CITES COP19: Two Indian turtles facing high risk of extinction added to list of threatened species

CITES COP19: Two Indian turtles facing high risk of extinction added to list of threatened species

Subject :Environment

Context:

Recent development-

• In a step forward towards conservation, two Indian turtle species — the red-crowned roofed turtles (Batagurkachuga) and Leith’s soft-shell turtle (Nilssonialeithii) — have made it to the Appendix I (moved from Appendix ll) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), ongoing in Panama City.
• Earlier in 2019 during the 18th CITES plenary meeting in Geneva, Indian star tortoises were added to Appendix I.

Red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagurkachuga)

• Females can grow to a shell length of 56 cm (22 in) and weigh 25 kilograms (55 lb), but males are considerably smaller.
• Native to India, Nepal and Bangladesh and known to be widely found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins.
• At present in India, the National Chambal River Gharial Sanctuary is the only geographic area where the species is found in substantial numbers.
• The male turtle is beautiful and is in high demand in the domestic and international markets.
• IUCN Red list- Critically endangered

Leith’s soft-shell turtle (Nilssonialeithii)-

• Leith’s soft-shell turtle is endemic to India.
• They inhabit rivers and reservoirs mainly in southern peninsular India, in states like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• Its presence is substantial in the Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Bhavani, Godavari and Moyar drainages. 
• Although some of these species are found in protected areas, their habitat is under threat.
• IUCN Red list- Critically endangered

Major threats for these turtles–

• Increasing loss of habitat due to pollution and unchecked urbanisation.
• Water extraction and irrigation, leading to irregular flow of upstream dams and reservoirs.
• Sand mining and agriculture activities along the Ganga are significantly affecting the sandbars, which are safe nesting areas for the species.
• Drowning due to illegal fishing nets, poaching and illegal trade.
• There are four species under the genus nilsonia and they are extensively sought in international illegal trade for their high demand in traditional Chinese medicine and soup delicacy.

What is CITES?

• CITES was conceptualised in 1963 at a meeting of the (IUCN) International Union For Conservation Of Nature.
• It came into force in 1975 and consists of 183 member countries to date that abide by CITES regulations by implementing legislation within their own borders to enforce those regulations.
• Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the CITES is administered by the United Nations under its UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Wing.
• The Convention of Parties to CITES is the supreme decision-making body of the Convention and comprises all its Parties.
• India hosted CoP (3rd) in 1981.
• Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national laws.
• Rather, it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.

CITES Classification or CITES Appendix

• CITES classifies plants and animals into three categories, based on how threatened they are.
• Roughly 5,600 species of animals and 30,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade.