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of the News No. 11 November 2011

Basking in the Wonder of www.YearoftheTurtle.org Highway Construction Translocation Study Leads by Scott Farnsworth, Down a Different Road: Ranavirus Towson University A large six-lane toll road was being One of the study constructed in central Maryland, with a radio approximately 16 kilometers north transmitter glued to of , DC, and the the side of its shell. project included trying to mitigate the impacts on wildlife including Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina). This provided an excellent opportunity to study the efficacy of the methods that were being used for mitigation as well as being able to examine a particular type of translocation. When I started working on this project in 2008, I associated with translocations. What included both our study animals and knew that it was likely that some of we didn’t expect is the number of also other resident turtles that were the study animals would die from dead turtles that we saw. It became found incidentally during the study. the construction activities. We also a regular occurrence to find a shell They showed no signs of expected that translocated turtles or carcass, and many days we found or of being crushed by construction might have higher mortality rates more than one. or other vehicles. They were often due to the wide variety of problems The dead turtles we were finding Ranavirus continues on p. 5

Inside: page Ranavirus Infection in Aquatic Turtles Year of the Turtle Partners 2 by Debra L. Miller and Matthew J. Gray, Center for Wildlife Health, University Turtles in the News 3 of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA Ask the Experts 3 The more we learn about probably best known to affect box Citizen Science Projects 4 ranaviruses, the more worrisome turtles and other primarily terrestrial they become. Ranaviruses can be Mercury & Nesting 7 turtles, with numerous mortality deadly to many taxa including events reported. However, aquatic Desert Education 8 , amphibians, and fish, and it turtles also can be affected, but their Education 9 appears that interclass transmission susceptibility to ranaviruses remains Interview with Peter Paul Van Dijk 10 is possible. Currently, researchers unclear. are investigating the susceptibility Raleigh Aquatic Turtle Adoption 11 The lesions associated with of aquatic chelonians to ranaviruses ranaviral disease can be severe in Helping Baja Sea Turtles 12 and the parameters necessary for turtles. In terrestrial turtles, ranaviral Upcoming Meetings 13 transmission from one class to the lesions primarily include necrosis Turtle Talk! 14 next. For chelonians, ranaviruses are Aquatic Turtle Ranavirus continues on p. 5 “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. 11, November 2011, p. 2 Get Your November Calendar One of these things is not like the others... James Stuart photographed this lineup of six Western Painted Turtles and one Big Bend Slider on a spring day in New Mexico. Download this month’s Year of the Turtle Calendar to get a better look at this month’s winner and runner-up by downloading your calendar at parcplace. org/images/stories/YOT/YearoftheTurtleCalendarNovember. pdf There’s one more month to enter the 2011 Calendar Photo Contest! We are accepting entries until December 15. Give us your best shot! For more information and for entry details, please visit www.parcplace.org/news-a-events/224.html.

Submit Your Turtle Art, Stories, and Poetry Do you have turtle art, stories, or poetry that could be highlighted during the Year of the Turtle? There’s still time to submit your turtle art (in jpg, tiff, or pdf format) or copies of your stories and poems via email toyearoftheturtle2011@ gmail.com! We are looking for submissions to include in the December issue of the newsletter as well as in final Year of the Turtle materials and outreach efforts, and we want your work to be part of it!

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 Department of Environmental Conservation’s Bureau of Wildlife is responsible for managing all the wildlife in the State of New York. The Bureau had its origin in the Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission established by an act of the legislature April 25, 1895, at a time when many wildlife populations were threatened. Today the Bureau of Wildlife is involved in the restoration, recovery and range expansion of several amphibians and reptiles, including state endangered bog and mud turtles, and state threatened Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), in to stabilize and enhance populations for the enjoyment of future New Yorkers. www.dec.ny.gov/animals/277.html

The Spanish Herpetological Association (AHE) has 25 of expertise in conservation and research of Spanish amphibians and reptiles. AHE has developed a herpetological information server (SIARE; http://siare.herpetologica.es) that is a system for detecting and monitoring the loss of biodiversity in Spanish herpetofauna. Another current project is the coordination of the Spanish marine turtles tagging program (www.herpetologica. es/programas/programa-de-marcado-de-tortugas-marinas). AHE will coordinate the tagging program, and also the training courses for the tagging staff. www.herpetologica.es Our full list of partners can be found at http://parcplace.org/news-a-events/year-of-the-turtle/237.html. If you are interested in contributing to the Year of the Turtle efforts, please send an email to yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. com with a brief description of your organization and its efforts. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 3 of-the-Turtle-at-Wellfleet- Turtles in the News Library#axzz1cKLEjMhT. Some 100,000 turtles, including tagged turtles to help find the answers the Northern to this mysterious virus. Find out more Nesting numbers for Leatherbacks River Terrapin and the Black Soft- on the research at www.abc.net.au/ and Green Sea Turtles in shell Turtle, are sacrificed as part of the news/2011-10-20/scientists-research- have continued to improve this Hindu celebration of Kali Puja which deadly-turtle-herpes/3580424. year, while numbers have stabilized started recently in Bangladesh. Held for Loggerheads, according to once a year, and corresponding with Bob Prescott, director of counts conducted by the Florida the festival Diwali, sacrifices of turtles Massachusetts’ Audubon’s Wellfleet Wildlife Commission (FWC). Blair are made to Kali, the Hindu goddess Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, will be Witherington, research institute of power, demonstrating the fine line presenting a three-part seminar, scientist at FWC, attributes these that is often present between traditions “Celebrating the Year of the Turtle,” numbers “at least in part to major and turtle conservation. Warning: this at the Wellfleet Library starting on conservation efforts over the past story contains graphic images. Read November 3, and continuing on few decades.” Get the full story from more at www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ November 10 and 17. The series, The Palm Beach Post News at www. article-2054278/100-000-turtles- which kicks off with a presentation on palmbeachpost.com/news/sea- sacrificed-ritual-slaughter-celebrate- Box turtles, will educate participants turtle-nesting-numbers-have- Hindu-festival.html#ixzz1c67wbOqs. on the species that inhabit Cape biologists-encouraged-1905968. Cod, Massachusetts, and the efforts html. World Wildlife Fund and James to preserve them. Read more on Cook University researchers are the upcoming series and on several If you have items you would like teaming up to investigate a deadly Northeastern US turtle species at to contribute to Turtles in the News, virus that is affecting marine turtles www.wickedlocal.com/truro/ please send them for consideration to off the coast of Queensland, Australia. news/enviroment/x1769239937/ [email protected]. Researchers will monitor electronically Lecture-series-celebrates-Year- Ask the Experts! 2. Many of the pet turtles being produced on farms are Why don’t we take unwanted pet Red-eared Sliders and not ‘pure-bred’ Red-eared Sliders, scripta elegans release them back into the wild in the states that they are (TSE), but are 50/50 hybrids with Trachemys scripta scripta native to? I am sure you would have to do health checks or back-crosses of hybrids with any kind of genetic mix- to make sure that we are not releasing sick ones that could up (crosses are exempt from the European Union ban on threaten healthy wild populations but isn’t there some TSE, so are intentionally produced in volumes on farms). alternative for all these misplaced pets? Can’t local Fish and Releasing such animals into native populations would Wildlife organizations collect them and ship them to the amount to genetic pollution of the native population. states they are native to and then have the Fish and Wildlife agencies there release them? 3. The process would be expensive (vet checks, staff handling time, shipping costs of large turtles according to Joanne Cloud humane transport rules, etc.) and entirely funded by either Vancouver, Washington the government, taxpayer, and/or charitable organizations. Joanne, Peter Paul van Dijk The concept of collecting unwanted pet Red-eared Sliders Deputy Chair, International Union for the Conservation and shipping them back to native habitat is certainly a of Nature (IUCN) most compassionate way of disposing of these unwanted Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group individuals. There are, however a number of concerns about this: Do you have questions about turtle biology or turtle 1. There is a possibility / risk that such animals bring ‘exotic’ conservation issues, but you can’t quite seem to find the diseases—pathogens or parasites picked up in different areas answers? There is still time to submit your turtle questions outside their native range--into a native population at the via email ([email protected]) to our panel site of release. (See the articles on Ranavirus in this issue of of experts for the December newsletter! Please include Year of the Turtle News.) your name and location in your email message. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 4 November’s Featured Citizen Science Programs Get involved in a citizen science (volunteer) program in your neighborhood, community, or elsewhere! Citizen science places volunteers of all backgrounds and ages in partnerships with organizations and scientists to collect important biological data. This month we continue to highlight sea turtle citizen science programs, including ways you can become involved in Florida as well as Kenya, Africa! A full list of all our US and international turtle citizen science programs can be found at www.yearoftheturtle. org. We thank everyone who has contributed information on their citizen science programs to the Year of the Turtle thus far. Are you involved with a turtle citizen program or have information on a specific project that you would like to share? Please send information on your citizen science Watamu Turtle Programme, Kenya programs to [email protected] and make sure your project helps us get more citizens involved in The Watamu Turtle Programme offers a variety of turtle science! opportunities through the United Nations Biosphere Reserve’s Watamu Marine Park located in Kenya. Volunteer Sea Turtle Volunteer Patrol opportunities usually last 4-8 weeks (extensions available) and cover conservation and research, education and This program was set up to involve volunteers from awareness, and community development. Conservation Manatee and Sarasota counties, Florida and has been and research include beach patrols, nest excavations, net in existence for the past 29 years. The program covers releases and rehabilitation, among other tasks. Education approximately 35 miles of beach in total. Volunteers are and awareness includes producing signs, assisting at the asked to walk a one-mile-long stretch of beach one or two Local Ocean Marine Centre, and helping with “Awareness days a week from May 1 to October 1. The volunteers Days.” Community development consists of working on look for signs of nesting and hatching activity every ideas for alternative income to help fishing communities morning. There is a yearly one-day training session, with unsustainable marine resource exploitation, working usually in April, which every volunteer must attend to be on local crafts, and creating awareness in recycling and able to participate. composting. To become a sea turtle patrol volunteer, e-mail turtles@ mote.org with your contact information and they will let Contact Information you know when the next training session is. Volunteer Turtle Program Coordinator For other volunteer opportunities, contact the volunteer Email: [email protected] office at [email protected] http://www.workingabroad.com/page/180/watamu- turtles-kenya.htm

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and Twitter (http://twitter.com/YearOfTheTurtle). Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 5 Box Turtle Ranavirus continued from p. 1 able to confirm Ranavirus in those located within the heart of the amphibians as well. stream valley park, nowhere near the The level of mortality we have seen construction or other roads. Another in this population is alarming, as clue that something else was going survival is well below that necessary on was that we were finding them to maintain a viable population. This in the summer rather than over the concern is not isolated to our site, winter as reported in many other as Ranavirus has been implicated in translocation studies. We were also box turtle mortalities at three other finding live turtles that were showing Symptoms in box turtles include sites just in Maryland, including a signs of disease. These signs included yellowish plaques in the mouth. population of box turtles that are This turtle died one day after the in an outdoor, open exhibit at the swollen eyes with discharge around examination and was sent to the USGS the eyes, discharge around the mouth National Wildlife Health Center, where Baltimore Zoo. And it is likely that and nares, yellowish or black plaques it tested positive for ranavirus. this is occurring in many more places in the mouth, and some animals Since the mortalities were occurring but is going undetected because of the exhibited gaping behavior as well as in the middle of the summer, when speed of the disease and the narrow acting lethargic. However, there were we found a dead turtle it was often too time-frame during which a carcass is times we would locate an decomposed to send in for necropsy, suitable for necropsy. There is a lot of showing no obvious signs of disease, but we were able to send in eight great work being done to investigate and just a couple of days later it was over the past three years. Of those, Ranavirus, but there is a lot that we dead. six tested positive for Ranavirus. We still need to know, especially about We had heard that other turtles also had die offs in two consecutive the long-term population-level in Maryland were found dead and years of larval amphibians in the two implications for a species of turtle that a Ranavirus had been isolated main wetland areas located within that most people think is in little and implicated for those mortalities. our study site. The first year we were danger of extinction.

Aquatic Turtle Ranavirus continued from p. 1 death of the animal can be unclear. Hemorrhages and edema present in a post- Thus, there is a need to conduct hatchling Red-eared controlled laboratory experiments to Slider. understand the impact of ranaviruses

