Elusive turtle from Himalayas turns up in Chhattisgarh tiger reserve, surprising forest officials

RAIPUR: Deep inside the forests of Chhattisgarh’s Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (UTSR), forest officials have stumbled upon an unexpected visitor usually associated with the Himalayan foothills — the rare Himalayan Tricarinate Hill Turtle, a shy and elusive species whose presence in central India is now being seen as a major ecological clue rather than just a wildlife sighting.The discovery has triggered excitement among wildlife researchers and forest officials alike, primarily because the Tricarinate Hill Turtle is typically found in moist sub-Himalayan and northeastern forest ecosystems with perennial water sources. Its appearance in the Udanti-Sitanadi landscape is being viewed as a strong indicator of improving forest health, undisturbed habitats and recovering ecological conditions inside the tiger reserve.Known for its distinctive three-ridged shell and secretive behaviour, the turtle is rarely spotted even within its conventional habitat range. Wildlife experts believe the sighting points towards the existence of highly intact microhabitats hidden within the reserve’s dense forest corridors.What has made the find even more significant is that it comes amid a string of unusual wildlife records emerging from the reserve over the past few years.Deputy director of UTSR Varun Jain said the tiger reserve has recently documented species such as the rare Malabar pied hornbill, Indian giant and flying squirrel and smooth-coated otter — all species heavily dependent on dense forests and minimal human disturbance.Jain linked the resurgence partly to intensified protection measures across the reserve. According to the department, more than 80 anti-poaching operations have been conducted in the last four years, backed by drone surveillance, AI-enabled monitoring systems, intensified jungle patrolling and crackdowns on wildlife offenders.The forest department described the discovery as a reminder that many of central India’s forests may still be hiding undocumented biodiversity. Officials have also appealed to local communities and wildlife enthusiasts to avoid disturbing fragile habitats and support conservation efforts.