Spotlight: Ashby King, N.E.S.T. volunteer and inventor! Knowing that funding and equipment can be difficult to find in the world of conservation, Ashby wasn’t content to hope for better- she literally invented the equipment required to aid the Network for Endangered Sea Turtle’s (N.E.S.T.) efforts. Known as a hydrophone, the device detects underground sounds made by sea turtle hatchlings in the nest as they become

Turtle shells served as symbolic musical instruments for indigenous cultures Turtles served as more than tasty treats for many Native American tribes throughout North America. In fact, turtle shells were used as rattles and other musical instruments, said FSU Associate Professor of Anthropology Tanya Peres. “Music is an important part of many cultures in ways we may not realize,” Peres said. “Musical instruments have a

Reintroduction Project Proves Successful For Rebounding Populations Of Gopherus Polyphemus Gopherus polyphemus is the quintessential necessary partner for a variety of wildlife in the southern state of Georgia; in fact, 250 additional species are dependent on this desert dweller for their burrows and protection from predators. Unfortunately, human encroachment and predation have taken a heavy toll on the population of Gopherus polyphemus, and thus has

Developing Initiatives To Continue Improving Successful Recovery Program For Emydoidea Blandingii A small Chicago suburb is not known to many, but it actually hosts a plethora of beautiful ecosystems and boasts a variety of unusual wildlife. Emydoidea blandingii is just one of the many reptiles which inhabit Lake County, IL, and unfortunately, their conservation status has declined to the point of endangerment; however, the Lake

Former Turtle Butcher Turns Rescuer With Incredible Backyard Hatchery In a secrete Wisconsin urban yard, Joe works tirelessly filling buckets, digging holes, and chopping food. A closer look will reveal hundreds of tiny turtles in various stages of development in pools surrounding his property. This is an late summer tradition for “Turtle Joe”, rescuing the multitudes of turtles that hatch from nests laid that spring.

Canadian Fishermen Help Scientists Study the Dermochelys coriacea In the fishing grounds of Atlantic Canada, June to October is “turtle season”, the warmest time of the year and the months when fishermen are most likely to spot leatherbacks coming up from the South. Leatherback turtles are the giants of the sea turtle world. Up to 2,000lbs, longer than 6ft, and with those shiny parallel ridges

Organization Heads Program Focusing On Developing Strategies To Restore The Sea Turtles Of Malta Off the western coast of Malta lies a little-known gem of an ecosystem which is incidentally also a sea turtle nesting site; however, recent years have shown a significant increase in hatchling fatalities at Gnejna Bay. After a surprising one hundred hatchlings successfully emerged and made it to the ocean just

Chinese volunteers help save tens of thousands of sea turtles in Sri Lanka Wu Tianqi, a Chinese university student, originally planned to come to Sri Lanka this year as a tourist just to admire the country’s natural beauty, but soon found that it would be more meaningful to be a volunteer for a local turtle conservation project. “In this way, I could learn more about