World Turtle News, 03/10/2016

Turtles born out of mass croc extinction

Marine turtles, as we know them today, got an evolutionary leg-up (or flipper-up) when a huge number of ancient crocodile ancestors died out 145 million years ago, according to new research. A paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B uncovered a link between a mass extinction of crocodyliforms – the name given to crocodiles, alligators and their ancient ancestors – and the rise of the marine turtle. This extreme shift took place during the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary – a dramatic time in prehistory in which 80% of the world’s species were wiped out. Select the link to read more…

A third Burmese Roofed Turtle (Batagur trivittata) colony is established, nesting patrols for the painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) and limits set on turtle harvests; see the Conservation section for those and lots more. Sea turtles hatching in a museum! in the Education section. Want to see what a sea turtles throat looks like then see the Biology section. A man advertises for a tortoise walker and a tortoise photo-bomb, in the Miscellany section.

Turtle News From Around the World

Conservation

Nest Patrols Benefit Painted Terrapins in Indonesia

New Burmese Roofed Turtle assurance colony established in February

Bill setting limits on turtle harvests clears Iowa House

ICG reaches out to turtles in distress

Olive Ridleys hatchlings ride into the waters at Kasargod

Star tortoise population blooms in Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary

Education

World Science Festival – You can watch turtle eggs hatching

Biology

Green turtle carcass found on Sabah’s Sipitang beach

Columbus Zoo welcomes newly-hatched pancake tortoise

Video shows inside a sea turtle’s throat

Crime & Punishment

FIA foils rare tortoise smuggling bid

Blog

A Weekend with Olive Ridley Turtles in Velas is Just What You Should be Planning Right Now

Miscellany

NYC Craigslist Ad: Man Seeks A Tortoise Walker To Walk His Tortoise For $10 Per Hour

From the Archives: Omaha zoo launches $15,000 fundraising drive in 1953

#TortoiseSelfie: Phoenix Zoo doctor poses for selfie with curious 80-something ldabra tortoise

Species Facts…

Four-eyed turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata): The holotype specimens described by Siebenrock were found in Phuc Son, Vietnam, north of Annam. The range of S. quadriocellata stretches from central and southern China — including the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Fujian, and Jiangxi — into eastern Laos and northern Vietnam.

Question or Concerns? Want to submit an article to get posted? Email us at [email protected].

Photo from Michael DeFreitas / robertharding / Getty Images.

WTN Editor

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