Temple turtles in India could save endangered brethren

Temple turtles in India could save endangered brethren
By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter Published: 15:40 October 22, 2012

Abu Dhabi: Turtles in temple ponds looked after by Hindu communities in eastern India could help save endangered wild turtles thanks to the support of the Mohammad Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.

The Hindus of eastern India release turtles in temple ponds on the occasion of a child’s birth believing that this will extend the longevity of the newborn.
The Mohammad Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund on Monday announced that it has granted $7,000 (Dh25,690) to a project to survey the temple ponds of Assam in eastern India to identify the resident turtle populations.
Scientists believe the temple ponds contain turtle species in eastern India which are critically endangered in the wild.

If verified, scientists may use the temple turtles to help save their wild brethren.

This is one of the projects supported by the $1.5 million grants being given in three phases by the Fund this year, an official told Gulf News.
The second phase grant, worth $500,000, was distributed among 80 projects, including turtle conservation, across the world this month.
The first phase grant of $500,000 was given in May this year and the remaining third phase grant of $500,000 will be awarded in December.
A Fund spokesman confirmed an independent wildlife biologist in Assam, India, was given the temple pond turtle project grant. He said: “We have supported other projects in Assam including one to study spiders, another turtle project and some others.

“However, none of these were to the same individual[s] or organisations.”
The Fund is a significant philanthropic endowment established in 2008 by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to provide targeted grants to individual species conservation initiatives, recognise leaders in the field of species conservation and elevate the importance of species in the broader conservation debate.
Since its establishment, the Fund has distributed more than $8 million to almost 800 projects worldwide.

The grants are awarded to conservationists located in many different countries to help protect plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and fish from the continuing threat of extinction.
Among the projects funded in this round are the critically endangered Short-tailed Chinchilla (Bolivia), as well as the endangered Euphrates softshell turtle (Iran) and Red-breasted goose (Bulgaria).
The Fund also supports conservation projects for species about which very little is known such as the Kauri redcoat damselfly (New Zealand), Bulburin (macadamia) nut (Australia), and the Rainbow goodeid fish (Mexico).
“In a few short years the Fund has already become a leading platform bringing life to species conservation initiatives across the planet through targeted financial support,” said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, managing director of the Fund.