Potential distribution of the Sal forest tortoise over unprotected areas
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment
- According to a recent study by ecologists in the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, over 90% of the potential distribution of the Sal forest tortoise falls outside the current protected area’s network.
Image source :The Hindu
Important value additions:
Sal forest tortoise
- It is a species of tortoise.
- It is also known as Elongated tortoise and Yellow Tortoise.
- It is found in Southeast Asia and parts of the Indian Subcontinent, particularly Northeast India.
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
- It is heavily hunted for food and collected both for local use, such as decorative masks, and international wildlife trade.
- In china, a mixture, made by grinding up the tortoise’s shell, also serves as an aphrodisiac.
- Recently, Indian Defence Minister has approved a proposal for the abolition of numerous posts in the Military Engineering Service (MES).
- This was done according to recommendations of the Lt. Gen. D.B. Shekatkar (Retd.) Committee.
- It was appointed in 2016,
- The recommendations ranged from optimising defence budget to the need for a Chief of the Defence Staff.