Literaturdatenbank
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Horne, B. D., & Singh, S. , Testing the assumptions of hatch-and-release and head-starting programs in two indian river turtles (batagur dhongoka and batagur kachuga). Unpublished paper presented at 6th World Congress of Herpetology.
Added by: Admin (21 Nov 2009 11:59:55 UTC) |
| Resource type: Conference Paper BibTeX citation key: Horne2008 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Batagur, Batagur dhongoka, Batagur kachuga, Geoemydidae, Habitat = habitat, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Südasien = Southern Asia Creators: Horne, Singh Collection: 6th World Congress of Herpetology |
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| Abstract |
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Controversy often surrounds turtle conservation projects that rely on moving nests to hatcheries as well as the practice of head-starting turtles due to possible unforeseen life history implications (e.g. changes in sex ratios) and a lack of emphasis on protecting all life stages of the turtles. Many programs have been implemented without having defined means of determining their success. We have begun our efforts with this in mind and have set out to test some of the assumptions of the aforementioned methods. From 2006 to present, our conservation actions for the three-striped roof turtle (Batagur dhongoka) and the red-crowned roof turtle (Batagur kachuga) in the National Chambal Sanctuary in northern India have centered on a hatch-and-release program. In 2006, 968 Batagur kachuga and 8,193 Batagur dhongoka were released within 24 hours of hatching and 2007 we released 1,654 B. kachuga and 13,134 B. dhongoka. Our efforts are on-going in 2008. Additionally, in 2008, all hatchlings were equipped with a decimal coded wire tags for permanent cohort identification. Surveys for marked turtles will be conducted after monsoon floodwaters fully recede in early November both within and outside the sanctuary as it is possible that the flood waters may transport the hatchlings hundreds of kilometers. In addition, a modest head-starting program was developed in 2005. To date 1,188 B. kachuga have been retained at two nurseries, with an anticipated first release in November of 2008. The release of the head-started turtles will include three age classes (n= 250 per class) to test which age class has the better post-release survival rate. A TSD study based on temperature data from hatchery nests and the use of endoscopy will also be reported. Lastly, we will discuss the use of modeling to determine the intensity and duration of our conservation actions required to demonstrate a reversal of the current population declines for both species.
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