First study on the survival and dispersal of captive-reared narrow-headed softshell turtles along the Yamuna River, India

First study on the survival and dispersal of captive-reared narrow-headed softshell turtles along the Yamuna River, India Conservation breeding and head-starting programmes are widely implemented to bolster wild populations of threatened species.However, monitoring the survival of head-started individuals in the wild is often hampered by funding limitations, difficulties with obtaining necessary permits and fieldwork constraints.Despite these obstacles, assessing survival rates is essential for evaluating the success of such conservation initiatives.The narrow-headed softshell turtle Chitra indica, one of India's most enigmatic and elusive freshwater turtle species, is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.Native to the Indian subcontinent, this species has declined as a result of poaching and habitat change.