Indian Tent Turtle

About Indian Tent Turtle

• The Indian tent turtle (Pangshura tentoria) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. 
• It is an active swimmer and mainly herbivorous species.
• Habitat: Its habitats include still water pools on the river side and slow running water near the river banks.
• Distribution: The species is native to India, Nepal and Bangladesh, with three subspecies recorded from the region viz., P. t. tentoria, P. t. circumdata and P. t. flaviventer.
• The size of the carapace ranges from 20 cm to 26.5 cm depending upon the subspecies.
• The colour of the turtles also varies according to each subspecies.
• Conservation status
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule 1
  • IUCN Status: Least Concern.
  • CITES: Appendix II.
• Major Threats: Due to the attractive appearance of the species, they are illegally traded in the pet market.

Key points about Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

• It is the premier intelligence and enforcement agency on anti-smuggling matters under the aegis of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Government of India.
• Mandate: DRI has been carrying out its mandate of preventing and detecting cases of smuggling of narcotic drugs & psychotropic substances, wildlife items, notes, foreign currency, hazardous & environmentally sensitive materials, antiques etc. and taking punitive action against the organised crime groups engaged therein.
• It is also engaged in unearthing commercial frauds and instances of customs duty evasion.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Q1) What is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)?

It is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It was founded in 1948 which has become the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. 

Source: DRI rescues 436 baby Indian Tent Turtles in Lucknow