Restoring balance: 131 turtles thriving in Hajo temple pond to enter the wild

Time of India

2 days ago

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Guwahati: Temples have emerged as an unexpected safe haven for turtles, turning into conservation hotspots. However, experts warn that this trend is creating an imbalance, as turtles are incredibly rare to be seen in their natural habitats.
To restore balance, Assam state zoo has planned to release several critically endangered turtle species into the wild.
The state zoo is working in tandem with authorities of Hayagriva Madhava temple, located in the town of Hajo in Kamrup district, 30 kms from Guwahati. Temple authority has handed over 131 turtles, which were growing in the temple's pond, to zoo authorities.
Ashwini Kumar, state zoo DFO said the turtles are currently in quarantine, and will be released into the wild after 15 days.
"We are monitoring the turtles to ensure that they are healthy, and we will be releasing them," the officer added.
Kumar said the 131 turtles to be released include black softshell turtles, Indian softshell turtles, peacock softshell turtles and Indian tent turtles.
The black softshell turtles are endemic to the Brahmaputra basin, and are listed as 'critically endangered' in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list.
Meanwhile, the Indian softshell turtles and the peacock softshells turtles are listed as vulnerable in the list.
Pranab Malakar, a resident of Hajo, who is also known as the turtle man said turtles are more commonly found near wetlands, instead of temple ponds, as it disturbs their natural balance and survival. He added that the turtles often face overcrowding, lack of food and poor water quality, which can spread disease.
Malakar, who has been engaged in turtle conservation since 2007, recalls that the historic Madhava Pukhuri pond dates back to the Ahom era. Originally built under the reign of the Ahom kings, the pond featured natural sandbars and a rich aquatic environment, which made it a perfect habitat for turtles to thrive.
"Being part of a Vishnu temple, it became customary for devotees to release fish and turtles into its waters, considering them as reincarnations of lord Vishnu.
Over time, this age-old religious practice turned the pond into a refuge for turtles," Malakar said.
He added that in 2006, the pond was encircled with concrete boundaries, which made it nearly impossible for turtles to nest and lay eggs. To address this, Malakar himself intervened — removing sections of the boundary walls and creating artificial sandbars to provide suitable nesting grounds. Today the temple pond is home to more than 1,000 turtles of 15 different species.
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