Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle is an Indian Reptile that bears a scientific name "Hardella thurjii" is a species of turtle found in northern part of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the watersheds of the Ganga River, Brahmaputra River, and Indus River.
Description of Brahminy River Turtle
One of the renowned Indian zoologists Dhruvajyoti Basu first documented the unique reproductive habits of Brahminy River Turtle in 2011. The Prague Zoo incubated the first Brahminy River Turtle which was born in captivity in 2012.
Category of Brahminy River Turtle
Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle belongs to the monotypic genus of Hardella.
Concentration of Brahminy River Turtle
Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle is widely found in the Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling District, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Punjab, Chandigarh, the northern part of Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Malda District, Sunderbans National Park of West Bengal and the deltaic area of Hatania- Doania River.
Shell of Brahminy River Turtle
Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle has a shell with a large, moderately flat, dark brown or black carapace (dorsal surface) and a yellow or black plastron (ventral surface). The shell of Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle is up to 18 inches (460 mm) in length in females, and is shorter in males. The lower jaws of Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle is heavily dented.
Behaviour of Brahminy River Turtle
The reproductive habits of Brahminy River Turtle are unique among reptiles of Indian biosphere reserves in that the female Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle lay their eggs under water rather than on dry land. The reproductive cycle of Brahminy River Turtle or Crowned River Turtle follows seasonal changes in the water levels of the rivers in which they live.
Laying of Eggs by Female Brahminy River Turtle
In autumn, the female Brahminy River Turtle lays eggs under water, where higher water levels submerge the eggs for 40 to 45 days. During winter, lower water levels expose the eggs for five months. The rising water levels of spring submerge the almost mature eggs once again, and the turtles hatch in the river.
