Distribution, Habitat use and Threats of Elongated Tortoise ( Indotestudo elongata) in Bahungadi forest, Jhapa, Nepal

Abstract

Turtles of Nepal are grouped into three families: Geomydidae, Testudinidae, and Trionychidae. Among them, the elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) under the Testudinidae family is a medium sized terrestrial tortoise native to South and Southeast Asia, including Nepal. It is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is included in CITES Appendix II. The specific distribution patterns and ranges of the elongated tortoise in Nepal are poorly known. Bahundagi Forest at eastern part of Jhapa District, bordering India to the east, is one of the optimal habitats for elongated tortoise, however, detailed ecological records that are vital for adequate conservation and management strategies are still lacking. This study aimed to understand the factors influencing the distribution and habitat uses of elongated tortoise in Bahundagi Forest and their conservation threats and understand the people’s knowledge on the elongated tortoise of Bahundagi Forest. The Bahundagi Forest was split into 500 m × 500 m grids, and 50 % forest coverage was statistically chosen using QGIS 3.38.0. A total of 60 grids were surveyed to collect data on the presence and absence of the species, using both direct and indirect evidence. Ecological variables, along with direct and indirect evidence, were recorded every 100 m within each grid. Spearman’s rank correlation was applied to detect multicollinearity among continuous variables, with those showing high correlation (ρ > |0.7|) were excluded. The Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was employed from the MuMIn package in R Studio (version 4.2.3) to identify the most significant factors influencing tortoise presence. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between tortoise occurrence and three key factors: canopy cover (CI = 4.73398–0.13866, p < 0.03), food availability (CI = 3.89–4.03, p < 0.04), and proximity to rivers (CI = 1.656559–0.00082, p < 0.001). From the questionnaire survey, hunting for meat and medicine, habitat destruction, and wildfire were the major threats in decline of elongated tortoises in Bahundagi Forest. To safeguard this species, conservation initiatives such as reforestation programs, forest fire prevention strategies, and wildlife protection measures should be implemented.