Matt Knight

Alligator snapping turtles found thriving in Houston, TX During a survey of other wildlife in the area, wildlife biologist Eric Munscher found them by accident in traps he’d set along the banks. Munscher works with the Turtle Survival Alliance and says it wasn’t a surprise that they were there. “We just never thought that there was a successful population here,” he said. Turtle News From […]

World’s largest green sea turtle rookery has placed 21 satellite trackers so far This year, researchers have successfully fitted another 21 female green turtles with satellite trackers, which will help us better understand the nesting patterns of green turtles at Raine Island. Ms Enoch said research will help analyse how last year’s work on sand dunes is improving the turtles’ nesting success. The Raine Island

Data report comes in from deceased leatherback sea turtle washed ashore on Argyle Shore, Canada Roughly a dozen veterinarian students were able to observe part of the four-hour necropsy performed Monday and look inside the turtle. The necropsy was done to determine the cause of death but also to gather useful information on the leatherback. Jones says no definitive cause of death has been determined

Lonesome George lives on: genome study of giant tortoises explores size, longevity, and resistance Comparison of these genomes with those of a diverse range of species unlocks a treasure trove of secrets about how giant tortoises get to be so large, long-lived (typically up to a century) and resistant to infections and cancer. Turtle News From Around the World Conservation USA: Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) released

UPDATE: the 51 Indian star tortoises seized in Singapore now at Bannerghatta National Park’s quarantine center (Original story here) The tortoises are kept in a specially created 4,000 square feet enclosure. The area has been fenced off to keep elephants, leopards and the lone wild tiger at bay. A forest guard and a Wildlife SOS volunteer will monitor the animals round-the-clock. A special night kraal

Giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa) populations recovering in Brazilian Amazon The turtles’ recovery appears to have also buoyed beach biodiversity in these riverside habitats—and it’s all thanks to four decades of conservation efforts made by local communities. “Community engagement is an essential ingredient in wildlife and natural conservation,” says Kristen Conway-Gómez, a geographer and conservationist at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, who did not

Gumbo Limbo marks end of sea turtle nesting season The count for this year’s nesting on Boca beaches was 686 loggerheads, the big ones. Greens accounted for 19 and leatherbacks 18. The count was down for loggerheads and greens from last year, 767 and 300 respectively. Only five leatherbacks nested in 2017. Turtle News From Around the World Conservation India: fishing ban in place starting

Ultrasounds of sea turtles from Ningaloo Reef help to track where eggs are being laid The team were looking for turtles carrying egg follicles, which resembled golf balls on the ultrasound screen. “But what we’re looking for, instead of a baby, is essentially little round balls and so when we find those, they look like little ping-pong balls or golf balls, then we know we’ve

Microplastic count on Cyprus beaches second highest ever recorded Microplastics — defined as less than 5mm in diameter — come from numerous sources including discarded plastic items that have broken apart, microbeads from cosmetics and microfibres from clothes. Turtle News From Around the World Conservation USA: NOAA asks for citizen scientists in Hawaii to record locations of marked basking sea turtles Crime & Punishment Australia: