Population Status, Threats and Conservation of the Spotted Pond Turtle; Geoclemys Hamiltonii (Gray, 1830) (Geoemydidae) of Pakistan

Authors

  • Amtyaz Safi .Department of Zoology (Wildlife Section), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Zaheer Khan Department of Zoology (Wildlife Section), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
  • Roohi Kanwal Department of Zoology (Wildlife Section), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
  • Hans Volker Karl .Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Dpt. Pre-historic and Early historic Archeology, Löbdergraben 24a, 07743 Jena, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jzr.v3i1.2880

Abstract

In the present work on population status, threats and conservation of thespotted pond turtle; Geoclemys hamiltonii (Gray, 1830) (Geoemydidae)was conducted in Thatta, Sujawal and Badin districts of Sindh provinceof Pakistan. A total number of 277 live specimens of G. hamiltonii fromsoutheast province (Sindh) of Pakistan have been collected from differentwater bodies and sites in three consecutive year’s i.e 2015-2017. Thepopulation status of G. hamiltonii has recorded as decreasing in Sindhdue to habitat destruction, eutrophication, agricultural farming and someother anthropogenic activities. This species is mostly used as pet and thepoachers mostly carrying this species for trade in East Asian countries. Theglobally illegal trading hubs of this species are Bangkok, Taiwan and HongKong. More and powerful actions and efforts are needed to raise awarenessof smuggling of wildlife, with a specific need of formal memorandums ofunderstanding (MOUs) are strongly encouraged south Asian and east Asiancountries to control illegal trade between the countries and territories alongthe trade route of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Hong Kong andTaiwan to improve cross border enforcement.

Keywords:

Population status, Threats, Conservation, Geoclemys hamiltonii

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