of the oral cavity and internal ranaviruses in the laboratory. In organs (usually respiratory tract and these experiments, primary infection gastrointestinal tract), but also may and death have been documented. include ocular and nasal discharges. In zoological facilities (aquaria), In aquatic turtles, lesions primarily aquatic turtles that have died and include hemorrhages and ulcerations, tested positive for ranaviruses often with the latter frequently occurring have concurrent infection with in the gastrointestinal tract. Few secondary, opportunistic parasites species of aquatic turtles have been or pathogens. In these cases, the Intestinal ulcers in an adult softshell experimentally challenged with role of the ranaviral infection in the turtle. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 6 on various turtle species. These data A few scientists have recently begun transporting animals from one are necessary to develop management to survey for ranaviruses in aquatic watershed to another, and disinfecting protocols. For example, if in some turtles and are generating often- boots and equipment when moving turtle species ranaviruses simply surprising results. These data will from one watershed to the next. make the turtles more susceptible to allow us to realize the prevalence of We know so little about ranaviruses secondary invaders, then aquarium ranaviruses, especially when multiple in the various amphibian species personnel will need to incorporate classes are tested during surveillance. but we know even less about treatment for the secondary invaders One important consideration is the them in turtles. At the recent into their husbandry regimes. Such role of humans in global distribution First International Symposium on vigilance in captive populations will of ranaviruses. Ranaviruses can be Ranaviruses, scientists from around remain necessary until a treatment or transmitted on animals that are the world joined forces and formed preventative for ranaviral infections is transported from one system to the the Global Ranavirus Consortium found. next (e.g., animals taken from a pond (GRC). The GRC is composed of In a pond system, the possibility in one state and released in a pond in scientists who are investigating all of interclass transmission in another state, animals used as fishing aspects of ranaviruses and within all poikilotherms is frightening as bait) as well as on equipment (e.g., three affected classes (amphibians, one vertebrate class could serve as boots, nets). Thus, it is important for fish, and turtles). The GRC holds to a reservoir for another. This could all of us to take precautions to avoid the ideal that by working together, we be especially devastating to highly spreading this pathogen. Precautions can achieve more. We like that way of susceptible species, especially if their can include using disposable gloves thinking! numbers are already critically low. to handle animals, refraining from

2012 Year of the Lizard is Coming! Announcing a Monthly Calendar Photo Contest

In 2012, PARC will launch our Year of the Lizard awareness campaign to raise the profile of lizard conservation needs. As part of this campaign, we are pleased to announce a monthly Calendar Photo Contest! Similar to our 2011 Year of the Turtle Calendar Photo Contest, we are seeking close-up, digital photos of lizards, preferably in their natural habitats or within an educational or conservation context. One winner and runner-up will be selected each month to be featured as part of the Year of the Lizard online (printable) calendar. More details are coming soon, so be sure to begin getting your lizard photos ready to enter!

Columbus Zoo Year of the Turtle Lecture Nov. 3 The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is presenting a Year of the Turtle lecture on Thursday, November 3rd from 7:00-10:00 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm) at the Ohio State University Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43210. Speakers at the event will be Rick Hudson (president of the Turtle Survival Alliance) and Dr. Omar Attum (Egyptian Tortoise Conservation Project). Staff members from the Department and Animal Encounters will also be on-hand with displays and live turtles and . A reception will be held following the presentations. Tickets are $10 and the proceeds will benefit the Zoo’s Turtle Conservation Fund. Space is limited and tickets can be purchased in advance at www. columbuszoo.org. For more information, visit the Zoo’s website or call (614) 724-3485. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 7 Does mercury or maternal health impact nest success? by Debra Miller, Justin Perrault, Jeanette Wyneken* Leatherback Sea Turtles Therefore, the environment, as well (Dermochelys coriacea) are the largest as maternal input, may contribute of the sea turtles, growing to over 7 to mercury and selenium loads in feet (> 2m) in length, yet at hatching, hatchlings. The source(s) of mercury they will easily fit in the palm of an and selenium in leatherbacks have adult human hand. Pollutants from not been documented, but we anthropogenic sources are among the hypothesize that they accumulate threats marine turtles face and the from both water and their prey pollutant of concern to us is mercury. (), but not in the nest. Mercury enters the ocean through Our study shows that maternal industrial sources and natural health status impacts hatching geologic processes and accumulates success of their respective nests. within body tissues progressively up Several blood values from nesting the food chain. Within the body, leatherback females have been found selenium may be used to detoxify An adult Leatherback Sea Turtle to be correlated with hatching success. alongside a hatchling, to show the size mercury in the liver through the difference. For example, a blood parameter that formation of mercury-selenium is generally associated with chronic complexes. In some species, it has Blood mercury and selenium disease was higher in females who been demonstrated that as mercury concentrations have been had fewer eggs successfully hatching concentrations rise in the body documented in nesting leatherbacks from their nest. This was the first tissues, selenium concentrations from and but, documentation of a relationship may become exhausted, resulting to date, no levels have been surveyed between hatching success and in selenium deficiency. In birds and in hatchling sea turtles. Further, maternal health in sea turtles! reptiles, mercury and selenium may there is minimal research aiding our This study continues to be rich in be transferred from females to their understanding of maternal transfer of exciting discoveries and innovative offspring via the yolk. selenium and mercury in sea turtles. approaches. To date, many veterinary We have been conducting a large- A significant positive correlation has and biology students have gained scale study to investigate mercury and been observed between egg content valuable experience on this study selenium levels in Leatherback nesting (yolk and albumen) and maternal and we hope to continue it in the females and their hatchlings. The goal selenium; however, as hatchlings future. Most importantly, we hope to of this study is to gain insight into develop in ovo, mercury and selenium build upon the valuable information the possible role that mercury might concentrations may increase as a result we have gained to help manage this play in affecting hatching success. of water and gas exchange between amazing species! Concurrently, we are collecting the egg and the nest environment. basic blood parameters to be used by diagnosticians and biologists for population studies and baselines for comparisons in rehabilitation of stranded or injured turtles. *Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Miller, formerly from UGA, Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, Tifton, GA) Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL (Perrault, Justin (a Ph.D. student) Wyneken) measuring a hatchling. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 8 One Desert, One Tortoise, One Chance: The Information and Youth Education Program by Kyle Pong conservation of the desert tortoise. Max. students can enter by The Living Desert and Desert going online to www.deserttortoise. Managers Group have partnered to gov or www.LivingDesert.org. One create and support the Desert Tortoise entry is allowed per student. Winners Information and Youth Education in each county will receive gift cards Program (DTIYEP). The DTIYEP for themselves and their sponsoring provides students in nine southern adult, a visit from a desert tortoise California counties the opportunity and spokesperson, T-shirts for their to learn about the desert tortoise in entire class and more! Students who The Desert Tortoise ( their classrooms. live in Clark County, Nevada, can agassizii) is one of four tortoise The first opportunity available is enter at www.mojavemax.com . The species found in the United States. the Tortoise Trunks. Tortoise trunks contest begins November 1st, so get It can be found in four states – are fully equipped containers that your entries in! California, Nevada, Arizona and can be sent to your school. All trunks For more information about these Utah. Recent research has proven contain detailed lesson plans and all opportunities please contact kpong@ genetic, physiological and behavioral the materials needed to teach those livingdesert.org or 760-346-5694 differences between the Sonoran lessons. The curriculum has been x2116. and Mojave populations of the aligned to California state standards. desert tortoise leading to a split Currently trunks are available for between the two species, the Mojave grades 3-4 and grades 5-6, with a K-2 (Gopherus agassizii) and the Sonoran grade trunk becoming available early (Gopherus morafkai). While both next year. populations struggle to survive, the The second Mojave population is recognized as opportunity threatened by the United States Fish is the Mojave and Wildlife. M a x i n e Efforts to save this species can start E m e r g e n c e with educating the public in addition Contest. The Juvenile desert tortoise. to the recovery plan written by the Mojave Max federal government. Education contest was opportunities provide some of the started by best ways to encourage today’s youth Clark County, to join in and take a role in the Nevada in an effort to find a fun way to educate the public about desert tortoises. Since then it has expanded to Southern California’s Mojave Maxine contest which is open to all K-12 students in the nine southern California counties. Students can submit the time and date that they think Mojave Maxine, the tortoise, will emerge from her burrow signifying the start of spring. The east coast has their Punxsutawney Phil’s and we have our Mojave Maxine and Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 9 Diamondback Terrapins of Tampa Bay: an Educator’s Guide

Adult female Ornate Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota. Photo by George Heinrich.

Diamondback Terrapins: Living on the Edge “In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are look out for consequences.” be careful as you exit the water Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) found marsh drowned in crab periwinkles to eat pot with no BRDs

(move ahead 2)

avoided a avoided

four-wheeler (move ahead 2) ahead (move

You are an adult female diamondback terrapin (move back 2)

disturbed by

fishermen and it is nesting season. You will travel from (move ahead 2) the creek where you normally live to an island escaped from where you nest each summer. Along the way you will meet many challenges. Can you safely you have

(movemade illback by 3)red make it there and back home again? watch out successfully for cars nested

watch for dogs as youthe crawl beach up

avoided shark

(moveattack ahead 2)

found dwarf surf clams to eat avoided a jet ski (move ahead 3) encountered an (move ahead 2) almost hit by car oil slick (move back 3) locate a nesting (move back 3) site without fire ants Instructions

(2-4 players)

Each player should roll the die. The person that rolls the highest stay away from number goes first, followed by the crab pots injured by shark player to their right. The first (move back 2) watchboats out for player to make it to the nesting beach wins. you’re doing

well, stay alert children

escaped from excluded from (move ahead 2) crab pot with BRDs (move ahead 3) you’re almost there injured by boat (move back 3)

A new Diamondback Terrapin Developed by George L. Heinrich and Timothy J. Walsh for the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust. Illustrations by Charles H. Miller. Funding provided by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. (2010) educator’s guide written by George L. Heinrich (Heinrich Ecological Bay site. An upcoming symposium Services), Timothy J. Walsh (Orlando for environmental professionals will Science Center) and Joseph A. focus on connecting ongoing research Butler (University of North Florida) to coastal aquatic management is now available. This guide was efforts. Finally, three workshops developed for both formal educators for crabbers will address the need (elementary-secondary) and non- to reduce terrapin mortality in crab formal educators (e.g., zoos, aquaria, pots. museums, and nature centers) and Access to the entire Diamondback uses the Diamondback Terrapin Terrapin Educator’s Guide is available (Malaclemys terrapin) as a model, through the Year of the Turtle integrating lessons in biology, website at www.parcplace.org/ geography, language arts, and publications/261-diamondback- Are You an Educator or terrapin-resources.html mathematics. It includes background Interpretive Naturalist? instructional material, worksheets, We continue to work to an associated board game, and Diamondback Terrapins of develop a collection of Year of additional teaching resources. This Tampa Bay: an Educator’s Guide the Turtle resources for teachers project was funded by a Tampa and naturalists to use for turtle Bay Estuary Program grant to The education, and it is still not too Florida Turtle Conservation Trust. late to make a contribution! If you In addition to the development of are willing to share, please send educational material, the community- your unit materials, educational based education project funded

program information, websites, three events designed to connect Developed by George L. Heinrich, Timothy J. Walsh or PowerPoint presentations to field biologists with educators, and Dr. Joseph A. Butler yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. environmental professionals and Illustrations by Charles H. Miller com. Please include your name, the crabbers. An educators’ workshop name of your school/nature center offered for continuing education or organization, and location. If credit introduced the educator’s

