Comments on: India: Life on the Chambal

By: njr_sd

njr_sd — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:45:20 +0000

Is the high heat you are experiencing “normal” for that area ? Does the heat mean your hatchlings are more likely to be male?

Brian responds: Excellent question! Yes, the high heat is normal for this area. The turtles compensate for this by digging very deep nests. First the females dig a “body pit” then dig a nest chamber with their hind legs. Nest depth ranges from 30 to 45 centimeters! Also the area is prone to sand storms coming from the Thar desert in the west that can blow additional sand atop the nests. But nonetheless we monitor all the nest temperatures with miniature temperature data loggers. From those data we can make predictions on ratios of males and females produced each year in our riverside hatcheries.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:08:55 +0000

I admire your tireless efforts and wish you much success. Thanks for your willingness to persevere in grueling conditions. The world is a better place because of people like you.

By: pelf

pelf — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:54:44 +0000

Hey Brian, it’s really good to be able to learn more about what you’re doing in India! Well, not exactly “learn more”, but speaking of the heat, I feel you We’ve been getting really weird, extreme weather here in Malaysia too. It’s way too hot during the day, and in rains every evening.

I look forward to reading more about you and your project in India! Take care.

By: Shirley Sykes

Shirley Sykes — Wed, 20 May 2009 02:48:53 +0000

I’m sorry about your excessive heat, Brian. My husband used to talk about it and the monsoon rains (he was a G.I stationed in India during WW2). But, the work you are doing to preserve and maintain these marvelous turtles is wonderful. Bringing a species back from the brink of extinction is surely one of the finest things a human can do! Thanks so much for sharing this information, and I hope we will hear more from you about this important project.