Though they are well-camouflaged in the slush and mud of the canal bed, poachers know where to look for them. Armed with a stick or rod, they keep poking until they hit the turtle’s hard shell.
Gaddam Yesu, who is still in his teens, does not know that the reptile he is selling is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The specimens he has caught weigh about one kilo, and he quotes Rs.150 for each. He is sure to get at least Rs.100 for them. The pig-nosed turtle, which was added to the ‘Vulnerable’ category in the Red List in 1996, is unlike any other freshwater turtle in the world. Herpetologists say it is the turtle best adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, with the exception of marine turtles. They grow to about 70 cm in shell-length and weigh over 20 kg.
P. Gracious, former Assistant Conservator of Forests, says the demand for turtle and tortoise meat is high because people believe it has aphrodisiacal qualities.
“It is easy to sell anything if you claim that it has aphrodisiacal qualities. A number of wildlife products are in the country with such claims,” he says.While there is also a demand for pig-nosed turtles in the exotic pet market, only experienced aquatic turtle keepers can maintain them: they are shy, prone to stress and get sick easily.
Breeding is also not an option for hobbyists because adult turtles are highly aggressive.
The Forest Department, which has to be informed about the reptiles within 48 hours of capture, has no record of pig-nosed turtles being kept as pets in the city or of them being sold.