Year of the News No. 5 May 2011

Basking in the Wonder of www.YearoftheTurtle.org

Diamondback Terrapins, Malaclemys World Turtle Day terrapin, by Scott McDaniel Don’t forget – May 23 is World Turtle Day! World Turtle Day, sponsored every year since 2000 by American Rescue, was established to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and . Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, including dressing up as turtles, assisting turtles crossing One Year After the roadways (when conditions are safe), Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and taking part in research activities Taking Stock: (such as citizen science volunteer by Priya Nanjappa, Jim Godwin, and David Dimitrie programs). Do you have plans to The Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill that began on April 20, participate in World Turtle Day? If so, 2010 was an incident of unprecedented magnitude. In its aftermath, attention we encourage you to send information focused on the disastrous effects of oiled marshes, soiled beaches, and to [email protected] devastated economies dependent upon natural resources. As herpetologists, on how you are participating. We many of us and our colleagues were also particularly interested in how the also encourage submission of stories spread of oil would affect sea turtles and Diamondback Terrapins occurring in and pictures of your World Turtle those coastal zones. Although we do not have the full answer yet, as you will Day events and activities after May read below, considerable work is ongoing to monitor turtles in this region and 23 for highlighting in a future issue to maintain those of greatest conservation concern. of Year of the Turtle News. More info Because of the ongoing investigations and legal matters pertaining to this on World Turtle Day is available at spill, it is difficult to get an unvarnished assessment of how these www.tortoise.com. are doing, one year later. As we all Inside: page saw in photos that were on the news Turtle Art, Stories & Poetry 2 and internet, many individual oiled animals were observed and cleaned Year of the Turtle Partners 3 if possible. However, the overall Calendar Photo Contest Update 6 impact is yet to be determined, as Turtles in the News 7 the oiling of habitats and animals Citizen Science Programs 8 continues to occur. We present here An Interview with Whit Gibbons 9 a snapshot of what is happening across the Gulf Coast states, and we SWPARC Regional Spotlight 10 thank our friends and colleagues in Emydoidea blandingii, Blanding’s Turtle, by Ryan Miller Upcoming Meetings 12 Continued on p. 4 “Behold the turtle. He makes progress when his neck is out.” — James Bryant Conant (1893-1978), educator and scientist Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 2

Brontosaurus Web comic by xkcd. Find more at www.xkcd.com

Submit Your Turtle Art, Stories, and Poetry Do you have a turtle story or piece of art that could be highlighted during Get Your May Calendar! the Year of the Turtle? How about poetry, such as this submission by PARC Joint National Steering Committee Co-chair Dede Olson: This month’s calendar photo contest winner is Sara Viernum. Brilliant turtle photos Sara is a herpetologist and enjoys Touch hearts and souls as words can’t working with all kinds of Take my breath away and amphibians, especially salamanders. She attended school Submit your turtle art (in jpg, tiff, or pdf format) and copies of your in the Southeastern US and studied stories and poems via email to [email protected]. We will the natural history and habitat be including submissions in upcoming newsletters and in other Year of the selection of the green salamander Turtle materials and outreach efforts throughout 2011, and we want your (Aneides aeneus). Sara currently work to be part of it! lives in Portland, Oregon where she is busy learning about the diversity of herpetofauna of the Pacific Northwest. See this month’s winner (above) and runner-up at www.parcplace.org/YOT YearoftheTurtleCalendarMay.pdf

Loggerhead Musk Turrtle, minor minor, by Sara Viernum. This Year of the Turtle sculpture was created by Dede Olson and made its debut at the NW PARC and SNVB/WA TWS meetings in Gig Harbor, Washington, in March. Created out of a disk sled, a plastic bowl, a children’s coat rack, and a lot of papier mache, the sculpture comes apart into several pieces, but it still filled up the entire back seat of the car. Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 3 Year of the Turtle Collaborating Partners The Year of the Turtle Planning Team is pleased to welcome the following organizations to our growing list of collaborating partners: The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) is a state agency whose mission is to conserve, enhance, and restore Arizona’s diverse wildlife resources and habitats through protection and management programs, and to provide wildlife resources and safe watercraft and off-highway vehicle recreation for the enjoyment, appreciation, and use by present and future generations. AGFD’s Turtles Project manages and conserves Arizona’s turtle species through statewide population monitoring, creation and implementation of state conservation agreements, public outreach, and coordination between state, federal, and private agencies. www.azgfd.gov/turtle.

