Abstract
The illegal trade in meat and pets is a well-recognized conservation threat to South Asian tortoises and freshwater turtles. We highlight additional threats from the trade in turtle body parts, particularly in dried calipee of softshell turtles. Evidence from media-reported seizures, publicly available government records, and field-based information suggests that the illegal trade in calipee, which targets endangered softshell turtle species, is more pervasive than previously acknowledged. Between 2007 and January 2024, at least 5351.5 kg of dried calipee (equivalent to 133.8 tons to 246.2 tons of turtles) were seized from South Asia, with several large consignments (more than 500 kg) headed to international destinations, including Hong Kong, China. Given the lack of awareness and enforcement challenges in identifying this product, we expect that the seizures represent a very small percentage of the actual trade. Literature and field-based information suggest that this trade specifically targets endangered softshell turtle species such as Nilssonia gangetica, Nilssonia hurum, Nilssonia leithii, and Chitra indica, further highlighting the conservation concerns surrounding this cryptic trade. We urge the conservation community and law enforcement agencies across Asia, at both source sites and markets, to contribute toward creating a nuanced understanding of this trade and take active measures to mitigate the threat posed by calipee trade to endangered turtles in South Asia.
