Sustainable Choices to Protect Chaco Side-necked Turtle

An overview of Chaco-Side-necked Turtle 

Chaco Side-necked Turtle is enlisted in the IUCN list as an endangered animal
Photo Source: Wikipedia

Chaco Side-necked Turtle is a species of turtle. Its scientific name is Acantochelys Pallidipectoris. It is considered as threatened or endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It lives in subtropical or tropical moist forest and found in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. It only lives in temporarily flooded lowlands of the dry shrub forest, marshes, artificial lagoons, and ponds. It requires impassable soil (clay) to live. It is a terrestrial freshwater animal so, it lives both in the water or on land where it burrows into the soil depending on the seasons. It hibernates during the cooler dry season. According to the report by IUCN, turtle shares its natural habitat with a large diversity of amphibians and fish like kingfish. So, when it comes back from the estivation the water bodies do not contain sufficient animals or insects for nutrition since they have been dried out. Thus, it primarily feeds from skimming and filtering microorganism from the surface of the water.Then, it feeds on small aquatic prey, insects, spiders, tadpoles, fish, and small organisms later in the season. It reproduces in rainy season during the summer. The other natural threats to this biome are drought and extremely low temperature in winter and extremely high temperature in spring and summer caused by the climate change. Likewise, international internet trade is another major threat to Chaco-Side-necked Turtle. 

A critical threat to Chaco-Side-necked Turtle

A critical threat to this species is cattle farming followed by the monoculture of soybean in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia where.The land conversion of tropical forest into agriculture land and industrial cattle firming are causing threats to the turtle. The large-scale industrial cattle farming and intensive monoculture of soybean have resulted in deforestation and overgrazing causing habitat loss of Turtle. Also, the herbicides and pesticides used in the cultivation of soybean have negatively impacted soil quality and other flora and fauna in these areas. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, in South America, beef production was responsible for 71 percent of total deforestation between 1990 and 2005. South America is one of the largest beef production continents in the world. According to the Grist.Org, Argentina was once the world's fifth largest economy, due to the strength of its global dominance in the beef trade. It was long known as a hungry cow's heaven. It is believed that the world's best beef was produced by Argentina because of its climate and natural grass diversity. But this has changed now with the introduction of feedlots. About 80 percent of the country's beef is produced through feedlots. And the feedlot has introduced massive soybean cultivation. This has created another threat to Chaco-Side- necked Turtle. 

Soybean cultivation in South America has caused tropical deforestation and land conversation. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, estimated half a million hectares of land in South America are deforested for soy cultivation every year. Soybeans are cultivated to feed cattle like cows, pigs, and chickens. Especially, soybeans are feed to beef through feedlots for high production of beef. According to the Mighty Earth, approximately three-quarters of the world's soy goes to animal feed. This has cleared land and caused threats to this species. 

Land clearance in Gran Chaco in Bolivia for Soybean cultivation
Source: Mongabay.com 

A description of the link between people in Keene and this particular threat to biodiversity

People of Keene contribute directly or indirectly to this particular threat to biodiversity as they consume food products from different fast food hubs like McDonald, Windy, Wal-mart, Burger King or Pizza Hut. These food hubs are great exporters of beef from South America in the form of processed beef. Such food hubs lack proper transparency on selling meat. According to the report of Union of Concerned Scientist, the United States was the top destination for processed beef exports from Brazil in 2015. Such meet is produced causing deforestation or with massive land-conversion. And people at Keene consume beef in the form of hamburger and stake from different food hubs without knowing how and where they are produced. 

While being more specific, McDonald at Keene has late night service for its customers with home delivery which is very convenient for Keene State students.They are highly benefited by this service and many of them order food items late night from McDonald. Similarly, the United States is one of the largest importers of leather products. People at Keene consume different leather products like jackets, bags, and boots. To meet such high demands of leather goods, extensive cattle farming is done causing deforestation and clearing of lands. This destroys the habitat of the turtle. 

A lifestyle choice that people in Keene can make to limit this threat

People in Keene can contribute to limit this threat and save this biodiversity by shifting their choice from exported meat to sustainably produced local meat. Farmers should choose grass-fed production of meat over feedlots. Local farms and farmers who practice sustainable cattle farming should be supported by consuming their local products. People in Keene can consume meat from local farms or farmers' cooperatives like Grass Roots Farmers' cooperative which practices sustainable local pasture-raised meat maintaining food safety and protecting the environment.

Food hubs like McDonald, Burger King, and Windy should give priority to the locally produced meat instead of exported meat. Factories should be replaced by local farms with sustainable animal husbandry. Doing so can benefit both environment and human health. Likewise, people should make a wise decision on their consumption of clothing and leather products. People should choose B corps certified clothing brands like Patagonia, Fair trade certified brands like Eileen Fisher and PACT Apparel which practice sustainable fashion using recycled materials, organic cotton and does not harm the environment. 

People at Keene can contribute to save this endangered species and stop land conversion and deforestation by making rational choices and sensible decisions on consumption of food or clothing. Living mindfully and making even a single wise decision can make a big difference in the environment where we live and beyond.

McDonald's chooses sustainable beef