Why in news?

India’s proposal for transferring Leith’s Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia leithi) from Appendix II to Appendix I of the CITES has been adopted by the Conference of Parties (CoP) to CITES

Highlights:

• The species is listed on Schedule IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which gives it protection from hunting as well as trade.
• Poaching and illegal trade of protected turtle species is a major challenge in India with seizures of thousands of specimens reported every year

How this provides protection ?

• The CITES Appendix I listing of this Turtle species would ensure that legal international trade in the species does not take place for commercial purposes.
• It would also ensure that international trade in captive-bred specimens only takes place from registered facilities and further that higher and more proportionate penalties are provided for illegal trade of the species.

Leith’s softshell turtle

• Large fresh water soft-shelled turtle and it inhabits rivers and reservoirs.
• Distribution : Found in peninsular Indian rivers including the Bhavani, Godavari, and Moyar Rivers.
• Endemic: Peninsular India in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha
• IUCN status: Critically Endangered