World Turtle News

Turtles Might Play a Key Role in Climate Change Studies on the migration and genetics of hawksbill, loggerhead and green turtles show that they might play a key role in climate change, according to the Emirates Wildlife Society-World Wildlife Fund. With rising temperature they are seeking insight on their behaviour in warm seas. “In the first phase of the project, they have found that turtles

Breakout year predicted for Hicatee hatchlings in 2017 On 17-19 September, members of the TSA joined BFREE staff in Belize in performing annual health checks of all the Hicatee (Dermatemys mawii) at the HCRC. This year, an ultrasound performed by Dr. Boylan revealed 20 females carrying eggs or follicles, and 60-120 eggs are expected to be laid in December. This is a huge growth and

Beach Ambassadors Laurie Reichenbach has picked up trash as she walks South Walton’s beaches ever since before she even moved here. One day in late spring she posted on Facebook asking if there was any interest in forming a beach ambassador group to help educate visitors about beach matters. Her idea was simple: she and a group of interested volunteers would simply wear T-shirts with

Australian government considering greater regulation of Indigenous hunting The Australian Prime Minister has asked the environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, to investigate serious complaints that vulnerable and endangered animals are being subjected to great cruelty by some Indigenous families and killed merely for commercial purposes, not cultural purposes. Frydenberg has accepted Turnbull’s request to investigate the matter. “I’m an absolute supporter of native title rights for

Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia, saving river terrapins The Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia has helped save thousands of eggs and facilitated the release of thousands of hatchlings into Terengganu rivers. Chen Peif Nyok, said that they have managed to save 2,491 turtle eggs and released 1,302 hatchlings into the Setiu River between 2004 and 2014, and another 3,754 eggs and 2,401 hatchlings into the

USDA Releases Two-Year Strategy to Help Gopher Tortoise The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Thursday released a new two-year implementation strategy to help restore, enhance and protect longleaf pine forests in the Southeast, part of an ongoing effort to help the gopher tortoise rebound and combat the need for additional regulation of the species. Click the link to read more and download the pdf

Protecting sea turtles on Côn Đảo Islands Every year, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature cooperates with Côn Đảo National Park to launch a Marine Turtle Conservation volunteer programme, aiming to promote community-based conservation of sea turtles and their habitats. 12 fortunate applicants become members for the programme and are assigned to the three big islands of Bảy Cạnh, Tre Lớn and Cau

Turtle Survival Center “live, breathe and sleep turtles 24/7” Pampering rare and endangered turtles is all in a day’s work at the facility operated by the nonprofit Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). The Turtle Survival Center specializes in breeding species native to Southeast Asia. Turtles in that region have been especially hard hit since the 1980s, when China’s currency became convertible, causing demand for meat and

Euthanasia Might Be The Only Solution Approximately 75 red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans are currently living in a pond in Pennsylvania. The major problem is that this species is considered as invasive in the state since it is not native to Pennsylvania. The major risk for the local painted turtle is the transmission of disease due to the overpopulation of the red-eared slider. “Though plans