The Association of Reptilian & Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) is a not-for-profit international organization of veterinarians, veterinary technicians and students, and herpetologists. The organization was founded in 1991 with the goal to improve and amphibian husbandry and veterinary care through education, exchange of ideas, and research. ARAV promotes conservation and humane treatment of reptiles and amphibians through education, captive breeding, and habitat preservation. ARAV publishes the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery, organizes an annual conference, and provides funding for research. www.arav.org

Biotopo Rain Forest is a natural reserve that contains habitat with natural formations and very significant flora and fauna species for science and the natural environment. Here, wildlife has been little altered by the actions of man. The reserve has been created with the purpose of providing a protected natural space to conserve a representative sample of the tropical Pacific forests of Nariño in south Colombia. Turtle species here include acutirostris and nasuta. www.biotopo.es.vg

The Herpetology Group at the University of Quindio (Grupo de Estudio en Herpetologia de la Universidad del Quindio - GEHUQ) is located in Armenia City, Quindio, Colombia, South America. Our mission is to preserve the amphibians, lizards, snakes and turtles present in the coffee region of Colombia through research, and to educate the community to live alongside them so future generations can know and enjoy them. Our area is home to two species of turtles – leucostomum and Chelydra acutirostris. grupoherpetosuniquindio.blogspot.com

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) is responsible for the conservation of the state’s wildlife and the habitats on which wildlife depends for the benefit and enjoyment of citizens and visitors. Year of the Turtle efforts are coordinated through DFW’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (www.nhesp.org) and include agency newsletter articles, training sessions for citizen scientists and utilities staff, technical assistance for property owners, headstarting hatchling programs, production and promotion of turtle events across the state, and creation of turtle publications. www.mass.gov/masswildlife

Our full list of partners can be found at www.parcplace.org/yearoftheturtlepartners.htm. If you are interested in contributing to the Year of the Turtle efforts, please send an email to [email protected] with a brief description of your organization and its efforts. Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 4

