Assessment of sand quality of nesting and basking sites of crocodile and turtles in the Chambal River, India

Abstract

Sand banks are very much useful for the aquatic animals for nesting and basking specially in crocodile and turtles. Being aquatic animals the reptiles in the river such as Gharial, mugger and freshwater turtles come out on the sand bank for basking and laying eggs specially constructed by individual female. The Physico-chemical characteristic of 20 nesting and basking sites of crocodiles and turtles in the Chambal River were carried out between Pali-Chakar nagar riverine stretch, approx. 425 kms during nesting season April, 2006. The sand quality parameters namely average temperature (29.2 0C), average moisture content (8%), average pH (7.5), average electric conductivity (1.3 u mho/cm), average available nitrogen (93.7 Kg/h.), average available phosphorous (3.8 Kg/h.) and average potash (416.6 Kg/h.), were analysed reflects on the pristine nature of the river in Chambal. The sand quality analysis indicated that the river sand in the River area is pollution free and can serve as a good habitat for many aquatic animals including reptilian species.