Staff Members

Ben is a Husbandry Specialist with more than 20 years of captive husbandry experience across countless chelonian species. His main responsibilities for theTurtleRoom (tTR) include working to develop quality, detailed captive breeding programs of carefully selected turtle and tortoise specimens in an effort to meet tTR’s conservation goals and providing images and knowledge towards tTR’s educational efforts. Ben was the first author and coordinator for the AZA’s Indotestudo forstenii Studbook; his animals and offspring are part of the AZA SSP and TSA’s efforts. He has worked with this species for well over a decade now and has unmatched success. Ben also uses his expertise to lead husbandry efforts with many other highly endangered species; his crowning victory is the successful husbandry and incubation of Heosemys depressa, a feat which few have been able to achieve. When not caring for his turtles and tortoises, Ben enjoys spending as much time with his family as he can.