World Turtle News

Florida State University thinks climate change could bring short-term gain, long-term pain for loggerhead sea turtles New research from conservation biologists at Florida State University and their collaborators suggests that while some loggerheads will suffer from the effects of a changing climate, populations in certain nesting areas could stand to reap important short-term benefits from the shifting environmental conditions. In an investigation of 17 loggerhead […]

Letter to the Editor: Will the BLM help or harm threatened Mojave desert tortoises? 1990, the mojave desert tortoise was officially listed as a threatened and declining species under the federal Endangered Species Act. Despite being placed under this legal protection, this species along with many others still continue to decline. Under this Act, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other agencies must

70 rare Assam temple turtle hatchlings released in ‘Mini Kaziranga’ 70 rare and endangered freshwater turtles of two species; the black softshell (Nilssonia nigricans) and indian softshell turtles (Nilssonia gangetica), were released yesterday in the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. These turtles were bred in the ponds of two temples in Assam, an area of India with high turtle biodiversity. The restocking of these two species was

Hurricane Dorian could wash sea turtle nests out to sea amid promising nesting season The hurricane is hitting just as beaches are moving from egg-laying season into hatching season, said Grace Dotson, senior scientist at Ecological Associates, which monitors sea turtle nests on sections of shoreline throughout the Treasure Coast. “We still have a few nests being laid,” she said, “but we’re getting a lot

As recorded fires in the Amazon rainforest climb, Brazil’s citizens wait for government to fight illegal deforestation and end burning “The number of fires in the Amazon biome topped 41,858 in 2019 as of August 24 (up from 22,000 this time last year). Scientists are especially concerned about wildfires raging inside protected areas, such as Jamanxim National Forest in Pará state and Mato Grosso’s Serra

CITES CoP18 ends; among many amendments made, 5 turtle species moved from Appendix II to Appendix I (You can see the entire list of decisions made regarding proposals here) “The Conference revised the trade rules for dozens of wildlife species that are threatened by unstainable trade linked to overharvesting, overfishing or overhunting. These ranged from commercially valuable fish and trees to charismatic mammals such as

Research shows invasive red-eared slider turtles compete with native turtles for resources A recent study conducted at UC Davis Arboretum found that invasive red-eared sliders (RES) (Trachemys scripta elegans) strongly compete with native western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) for several resources. 117 RES were removed from this habitat during the study and researchers discovered that western pond turtles gained on average 40 grams in weight

24,000 olive ridley sea turtle eggs seized near Salina Cruz, Oaxaca “This seizure is one of the largest we have carried out,” Profepa said. “What’s more, the person [apprehended] is apparently a repeat offender and presumably one of the largest gatherers and distributors of turtle eggs in the region.” The maximum penalty for trafficking in turtle eggs is nine years in prison and a fine

Record number of fires recorded this year in the Amazon rainforest, home to 45 species of turtles Wildfires often occur in the dry season in Brazil but they are also deliberately started in efforts to illegally deforest land for cattle ranching. Inpe said it had detected more than 74,000 fires between January and August – the highest number since records began in 2013. It said