Taking Stock, contined from p. 1 Green Sea Turtles, Chelonia mydas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and by Rick Swart. Florida who are working on turtle conservation efforts in the affected areas, and were gracious enough to provide us with the following information. The Louisiana coast was hardest hit due to its proximity to the spill source; for the same reasons, the state is also heavily involved in the current investigations and legal cases. Our colleagues at the Louisiana the recent increase in deaths impact assessment in Alabama. This Department of Wildlife and Fisheries occurring along the Mississippi coast. research includes population and provided the following statement: So far there is no evidence this related reproduction assessment of terrapins “Louisiana and other state and to the oil spill. along the Alabama coast. It also federal natural resource trustees are includes the evaluation of polycyclic still collecting ephemeral data and The overall impact is aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants assessing injury. Our shoreline and yet to be determined, and stress hormone levels in this species our resources are still experiencing as the oiling of habitats of highest conservation concern oil and it would be premature at in Alabama. Read more at http:// this point in the assessment to draw and animals continues www.uab.edu/news/reporter/ conclusions regarding the amount of to occur. news/item/1102-wibbels-marion- injury or cumulative effects on our assess-oil-spill%E2%80%99s- resources.” While Alabama beaches and impact-on-terrapin- coastal marshes escaped, for the most turtle?tmpl=component&print=1. part, the devastating oiling seen in The results of the research will many parts of coastal Louisiana, its provide basic information needed impacts on coastal wildlife are still to assess both acute and long-term a concern. Minor oiling occurred in effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil some of the marshes of the Mississippi spill on the Sound in south Mobile County in Alabama. where Diamondback Terrapins Also in Alabama, sea turtle nesting occur. For five years, Thane Wibbels, has been monitored over the years Ph.D., and Ken Marion, Ph.D., with the assistance of volunteers along from the University of Alabama at the gulf beaches of the Fort Morgan Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin, by Andrew Grosse Birmingham have been studying the Peninsula in Baldwin County where abundance and reproduction of the the majority of sea turtle nesting Mississippi was also affected, Mississippi Diamondback Terrapin. and biologists are involved with the In collaboration with the region-wide region-wide Diamondback Terrapin Diamondback Terrapin working working group on the Natural group, they contributed to the Resource Damage Assessment development of a NRDA for funding (NRDA) process for Diamondback consideration. That proposal is Terrapins and are exploring other targeted at assessing the impact of the avenues for studies investigating the oil spill on terrapins in the northern impacts of the spill on terrapins. Gulf of Mexico. In the meantime Dr. Biologists are also involved in sea Wibbels and his colleagues have been (Caretta caretta) turtle NRDA and are closely following using state funding to begin an oil nestlings, photo by Andy Adams. Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 5 occurs. Last season, eggs from twenty had the oil pushed inland into coastal colleagues continue to monitor the nests were transported to Florida’s rivers. This federally endangered situation and have initiated some Atlantic coast during the worst of turtle occupies freshwater rivers that bold actions to forestall potential the oiling of those beaches. After the transition to brackish water around adverse effects. These turtle species major threat of oiling had passed, the perimeter of Mobile Bay in are key components of important hatchlings were allowed to emerge Alabama and the lower Biloxi and and complex coastal ecosystems, and and venture off into the Gulf as Pascagoula watersheds of Mississippi. their population health is a reflection they would in any other year. Nest In a worst-case scenario strong winds on the health of the ecosystem monitoring will continue and you would push oil upriver into the overall. Because of the broad range of can help! Anyone interesting in habitat of the Alabama Red-bellied potential impacts on these animals, assisting this program can find more Turtle. In preparation for such an their habitats, and their prey items, information from “Share The Beach” event, oil booms had been deployed it may be several years before we get – one of our featured citizen science across mouths of rivers and tributaries a clear picture of the future for these programs this month – at http:// in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, and turtle populations. www.alabamaseaturtles.com/ around parts of Gravine Island where In the meantime, we are heartened volunteering/. red-bellied turtles are known to nest. by the pieces of good news that Thankfully, no Alabama Red- continue to emerge, such as the as bellied Turtle mortalities due to yet unaffected Alabama Red-bellied the oil spill were documented. Turtles, as well as the news in this However, the long-term ecological video about successful rescue and consequences remain unknown. The rehabilitation efforts with sea turtles proximity of red-bellied turtle habitat in Florida: http://www.eoearth.org/ to the Gulf raises the possibility that video/view/163919/?topic=53642. toxic substances could migrate from the Gulf into the adjacent riverine The Year of the Turtle Team thanks habitat, affecting this species and our friends and colleagues at the Adult female Alabama Red-bellied Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Turtle, alabamensis. others in a more insidious fashion. Fisheries, the Mississippi Department In Florida, the story of ongoing of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, the Sea turtles are all federally listed as work is similar. Our colleagues there Alabama Division of Wildlife and either endangered or threatened under Freshwater Fisheries, Alabama PARC, provided the following statement: the Endangered Species Act, and thus Southeast PARC, and the Florida Fish “The Florida Fish and Wildlife and Wildlife Conservation Commission these species received considerable Conservation Commission (FWC) for their helpful input on this article. media attention and public support participated in the development of following the spill. However, NRDA for Diamondback Terrapins comparatively little attention was [and other species]. The FWC is still given to Diamondback Terrapins, a contributing, whenever possible, species that lives in estuaries (habitats to the working group of biologists in inlets and at the mouths of rivers pursuing funding for Diamondback where freshwater and saltwater mix) Terrapin NRDA.” along the coast. In addition, other So, while we cannot definitively turtle species on the fringe of the spill say how these marine and coastal went unnoticed. For one species in turtles are doing following this particular, the Alabama Red-bellied massive and disruptive event, we Turtle (Pseudemys alabamensis), the Diamondback Terrapin, photo by J.D. are encouraged that our friends and results could have been devastating Willson.

Follow all of the Year of the Turtle news and happenings on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/yearoftheturtle2011) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/YearOfTheTurtle). Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 6 Year of the Turtle Calendar Photo Contest Update The Year of the Turtle Calendar Photo Contest has been a tremendous success thus far. Since December, close to 200 individuals have submitted entries into the contest, and a total of nearly 500 photos have been submitted! Entries have arrived from all across North America, as well as Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, the Netherlands, Argentina, Bolivia, and elsewhere around the world. These entries have included fascinating shots of Florida Red-bellied Cooters basking amongst American Alligators, Snapping Turtles crossing the road, and hatchling turtles emerging from their eggs and nests. Species of turtles have ranged from Eastern Box Turtles, Gopher Tortoises, and Red-eared Sliders to Bog Turtles, Western Pond Turtles, Leatherback Sea Turtles, and Leopard Tortoises. We thank everyone who has contributed photos for the contest and for the Year of the Turtle efforts. However, it’s not too late to enter the contest! We are accepting entries all year long. Give us your best shot! For more information and for entry details, please visit www.parcplace.org/news-a-events/201-2011-year-of-the-turtle-calendar-photo- contest-call-for-photos-.html. A selection of our fantastic submissions to date:

Left to right, top to bottom: Anthony Wilson, ferox, Florida Softshell; Andrew Grosse, Malaclemys terrapin, Diamondback Terrapin; Tom Diez, Chrysemys picta picta, Eastern ; Andy Adams, Clemmys guttata, ; David Burkwall, Terrapene carolina, Eastern ; Jim Harding, Emydoidea blandingii, Blanding’s Turtle; Sara Viernum, Apalone spinifera aspera, Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell; Jeroen Duncan, nigra, Galapagos tortoise; Troy Hibbitts, versa, Texas Map Turtle; Rick Dowling, Pseudemys concina, River Cooters Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 7 Turtles in the News The Turtle Survival Alliance Ongoing efforts to capture the recently released exciting nesting Hoan Kiem turtle in in news for two rare species of Asian river order to begin medical treatment terrapins. Read about this latest news finally have proven successful, as the for the critically endangered Burmese giant turtle was captured on April Roof Turtle ( trivittata) and 3. Plans and attempts to capture the Sundarbans River Terrapin (B. and treat the 440-pound turtle for baska) – one of Asia’s most threatened ailments have been ongoing over large river turtles – on the TSA blog the previous several months. The at www.turtlesurvival.org/blog/1- full story from Time can be accessed , , blog/131-exciting-nesting-news- at www.time.com/time/world/ by Mary Kay Baum. for-two-rare-turtle-species. article/0,8599,2063308,00.html. Cuora picturata, the Vietnamese And, for laughs, see why “turtles Box Turtle, has been discovered have it figured out, man” in a comic Ask the Experts! for the first time in the wild. from xkcd.com, available at www. Do you have questions about Previously only known from trade xkcd.com/889/. turtle biology or turtle conservation markets in Asia, the species has been If you have items you would like issues, but you can’t quite seem located on the Langbian Plateau to contribute to Turtles in the News, to find the answers? Submit in southern Vietnam. Read all the please send them for consideration to your turtle questions via email details on this latest discovery from [email protected]. (yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. Wired Science at www.wired.com/ com wiredscience/2011/04/vietnamese- ) to our panel of experts, and we will select questions to answer box-turtle/. in our upcoming newsletter USA Turtle Mapping Project: Turtle Steps, Slow editions. Please include your name and location in your email message but Sure! Help Wanted: We are seeking a few more volunteers from around the USA to help organize and ‘roll-out’ our mapping project. In particular, we would Are You an Educator like a: or Interpretive Southeastern USA regional turtle mapping leader Naturalist? Southwestern USA regional turtle mapping leader We continue to work to develop These ‘leaders’ would help us to collect and map locations of selected turtle a collection of Year of the Turtle species among US States in their region. We have identified leaders for the resources for teachers and naturalists Northeast, Midwest, and Northwest (thanks folks!). to use for turtle education. If you Other types of help with this effort can always be used, and if you are are willing to share, please send interested in assisting in another capacity, such as for a region in a non-leader your unit materials, educational role or for a particular species, please let us know ([email protected]). In program information, websites, addition, several Citizen Science groups, nature centers, and municipalities or PowerPoint presentations to have taken up the call for new information and are doing BioBlitzes or planned yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. surveys in their area to collect turtle locality data. If you are interested in com. Please include your name, the organizing such an event, please find the data we are hoping to collect and the name of your school/nature center species that we are targeting at: http://parcplace.org/news-a-events/year-of- or organization, and location. If the-turtle/203.html. At the end of your effort, send completed data forms to: you did not create the materials, [email protected]. please be sure to tell us where you And please, SAFETY FIRST! found the materials. Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 8 May’s Featured Citizen Science Programs Get involved in a citizen science turtle and other wildlife “roadkill” organizations, environmental (volunteer) program in your throughout the state and even has a consultants, government agencies neighborhood, community, or specific initiative focused on native and public volunteers that live in the elsewhere! turtles. The study hopes to identify Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties Citizen science places volunteers turtle road-crossing “hotspots” of California are all encouraged to of all backgrounds and ages in and prioritize sites that should participate and contribute data. partnerships with organizations have transportation infrastructure The volunteers’ data are vital to the and scientists to collect important improvements. Connecting natural monitoring of the populations of biological data. There are many landscapes is the overall goal of the this species – California’s only native great programs focused on turtles group. freshwater turtle. available to the public. This month Contact Information: Contact Information: we highlight several citizen science Tim Dexter, Stephanie Pappas programs from the US with which MassDOT Environmental Analyst Chelonian Science Foundation (CSF) you can become involved. A full list Phone: 617-973-8306 PO Box 3432 of US and international programs can E-mail:[email protected] Ventura , California 93004 be found at www.yearoftheturtle. E-mail: [email protected] org. We thank everyone who has Mike Jones, Postdoctoral Research http://westernpondturtle.org/ contributed information on their Associate, USGS Cooperative Fish and Presence_Absence_Project.html citizen science programs to the Year of Wildlife Unit Phone: 978-604-1330 the Turtle thus far. Are you involved Share the Beach E-mail: [email protected] with a turtle citizen program or have http://www.linkinglandscapes.info Share the Beach is a partnership information on a specific project that in Alabama among the Alabama you would like to share? Please send Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors information on your citizen science , by Sara Schuster Bureau, Bon Secour National Wildlife programs to yearoftheturtle2011@ Refuge, Mobile Bay National Estuary gmail.com and make sure your Program, ADCNR State Lands, project helps us get more citizens Coastal Section, and NOAA. This involved in turtle science! organization educates the public on sea turtles and their conservation Linking Landscapes for and recruits volunteers to aid in sea Massachusetts Wildlife turtle conservation efforts. Citizen The Linking Landscapes mission is scientists patrol assigned stretches of “to minimize the impact of the existing beach, observe and protect nests when road network on rare and nongame The Presence, Absence hatching time is near, and perform wildlife, while improving highway Monitoring Project maintenance. Annual statistics on safety, through cost-effective research, This project was initiated to turtle nesting activity are compiled planning, and implementation monitor the populations of using volunteer observations. of partnerships with citizens and Western Pond Turtles ( Contact Information: communities of the Commonwealth marmorata). This project was set up Phone: 1-866-SEA-TURTLE of Massachusetts.” This initiative by the researchers of the Chelonian Fax: 251-948-3813 results from collaboration between Science Foundation to collect http://www.alabamaseaturtles. the Massachusetts Department of long-term data about the species’ com/ Transportation, the Massachusetts population stability and trends, as National Heritage and Endangered well as stressors and the success of Species Program, University of reintroduction efforts. Private land Massachusetts, and the Vernal Pool owners, land preserves/conservancies, Association. The group monitors watershed management/restoration Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p. 9 effort in the beautiful coastal habitats An Interview with Whit Gibbons of the Southeastern United States. By Judy Greene, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Do you have any particular advice What, in your opinion, is the biggest during the Year of the Turtle? conservation issue facing turtles today? This may be a little controversial, but I think that it is a mistake that Humans and their activities and people have been discouraged from cultural attitudes will make or break taking turtles they encounter home the future of many, perhaps all, species for observation for a few days. The of turtles. If a resource is not valued hazards to the humans or animals and appreciated, it won’t be protected involved in this activity have been and maintained. The problems facing way overstated. People, and children turtles, and we all know them, are all in particular, are fascinated by animals caused by people directly or indirectly, that they meet personally. Pictures in and by too many people, so humans books and Discovery Channel shows alone hold the key to their collective are educational and important, but futures. can’t compete with the real thing. I am not recommending that people Whit Gibbons and friend. Photo by Judy Do you have a favorite species of break any laws, but having a turtle Greene. turtle? “up close and personal” is the best Dr. J. Whitfield Gibbons, professor In a newspaper article I wrote way I know of to foster appreciation emeritus from the University of in 2003 I stated, “Diamondback of these wonderful beasts. Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Terrapins are my favorite turtle. Laboratory, has authored and co- Imagine a reptile with the dreamy What guidance on turtle conservation authored 21 books (and more than eyes of a golden retriever and the do you have for policy makers, 1000 articles for journals, newspapers unassuming face of a manatee. Add landowners, and politicians? and the popular press) on subjects the docile temperament of a lamb and Lovers of turtles have to remain relating to ecology and herpetology. the beauty of the prettiest seashell. optimistic, forward thinking, and Two of his books feature turtles For extra credit include perseverance proactive in times when there is not specifically and exclusively: Turtles; against natural hazards of coastal a lot of good news. It’s too easy to the Answer Guide (Johns weather, a sea full of predators, and get caught up in the negative and Hopkins Press, 2009, co-authored a century of human-caused adversity. to think all is lost. PARC is doing a with Judy Greene) and Turtles of This tough, attractive little turtle great job of engaging people about the Southeast, (UGA Press 2008, co- has a record for getting through conservation issues, and turtles are authored with Kurt Buhlmann and rough times with no complaints.” benefitting. For example one local Tracey Tuberville). Whit (as he prefers My sentiments have not changed. success story for turtles happened in to be called) became interested in An added bonus to working with May 2009 when concerned citizens, turtles in 1953 when he was invited terrapins is that it has afforded me including many members of PARC, to participate in a Tulane University the opportunity to expend time and field trip to search for turtles on were able to get a law passed in South southern rivers with Don Tinkle, Carolina that prevents commercial who was a graduate student at the exploitation of our native turtles time. This opportunity sparked his (which were being targeted for the career in herpetology, and an interest food markets of Asia). in these sturdy reptiles that continues today. *The views and opinions of interviewees are not necessarily shared by all Northern Diamondback Terrapin, members of PARC or other Year of the photo by Kevin Plitt Turtle Partners Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p.10 PARC Regional Working Group Spotlight: Get Involved in Turtle Conservation in Arizona with SWPARC and the Arizona Game and Fish Department little is known of the reasons because this burrowing species is elusive. Participants collect data such as habitat and land use from box turtle localities, which will allow us to determine where the species is still abundant and provide insight into the cause for their decline. For more information, visit the Ornate Box Turtle Watch website at www. azgfd.gov/boxturtlewatch.

Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola) in southeastern Arizona. Photo Sixty-two-pound alligator snapping by George Andrejko. turtle ( temminickii) captured in 2010 during nonnative When most people think of Arizona, turtle trapping event in Phoenix. Photo turtles generally don’t come to mind. by George Andrejko. However, Arizona has six species of inform the public on the importance native turtles (Arizona, Sonora, and of responsible pet ownership and the Yellow Mud turtles; Painted Turtle, threat from nonnative species to native Ornate Box Turtle, and Desert wildlife. If you have a pet turtle you Tortoise). Arizona’s turtles share many can no longer care for, place it with a of the same threats faced by all North Male ornate box turtle (Terrapene reptile rescue organization instead of American chelonians, including the ornata luteola). Photo by George releasing it. introduction of nonnative species and Andrejko. habitat loss and degradation from KEEP CAPTIVE TURTLES urbanization. The Arizona Game and CAPTIVE Fish Department’s Turtles Project manages turtles statewide through Another serious issue threatening population monitoring, provision of Arizona’s turtles is the release or escape grants, and coordination with state, of captive turtles. Pet aquatic turtles are federal, and private agencies. Citizen often dumped into urban water bodies scientists also take an active role in our when their owners can no longer care efforts: Here are a few of the many ways for them. With the help of hundreds to get involved in conserving Arizona’s of volunteers, we hold an annual turtle populations. nonnative turtle trapping at an urban Phoenix pond. We have trapped almost REPORT BOX TURTLE 600 turtles representing 15 species ENCOUNTERS (only one native) during five years. The The Ornate Box Turtle Watch males are marked and returned to the Program asks the public to report pond. The females, and any restricted observations of wild box turtles or injurious species (such as snapping in southeastern Arizona. Arizona’s and softshell turtles), are removed and Audrey Owens showing a young placed with the Phoenix Herpetological volunteer how to weigh a turtle captured Ornate Box Turtle populations, like during nonnative turtle trapping event Society in an effort to reduce breeding other North American box turtle in Phoenix. Photo by Cristina Jones. populations, appear to be in decline, but and slow their spread into native waters. In addition, through volunteers we Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p.11

Cristina Jones with a 100 lb African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) found living in the Superstition Wilderness, Pinal County, Arizona. Photo by Andy Bridges.

