Phakhawat Thaweepworadej
The project focuses on the escalating crisis facing freshwater turtles in rapidly urbanising Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand. Bangkok is one the most populated tropical mega-cities yet located in one the global biodiversity hotspots. At least five native freshwater turtle species have been documented in the area, four of which are globally threatened, including the Critically Endangered Yellow-headed Temple Turtle (Heosemys annandalii) and the Endangered Black Marsh Turtle (Siebenrockiella crassicollis). Many remnant urban wetlands may function as “ecological traps,” appearing suitable but lacking the quality for long-term population sustainability. The fundamental goal is to generate crucial data on these threatened populations to inform and enhance conservation efforts within one of Southeast Asia's most rapidly urbanising cities.
Our integrative approach to document and support conservation urban freshwater biodiversity includes turtle biodiversity surveys, anthropogenic threat assessment, and outreach activities. We focus on 50 urban wetlands across levels of urbanisation intensity to map the distribution and abundance of native freshwater turtle species and assess factors influencing diversity and distribution patterns including anthropogenic threats, documenting incidents such as road mortality, pollution, and invasive species. Turtle biodiversity data will be collected from both systematic ecological surveys and citizen science platforms like iNaturalist to establish a baseline and guide field site selection for outreach activities.
The integration of citizen science to ensure sustainability and long-term impact is a critical component of the project. We aim to improve public awareness by designing and launching a community-based turtle monitoring program. This involves organising public workshops, training sessions on turtle identification, and nature walks in partnership with local NGOs (e.g., Green World Foundation, Nature Play and Learn Club). Findings of this project will be translated into a concise policy brief developed in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to integrate turtle conservation into urban biodiversity planning and policy, establishing a lasting platform for environmental stewardship.