Source: ETV
Context: On World Turtle Day, Nagshankar Temple in Assam was officially declared a model temple for turtle conservation.
About Nagshankar Temple Model for Turtle Conservation:
- Location: Situated in Biswanath district, near Sootea town, approximately 70 km from Tezpur, Assam.
- Historical Background:
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- Believed to be built in the 4th century AD by King Nagashankar of Nagakha dynasty.
- Dedicated to Lord Shiva, but also honours turtles as incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
- Key Features:
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- Houses a large pond home to 250–300 turtles, including critically endangered black softshell turtles.
- Also, home to peacocks, pythons, deer, making it a micro-wildlife sanctuary.
- The temple serves both religious and ecological purposes.
- Turtle Conservation Efforts:
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- Biodiversity Preservation:
- Pond supports three rare species: Black Softshell, Indian Softshell, and Malayan Softshell turtles.
- The pond is fed by the Brahmaputra River basin, offering a suitable habitat.
- Community-Led Protection: Nagshankar Temple Committee works with Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) India, Help Earth, and Kaziranga National Park.
- Scientific Intervention: Forest department artificially incubates turtle eggs and releases hatchlings into the wild.
- Replication Across Assam: Around 25 temples across Assam now serve as turtle conservation hubs, including Hajo’s Hayagriva Madhav Temple.
- Biodiversity Preservation:
