Protecting the Tricarinate Hill Turtle
Section 1 - The Endangered Species
The Tricarinate Hill Turtle is an endangered species found mostly in Northeastern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It is a turtle with a dark brown/maroon shell with a yellowish orange stripe down the middle with a lifespan of about 15 years. Its main diet in the wild is fruit and its fruit of choice is from the downy jasmine plant. In captivity however it is known to eat vegetables and sometimes fish. In terms of the food web, this turtle is a consumer and in the middle of the food chain. It mostly eats the producers from it's biome, and is prey for the larger animals. The population of this species is rapidly decreasing and considered endangered. Melanochelys tricarinata (Tricarinate Hill Turtle) (iucnredlist.org) It's unknown how many are left due to the fact that many are captured and sold into illegal trade, (an estimated 2,000). The females give birth to between 1-6 eggs at a time. Nesting occurs during the winter months. (https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/238682)
Section 2 - The Habitat
The habitat for the Tricarinate Hill Turtle is mainly in a wetlands biome. A wetland is an area of later where water covers the soil, or is present at or near the soil surface, for all or parts of the year. Just like all turtles they like being near bodies of water but also able to roam around on land. Throughout the world there are 19,500 different species depending on wetlands for survival. With the turtle depending on water, rainfall amounts are very important. Wetlands average 59 inches of rainfall each year. Rainfall amounts vary depending on the location. Some wetlands can get up to 390 inches of rain per year, while other get as little as just 7 inches. Subtropical wetlands average a temperature of about 52 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil in wetlands in rich in nutrients, with carbon being its major nutrient. Algae is the biggest producer in the wetlands and it comes in many different types. Trees are also another major producer. Primary consumers include rabbits, mice, deer and other certain mammals. The consumers at the top of the food chain (tertiary consumers) include hawks, alligators, and coyotes. Hawks feed on small mammals, lizards, and snakes. Alligators eat fish, birds, small mammals, and turtles. Coyotes eat just about anything. Wetland Biome (bioexpedition.com)
Image via Nicholas Piccillo
Image via Mongkolchon Akesin
Image via Evgeny Kovalev
Section 3 - A Critical Threat
One threat to the Tricarinate Hill Turtle is the illegal pet trade ongoing in Asia. In recent years, there have been over 2,000 turtles confiscated in illegal trade. Seized specimens recently include large old specimens, indicating collecting efforts affecting core range areas. Melanochelys tricarinata (Tricarinate Hill Turtle) (iucnredlist.org) All of the marked animals by the Wildlife Institute of India have also disappeared (about 120). There are also reports of Tricarinate Hill Turtles being confiscated in both Hongkong and Bangledesh over the last few years. This is apparently the species of choice for the manufacture of curio masks widely sold in tourist and craft markets in South and locally in Southeast Asia. Tricarinate Hill Turtles Rescued and Released - Turtle Survival Alliance The loss of the Tricarinate Hill Turtle will affect their biome by messing up the food web. The turtles eat mainly producers from the wetland biome. With them gone, there will be less organisms eating the producers and therefore less for the secondary and tertiary animals to consume.
Image Via Wikimedia Commons
Section 4 - Solutions
With one of the main threats to the Tricarinate Hill Turtle being illegal pet trade in Asia, citizens of Keene don't make too much of an impact on their population. People could however try and write to politicians and advocate for tighter laws. The tighter the laws are, the harder it will be to capture and trade these animals. You can always go out and protest and make your voice heard. Another smaller reason for their endangerment however is the forest loss in Nepal. This is more affect by humans as a whole. Us taking resources is taking away their home. People of Keene can help with the population of the Tricarinate Hill Turtle though by getting awareness out of their endangerment. February 2nd if also globally recognized as Wetlands Day. The day is meant to raise awareness for the problems ongoing in that biome.
Image Via PXFuel
I enjoyed your description of the turtle and their habitat. It's sad to think that animals are being sold to people who don't know how to take care of them properly or that do horrible things to them.
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