How conservation dogs are changing how we protect endangered species, remove invasive ones, and detect diseases “Working a detection dog is so much more than holding the end of the leash,” explains Holder. “You need to be able to think on your feet, keep yourself your partner safe, and make educated decisions. You must take into account what you see from your dog and how […]

Sea turtles nesting earlier in SC and Southeast as climate change takes hold Leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles have started the nesting season off early. Reports indicate that at least five leatherback nests have already been laid at beaches in South Carolina – weeks early! This phenomenon is likely another sign that warmer seas and sands are becoming a more serious threat to these declining

Plastic pollution poses threat to African turtle paradise Despite conservation efforts by the oceanic island Príncipe—whose beaches provide crucial nesting sites for green, leatherback, and hawksbill turtles—sea turtles face a barrage of human-induced threats. The most prominent threat includes plastic pollution, where many turtles have been known to ingest (at all life stages) as they often mistake plastic debris for food. To catch the full

Olive Ridleys start sporadic nesting at Gahiramatha The sporadic nesting of endangered olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacae) has started at Gahiramatha beach, India. Around 20 turtles have laid eggs in the last two days at Nasi- 1 of the islands at the beach, said Forest Range Officer of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Debashis Bhoi. Forest personnel are on high alert as more turtles will arrive

Biologist Grégory Bulté creates 3D printed sex dolls to test mating habits of northern map turtles Bulté and his team used a 3D printer to create two artificial female ‘sex dolls’ to test the reaction from males in the mood for mating. One doll was a little smaller than average, and the other was close to the largest size ever recorded for a female mapping

USA: Calypso the famous green sea turtle passes at The National Aquarium, MD Calypso was rescued by the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation Riverhead, NY in 2000 after stranding in the Long Island Sound with an infected front left flipper, which was later amputated to prevent the spread of infection to healthy tissue. When rescued, she weighed just 6 pounds and was believed

Green turtle rescued from fishing net poops out all kinds of human trash A green turtle (Chelonia mydas), off the coast of Argentina in the Atlantic, was found trapped in a ghost net by Roberto Ubieta – a fisherman. The turtle was quickly taken to a rescue centre of the San Clemente Institution where veterinarians got to work aiding the trapped turtle. However, whilst rehabilitating