India, June 6 -- Ecosystem facing rising traffic and habitat pressure

Sir,

It is a well-known fact that Chamundi Hill is a precious piece of wilderness nestled in the bustling city of Mysuru. It hosts an exceptional variety of flora and fauna, thriving on the rich vegetation in the region.

On May 31, we (Jagadish, Nagaraju and I) sighted a tortoise, roughly measuring about 18" from head to toe (see photos). It was camouflaged in the midst of dried, wet leaves and twigs on the narrow strip between the road and the parapet wall.

The smooth, darkened shell and sturdy feet of the tortoise gave us the impression that it was quite old. In order to save it from being run over by vehicles, we carefully moved it to stormwater drain below the c...