LEARN TO IDENTIFY TURTLES With the popularity of turtles in captivity, including the desert tortoise, escaped captive chelonians (native and nonnative) are increasingly being found outside their enclosures, wandering neighborhoods and sometimes even natural desert areas. People who find a turtle often want to know what it is and whom to call, so we created an online identification guide to Arizona’s commonly kept captive turtles. We hope this website will raise awareness that many turtles encountered in Arizona do not belong here. To view the identification guide, visit www. azgfd.gov/turtleID.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has been actively involved with national PARC efforts as well as the SWPARC Regional Working Group since PARC’s inception. For more information on opportunities to help, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Turtles Project website at www.azgfd.gov/turtle. Year of the Turtle News No. 5, May 2011, p.12 Upcoming Meetings and Events Heckscher Spring Festival. April “Year of the Turtle Day”, SW PARC Annual Meeting, August 30-May 1, Long Island, New York. Connecticut Dept. of Environmental 10-11, Tucson, AZ Protection and Friends of Sessions River Park North/Walter L. 9th Annual Symposium on the Woods, June 26, Burlington, Stasavich Science & Nature Center Conservation and Biology of Connecticut. “North Carolina Turtles in Peril” Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles. Program, with Guest Speaker Joint Meeting of Society of Co-hosted by the Turtle Survival Jeff Hall, PARC Biologist, May 5, Wetland Scientists, Wetpol, and Alliance and the IUCN Tortoise and Greenville, North Carolina. Wetlands Biogeochemistry, July Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. 3-8, Prague, Czech Republic. August 14-17, Orlando, Florida. Terrific Turtles program, May 21, MassAudubon’s Laughing Joint Meeting of the American Current Research in Sonoran Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and the Society of Ichthyologists and Desert Herpetology V Symposium, Town of Hampden, Hampden, Herpetologists League, and Society August 15-16, Tucson, Arizona. Massachusetts. for the Study of Amphibians and Northeast PARC Annual Meeting, Reptiles, July 6-11, Minneapolis, World Turtle Day. May 23. Minnesota. Includes the Biology of August 16-17, Millersville, Maryland. Second Mediterranean Congress of Turtles of the Upper Mississippi Herpetology, May 23-27, Morocco. River Basin Symposium, July 10-11. Society for Ecological Restoration International World Conference. Turtle Release and Celebration, Western Association of Fish and August 21-25, Merida, Mexico. May 27, Massachusetts Division Wildlife Agencies - Summer of Fisheries and Wildlife release of Meeting, July 15-21, Big Sky, The Wildlife Society, Central head-started Northern Red-bellied Montana. Mountains and Plains Section Cooters at Burrage Pond Wildlife Turtles and Snakes program, Meeting. August 23-25, Gering, Management Area, Hanson, July 16, Trustees of Reservations Nebraska. Massachusetts. naturalist Rene Wendell, Sheffield, Traveling Turtles program on Massachusetts. Subscribe Now! seasonal breeding migration, June American Museum of Natural 11, South Shore Natural Science History’s Southwestern Don’t miss the upcoming Center, Norwell, Massachusetts. Research Station course on field editions of the Year of the Turtle News! If you have Turtle Time at MassAudubon’s herpetology, July 24 - August 3, Portal, Arizona. not already, subscribe to the Ipswich River Sanctuary, June 12, monthly electronic newsletter Topsfield, Massachusetts. Ecological Society of America 96th by submitting an email with Turtles of the Outer Cape Field Annual Meeting, August 7-12, the subject “subscribe” to School, June 22-25, MassAudubon’s Austin, Texas. yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, com. Wellfleet, Massachusetts. TSA Announces a Call for Papers for 9th Annual Symposium The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) has announced a call for papers for the 9th Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles. The Symposium, held jointly with the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, will be held August 14–17, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. For abstract submission guidelines and further information on the Symposium, including how to register, visit www.turtlesurvival.org/get-involved/2011-conference.