Dynamics of the global trade Asiatic Softshell Turtle (Amyda cartilaginea Boddaert 1770): Shifting trends in commerce and consequences for sustainability

Biodiverse countries such as Indonesia provide the exotic Asiatic Softshell Turtle (Amyda cartilaginea Boddaert 1770) for the wildlife trade. Deciding which trade model is detrimental to species survival in the wild can be a major challenge for Management Authorities (MA) in implementing CITES. The consequences for conservation, long-term use, and livelihoods are uncertain. The study used the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) trade database. The collection of raw data is based on trade reports for the species of freshwater turtles (testudinidae) for the period 2011 to 2021, export countries from Indonesia, export destinations for all countries and sources of harvested turtles from the wild. This research aims to study the freshwater turtle trading trends over the decade, compare total quotas to actual harvest, and recognize how the precautionary principle is applied in harvesting A. cartilaginea. Harvesting and trading are following the quota regulated under the Indonesian government. However, conservation efforts were less emphasized, so it is feared that there will be a population decline and even extinction in the future, while the population in the wild cannot be ascertained. The larger the harvest quota set and the shorter the harvest period, the larger the natural population that must be available.

Population assessment of the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock Harlan, 1834 at Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park, Bangladesh, and conservation significance of this site for threatened wildlife species

Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park (Inani) is a wildlife habitat in Bangladesh located under the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division, Cox’s Bazar. It constitutes significant habitat for the charismatic and globally ‘Endangered’ Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock in Bangladesh. Here, we show that Inani is a poorly-known gibbon habitat with a population of seven groups, comprising a total of 18 individuals. Among them, 77.8% were adults (males and females), and 11.1%, 5.6%, and 5.6% were sub-adults, juveniles, and infants, respectively, indicating low reproductive output. Five of seven groups had no offspring present in the group, and the mean group size of 2.57 individuals/group is low compared to other habitats in Bangladesh. Beside Western Hoolock Gibbon, Inani is home to many threatened wildlife species. The first record of the Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula erithacus in Bangladesh occurred in Inani, adding this new species to the national bird checklist of Bangladesh. The presence of the globally ‘Endangered’ Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Phayre’s Langur Trachypithecus phayrei, & Elongated Tortoise Indotestudo elongata and the globally ‘Vulnerable’ Northern Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca leonina, Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus, Indian Leopard Panthera pardus, & Asiatic Softshell Turtle Amyda cartilaginea highlight the importance of Inani as a conservation area in Bangladesh. The Western Hoolock Gibbon and other threatened wildlife of Inani are now on the verge of local extinction due to a sharp increase in forest resource extraction resulting from the recent influx of large numbers of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, many of whom have settled around Inani. Through stakeholder interviews in the area, we have identified feasible and measurable conservation actions at Inani that are urgently needed to prevent further loss of wildlife and to protect this important gibbon habitat.