher-turned-protector who often proudly proclaims about fathering 7000 children every year! Hatchlings begin to make an appearance mid-May onwards. They are subsequently tagged and placed in a safe pool for acclimatization before being released into their natural habitat. Back at the Conservation Centre in Garaita, we were introduced to the hundred odd Red-crowned Roofed Turtles being nurtured in the man-made pond on the grounds. In what is referred to as head-starting, they are reared here for six months, affording them a higher chance of survival, before their dispersal into the wild. Knowledgeable resource persons, visual presentations and meaningful literature introduced us to these absorbing facets. Even as we basked in the winter sun–much like turtles–sipping hot tea and munching boiled chickpeas for breakfast, before making our way back to Jarar.

Note: Prior confirmation is necessary to visit. Details at turtlesurvival.org

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