Turtles flourish at Delhi's Asola Bhatti sanctuary

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

New Delhi A rescued Indian flapshell turtle. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)
A 'transit camp' set up by the state forest and wildlife department at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is now witnessing a flurry of activity, recording its most successful turtle breeding season. A special pond developed at the site is now home to over four different species—both hard-shell and soft-shell—of 250 Indian turtles, including 20 freshly hatched ones, officials said.
Officials said that the transit camp was started in January 2022 to house trafficked, injured and rescued animals. The pond was created as part of this camp to provide a safe and natural habitat for turtles. The forest department said habitat enrichment over the past year has led to its most successful breeding season.
'Between 20 and 25 turtles have hatched this season and more could be on the way. There has been focused action on the pond, which includes setting up rocks on the edges and planting native grasses where they can hide, nest, find food and even rest. In addition, logs have been placed in the middle of the pond, where they like to sit and bask,' a senior forest official said, adding that another special area, with fresh sand, has also been created for turtles to bask in the sun.
The department said it receives turtles being smuggled through Delhi and also brings in rescued turtles that are being sold illegally in pet shops. Last July, Asola received over 100 baby turtles, which were rescued from a wildlife smuggler in east Delhi's Geeta Colony. Turtles are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 2022 and thus, cannot be sold or kept as pets.
The species present in the pond include the Indian flapshell turtle, the Indian roofed turtle, the black pond turtle and the yellow spotted pond turtle.
'In the morning, which is when they like to enjoy the sunshine, we are seeing multiple turtles coming out. For the remainder of the day, most turtles stay in the water, but they are particularly enjoying the new additions like the rocks and logs,' the official said.
The official said that around 160 turtles were brought in from rescues, while the remaining have hatched at the site over the past three years. 'They are routinely fed by introducing fishlings. The turtles also naturally enjoy the grasses around the pond, in addition to figs, which keep dropping from a nearby fig tree.'
During a visit, HT found multiple turtles floating on the water, with their heads peeking out. This included turtles barely a few weeks old, too. A fresh Indian flapshell turtle, which was rescued by the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC), was also brought in on the same day, during the visit. 'The animal will be treated before being released into the pond,' a second official at the transit facility said.
On Monday, Delhi's environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa shared a photograph of a newly hatched turtle at Asola Bhatti, lauding the department's efforts.
'Encouraging signs from Delhi's wild heart. A turtle hatchling spotted at Asola Bhatti's Turtle Pond signals a breakthrough in our conservation journey. This season marks successful turtle breeding thanks to improved ecological conditions.' the minister said on X.
Faiyaz Khudsar, scientist-in-charge of Delhi Development Authority's (DDA's) biodiversity parks programme, said a well-balanced habitat is needed to house different species. 'The Indian flapshell turtle has the capacity to burrow and therefore, prefers to nest on the margin of waterbody, largely along marshes. It is an opportunistic omnivore. The Indian roofed turtle is an Asian river turtle with a roof-like shell and also an omnivore, always seen while basking. Therefore, the basking site is crucial here.'
'The black pond turtle, meanwhile, feeds on a wide variety of insects, insect larvae and small fish,' Khudsar said, stating generally, the presence of aquatic vegetation and grasses such as Paspalum, help the hatchlings escape predators and were good additions.