Soft shell turtles may have evolved due to metabolism, study finds Small changes in the structure of amino acids have been shown to greatly alter cellular respiration, helping scientists at Oxford University link energy requirements to the evolution of soft shell turtles. The leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) is a curious exception since it appears to have developed its soft shell for regulating temperature instead. Turtle News […]

China’s rich collectors target U.S. tortoise and turtle populations Federal wildlife inspectors were randomly checking packages headed for China a month ago at a downtown Los Angeles post office when they were alarmed to find 170 turtles hidden in men’s socks in a cardboard box with no return address. “This case signals a new and distressing trend: poachers in the U.S. willing to swap our

Chemical cocktail found in Barrier Reef turtles Human medicines and household substances have been discovered in the blood of green turtles in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, researchers said Friday, highlighting the impact of man-made matter on marine life. “Humans are putting a lot of chemicals into the environment and we don’t always know what they are and what effect they are having,” said Amy Heffernan

Once Thought Extinct Species Recovered Thanks to Bullsbrook Resident Archie Gates might not have thought much of it at the time, but when he picked up a small turtle off the road, he single-handedly rediscovered a species once thought to be extinct. Mr. Gates handed the turtle over to his cousin, Robert Boyd, who was intrigued and presented it to the local Naturalist club for

Decoded genome may help tortoise win race to survive Arizona State University’s School of Life Sciences recently decoded the desert tortoise’s (Gopherus agassizii) genome, allowing for more specific methods of protection to be developed. Due to issues of habitat loss, invasive plants and animals, and illnesses, this knowledge can go a long way. Turtle News From Around the World Conservation USA- Virginia Aquarium releases 100th

Volunteers move turtles in Annapolis Harbor before beneficial renovation Because they don’t leave the scene like most other wildlife, helpful volunteers made sure that the various turtle populations were safely captured and temporarily transferred to another location. The renovation of the pond will increase the quality of the habitat and environment. Check out the videos of a sea turtle being helped back to the ocean

Professor working to save endangered Northern Illinois turtle When she’s not busy grading papers or teaching organismal biology at Benedictine, Leigh Anne Harden, Ph.D., likes to trudge through murky bodies of water and dive for turtles — all in the name of research. “My research questions revolve around how ectotherms (cold-blooded) vertebrates function and interact with their environment, particularly in the face of urbanization and