Condition of nature’s water janitors improving

By Avinash Chaudhary,Dhangadhi, May 24: The condition of turtles, known as nature’s water janitors due to their vital role in the food chain, is improving in the country.

This positive trend is credited to increased public awareness and fear of legal actions. Unlike in the past, activities such as poaching or trading turtles have drastically declined. Causing harm to turtles is a punishable crime in Nepal.

According to conservationist Bijaya Raj Shrestha from Kailali, the practice of killing and eating turtles has been reduced thanks to the increasing awareness in communities.

 “Earlier, consuming turtles was quite common, but now, that is no longer the case. People have become more aware. They do not kill turtles like they used to.”

The Tarai region of Sudurpashchim Province is considered rich in turtle habitats. Rivers, ponds, wetlands and forests in Kailali and Kanchanpur are home to turtles. Large turtles weighing around 25 to 30 kilograms are found in the Ghodaghodi Lake, which is listed as a Ramsar site of international importance.

Just as vultures are called nature’s scavengers on land, turtles are regarded as water janitors. By feeding on decayed fish and aquatic animals, turtles help maintain the cleanliness and balance of aquatic ecosystems. They play an essential role in the food chain by eating various small animals while also being prey to others.

Altogether, 17 species of turtles are found in the country. Among them, five species have soft shells and the remaining 12 have hard shells. 

While most turtle species are concentrated in the Tarai region, the “Thotari” species is also found in the Chure-Shivalik range, according to herpetologist Prof. Karan Bahadur Shah.

According to Shah, Thotari turtles do not live in water but rather in sal forests, feeding on grass and fruits. Other species mostly inhabit water bodies. While turtles have not been studied as extensively as animals like tigers and rhinos, some research has recently begun in Nepal. “With the help of grants, students have started doing some studies,” Shah said.

Turtles are also killed due to superstition. People reportedly kill turtles for medicinal use, to keep their shells at home or to hang around cows' necks. There is a widespread superstition that keeping a turtle shell in the house prevents lightning strikes.

Although turtles were hunted for food and medicinal purposes, Prof. Shah said that the situation has improved. “People are becoming more aware that turtles should not be killed and must be protected. We cannot eliminate all wrongdoing, but open killing and illegal trade of turtles, as seen in the past, have declined,” he added.

He stressed the need to further educate people about the importance and role of turtles. He suggested that their significance should be included in school curricula to raise awareness from an early age.