New program, app released in CA, USA to help scientists and public help protect the western pond turtle
Last month Tokatlian launched a new turtle-tracking project through the Midpen Biodiversity Index at the online app iNaturalist. The district is asking people to be on the lookout for the turtles. Through the app, people can upload pictures of the turtles they spot and include data such as time of day, where they were found, turtle activity and other measurements that will help scientists understand the turtle populations and the quality of their environments.
Participants can take a short introductory training with Tokatlian or simply report their findings.
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
Cape Verde: researchers at University of Exeter release study with fears that certain areas of hatchling sea turtles will be all female by 2100 due to climate change
Canada: see Maya the Blanding’s turtle’s (Emydoidea blandingii) interactive video tour of the Long Point Biosphere (VIDEO)
USA: Topsail Beach, NC currently has 128 sea turtle nests, twice as many as last year, numbers still climbing (VIDEO)
Crime & Punishment
Bloomberg.com: how wildlife traffickers use social media to find black market buyers
Miscellany
UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre: view a map showing current global distribution of sea turtle nesting sites
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Photo from Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.
