%0 Journal Article
%T Population, Ecology, and Threats to Two Endemic and Threatened Terrestrial Chelonians of the Western Ghats, India
%A Arun Kanagavel
%A Shiny M. Rehel
%A Rajeev Raghavan
%J ISRN Biodiversity
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/341687
%X The Western Ghats part of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot harbors two endemic terrestrial chelonians, the Cochin forest cane turtle Vijayachelys silvatica and the Travancore tortoise Indotestudo travancorica. Population estimates as well as information on the scale and intensity of threats for these chelonians are largely unavailable. This study attempts to address these gaps for two hill ranges of the Western Ghats. Thirty random quadrats at eight forest ranges were surveyed for chelonians and their carapaces recording any found en route and also during opportunistic surveys. Three live V. silvatica and 38 I. travancorica were subsequently encountered and had overall densities of 0.006 and 0.03 individuals per hectare, respectively. These chelonians were found at quadrats with lower light intensity and soil temperature. Nine carapaces were found during the field surveys: seven the result of human consumption, one trapped in a pit, and another consumed by a wild animal. In addition to field surveys, household surveys in 26 indigenous and nonindigenous human settlements resulted in the observation of one V. silvatica and 38 I. travancorica including a carapace. Roads were surveyed to assess the threat they posed to chelonians, resulting in the observation of two I. travancorica road kills. Increased interactions and discussions between the management authorities and local communities need to be promoted if chelonian conservation is to improve in the landscape. 1. Introduction The Western Ghats (WG) region in India, part of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot is globally renowned for its diversity of endemic amphibian, reptile, and fish species [1¨C3]. The two endemic chelonian genera in the WG are represented by the Travancore tortoise (Indotestudo travancorica) and the Cochin forest cane turtle (Vijayachelys silvatica); both threatened with extinction [4, 5]. The cane turtle is listed as ¡°Endangered¡± while the Travancore tortoise is ¡°Vulnerable¡± in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [4, 5]. Of these sympatric, cryptic species, Travancore tortoises are known to be more widespread than cane turtles [6, 7]. The Travancore tortoise is found in rocky hills at elevations of 100¨C1000£¿m a.s.l. across the southern WG in a multitude of habitats, such as evergreen, semievergreen, bamboo, Lantana camara and Cromolarium glandulosum bushes, and rubber and teak plantations [8¨C12]. On the other hand, the Cochin forest cane turtle, known to be a habitat specialist associated with evergreen vegetation, has also been found in semievergreen, deciduous,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.biodiversity/2013/341687/