Michaela Wiersema

Sea Turtle X-rays Present a Solemn Reminder to Protect Our Fragile Ecosystems Could a turtle really become a gold mine? This unfortunate sea turtle was the victim of such a phenomenon. “Piggy Bank” was discovered by a group of locals and was transported to the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Center in Chonburi province, where veterinarians performed x-rays to determine the cause of an […]

Monumental Release of Juvenile Natator depressus Marks an Exciting Move Towards Conservation Efforts Tuesday marked an exciting point in the conservation of Natator depressus, which is a vulnerable species with an unusually small range, found only in Australian waters. A group of these turtles were raised from hatchlings at Sea Life Sunshine Coast until one year of age before being released off Bundaberg coast. Not

Researchers Work to Save Malaclemys terrapin Russell Burke, a professor of ecology at Hofstra University has been studying and tracking Malaclemys terrapin in an effort to preserve the native species which is under severe threat and has been declining rapidly. Burke’s studies are directed towards determining the reason for this decline and he hopes that this will bring benefits for the Jamaica Bay ecosystem as

Sea Turtle is an Unfortunate Victim of an Abuse Case After being in rehabilitation for a year at the Agriculture Ministry of the Marine Rescue Unit facilities at Jiyyeh port, Lucky the sea turtle was transported to Hammoud University Hospital in Sidon for continued medical treatment. Last year he was the unfortunate victim of a senseless beating after becoming stranded on a Lebanon beach. He

Unique Canine Works to Save Sea Turtles Could a dog really do anything to actually protect turtles, rather than eat them? Captain Ron is a Pocket Beagle specially trained to sniff out sea turtle eggs buried below the surface of the sand. He uses the scent of the mucous covering on the eggs to find each nest, whereupon scientists are able to collect their data.

Tortoise Center Kept Under Wraps Barbed wire and guard dogs- it sounds like an army base, when in fact inside resides some of the world’s most endangered tortoises, Astrochelys radiata. This Madagascar tortoise haven is the head-quarters of the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), which works tirelessly to conserve many of the worlds chelonian species in danger of extinction. Astrochelys radiata is highly sought after by

Debate Surrounds Australian Turtle Conservation Efforts For years Pseudemydura umbrina was presumed to be a totally extinct species, until the 1950’s, when the rediscovery of the species prompted great excitement among conservationists and scientists. As of now there are an approximate 50 breeding adults in the wild, and biologists have been working tirelessly to preserve the remnant of this fragile species. The newest development is

New Conservation Steps for Critically Endangered U.S. Native Glyptemys muhlenbergii, the Bog Turtle, is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, and is native to the eastern United States. The Conservation Trust for North Carolina and the Boone-based Blue Ridge Conservancy recently purchased 179 acres of mixed hardwood forests and pine stands, which included the remains of a pond now turned into a wetland. This

Couple Dedicated to Wildlife Restoration Billy and Marcia Boothe are heroes of ecosystem preservation, beginning with their purchase of 22 acres in in Gadsden and Liberty counties in the late 90’s. From the beginning their intent was to restore the native wildlife and conserve the natural resources of the raw, pristine habitat. In addition to working to restore the Longleaf Pine on the property, as