Reducing Turtle Consumption

The illegal trade of softshell turtles for consumption of their meat, eggs, and calipee poses a significant threat to numerous species, jeopardising the survival of those already endangered.  An ever-expanding network supplies substantial quantities of turtles, including the Indian flapshell and the peacock softshell, to the Indo-Bangladesh border. Addressing this critical issue requires a comprehensive and strategic intervention.

This project endeavours to curb the illegal trade of softshell turtles through a multifaceted approach. Utilising a problem analysis framework, we have identified key nodes that can disrupt the trade network, which can be and targeted through collaborative responses. Our demand reduction approach focuses on conserving threatened species, using behavioural techniques to understand drivers of consumption.

Team

Aristo Mendis

Aristo works with the WCS-India and WCS Regional CWT teams. He supports the research components of the CWT projects. He is a postgraduate in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from Pondicherry University. He joined the CWT Programme in October 2018.

Rishik Dutta Gupta

Rishik graduated from Kolkata with a degree in English literature. He has more than 6 years of experience in conservation education and fundraising. His interests include wildlife trafficking, cultural significance of wildlife and human-wildlife interaction.

Shaibal Seal

Shaibal has a postgraduate in Environmental Sciences from Calcutta University. His interests include wildlife trafficking, exploring human-animal interactions, along with communicating behaviour change for conservation. He joined WCS-India as a Research Intern in the Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) team. Currently, he is working as a Project Assistant for the CWT team in Kolkata.

Credits: Photos - Anirban Chaudhuri