Endangered turtles make comeback as Ganga reintroduction project takes off

A critically endangered turtle species is making a return to the Ganga River after decades of absence, in a breakthrough conservation effort led by the Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Namami Gange Mission.

On April 26, 20 red-crowned roofed turtles ( Batagur kachuga ) were reintroduced into the river system, marking the first such release in over 30 years.

The turtles, which had virtually vanished from the main Ganga channel, were raised at the Garhaita Turtle Conservation Centre within the National Chambal Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh. Their release into the Haiderpur Wetland Complex—a Ramsar site that connects with the Ganga during monsoon—signals a new phase in the river’s ecological restoration.

Each turtle was tagged with a sonic tracking device to monitor its movement and survival. Two different release points were used: one above and one below the Haiderpur barrage. This dual-site release strategy is designed to evaluate which habitat condition supports better adaptation, part of a broader ‘soft’ versus ‘hard’ release study.

Earlier assessments conducted under the TSAFI project found no viable red-crowned roofed turtle population along the entire Ganga, a stark decline from sightings in the early 1990s. In contrast, the 2020 and 2022 field studies documented a promising diversity—nine turtle species at Haiderpur and indirect signs of five at Prayagraj—but none from the red-crowned category until now.

The reintroduction initiative, supported by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, will include a two-year monitoring period. Conservationists hope this effort will lead to the re-establishment of a stable turtle population, while contributing to the Ganga’s long-term ecological health.