Golden turtle spotted in Jhapa

By Bishnu Prasad Pokharel,Damak, July 18: A rare golden turtle has been spotted in the Charkose forest of Jalthal, Jhapa, known as the country’s Charkose Jhadi. The turtle was discovered in the Shree Pathibhara Kalika Community Forest located at Haldibari Rural Municipality-4.

Local Bibek Bastola spotted the unusual turtle on Sunday morning in a cold-water stream inside the community forest and immediately informed forest staff. As the turtle looked different from typical ones seen in the area, he alerted community forest officials.

According to Lila Nath Sharma, who has long been involved in research on the Jalthal forest, such turtles are extremely rare. He said that genetic mutations and alterations in pigment-producing genes can lead to such coloration. While the turtle species itself is not rare, this particular form is very uncommon.

Asmit Subba, a researcher on birds and wildlife in Nepal, identified the turtle as a Spotted Northern Indian Flapshell Turtle. 

Although this species is commonly found up to 400 metres in elevation across Nepal's Tarai region, the occurrence of chromatic leucism, a condition that causes yellow pigmentation, is extremely rare. Subba believed that this could be the first recorded sighting of such a turtle in Jhapa.