you did not create the materials, guide and accompanying resources, please be sure to tell us where you as well as provided an opportunity found the materials. to view wild terrapins at a Tampa Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 10 An Interview with Peter Paul van Dijk By Thomas Leuteritz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service I couldn’t combine field work with made aware of importance of turtles keeping captive collections, so in the and the role they play in our ecosystems? end I placed all the captive animals We are still trying to understand the elsewhere. I can barely imagine life full role of turtles in the ecosystem. without turtles. put it We know that some species in some best when he said “all children love situations are quite important in turtles and some people don’t grow keeping habitats sanitary, clean by up” [laugh]. scavenging, they disperse seeds, but In your opinion what is the biggest also they are important in the human conservation issue facing turtles given cultural and esthetic landscape, just the myriad threats out there today? their very presence is important in Peter Paul with a Snapping Turtle. certain cultures and to numerous I would say that there are actually two Peter Paul van Dijk is the Deputy people who enjoy watching turtles or threat categories, sometimes acting in other things to do with turtles. Chair of the International Union for parallel, sometimes separate. One is the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) that turtles are targets of collection What are ways the public can help in Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle and exploitation themselves - very the conservation of turtles? Specialist Group. He was interviewed specific collection for the pet trade in First and foremost I would say do by Thomas Leuteritz of the U.S. Fish the west, but also very much so for no harm. Avoid them when they and Wildlife Service on September consumption in developing countries cross the road. Carefully release them 27, 2011. and other countries in the east. In if they get caught up in nets or fishing How did you become interested in recent decades, with the globalization lines. Beyond that, volunteer to assist studying turtles and at what age did of the world and commerce, it has with turtle conservation projects or your interest in these shelled reptiles become very realistic to exploit just habitat maintenance projects in start? turtle populations in one country your area where turtles occur. Assist Well, I started like so many other or continent and ship them to in turtle-friendly ways – help build people with a hatchling Red-eared another country or continent. The tunnels and fences along roads. There Slider at the age of 6 or 7, which targeted exploitation really has driven are many ways and often it is a matter died very quickly. That was it for a populations into extinction or at least of working with local environmental while. I kept tropical fish in aquaria severe depletion as part of the whole groups, conservation groups and find and so on for a long time, and then “empty forest syndrome”. Separately, out what the local needs are. a couple of years later somebody habitat impacts and habitat issues are What guidance on turtle conservation in a department store somehow the other threat to turtles, where the do you have for policy and decision handed me a bucket with 4 adult turtles are just unintended victims makers? Red-eared Sliders, and that led to big of fragmentation of habitats with tanks and a big collection of turtles roads, buildings and infrastructure, The important thing to consider in captivity. That ended up with a of conversions of lands, forests and when conserving turtles is that situation with a greenhouse in the wetlands to agriculture, but also the they are so unique. They are slow garden and 18 different species and extensive modifications we do to but they are long lived. They really 50 individuals and breeding them freshwater systems, particularly rivers, need to survive to persist in their and whatever. That was fun but a reservoirs, and other modifications to populations. Once you have lost a lot of work and a lot of challenges. the hydrological cycle. That affects a turtle population it will take ages, After my Bachelor’s degree I had an lot of turtle species very profoundly. decades if not centuries, for it to opportunity to travel around in Asia, Given 2011 has been designated the recover – so preventing losses is even started doing some field surveys in Year of the Turtle, how can people be more important for turtles than any Thailand, and basically decided that other group of animals I can think of. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 11 What is your favorite turtle or group Raleigh Aquatic Turtle Adoption: One Eighth of turtles? What is it about these turtles that you find interesting or appealing? Grader’s Venture to Help Many Turtles I don’t really have a favorite turtle started selling turtle-shaped soaps and or group of turtles. Every one of is donating all proceeds to Hemlock them is fascinating in its own right. Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary, North It’s always a discovery what they do, Carolina. She started this effort in how they live, what are the features spring, has held two events, and has that make their particular habitat raised $500 for Hemlock Bluffs. Her or lifestyle interesting. What I find soaps are also for sale in the Hemlock fascinating is the diversity of habitats Bluffs gift shop, and she is currently and situations where turtles can live making more soaps for upcoming and thrive – from marine situations holiday gift orders. Soaps are also to high deserts and everything in donated to the North Carolina between except polar areas. I find Science Museum gift shop, with all it fascinating just to see as many proceeds from sales going to support different turtle species in the wild as the Museum’s efforts. possible. Molly Paul is an eighth grade Molly alongside her backyard pond. student, a volunteer at Hemlock What advice would you give young Bluffs, and a Junior Curator at the people (or adults) who love turtles and In 2006, Molly Paul’s North Carolina Museum of Natural want to work with them? adopted two Red-eared Sliders. Sciences. You can learn more about Keep working with them. Keep Molly learned that Red-eared Sliders RATA and Molly at her website, focusing on them. There is always are a type of pet which can often www.raleighaquaticturtleadoption. something you can do - something become unwanted once they reach com. you can do to help turtles, something adult size and age, and many owners you can do to learn more about them. release them into natural areas where Read things, surf the internet, but they do not naturally occur – often above all go out in the field and look to the detriment of native turtles for turtles. Just admire them, don’t and the habitats they depend on. disturb them, just admire them, just Thus, Molly created Raleigh Aquatic keep watching them, keep reinforcing Turtle Adoption (RATA). RATA your enthusiasm and the wonder works to re-home many unwanted about these wonderful animals. pet turtles in one of three ways: by Thank you very much. keeping them in RATA’s 3,000 gallon My pleasure! pond, by adopting them to school classrooms, or by adopting them out to new families. While RATA frequently works with Red-eared Sliders, Eastern Painted Turtles and Yellow-bellied Sliders are other turtles that are assisted most often. In celebration of RATA’s fifth anniversary this year (coinciding with Molly selling some of her soaps at her the Year of the Turtle!), Molly began school’s fall festival to raise awarness about responsible turtle ownership. fundraising efforts to protect native turtle habitat in North Carolina. She

Left: Molly tends to a musk turtle. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 12

Helping Baja California’s Sea Turtles By Rich Nauman tidal flats, and mangrove forests. north the warm productive waters of The largest of these coastal wetlands, the provide forging Magdalena Bay, extends for over 140 habitats for many turtles and nesting miles of mangrove-lined channels, beaches for expanding populations of tidal flats, and large open bays. Olive Ridleys. Magdalena Bay and two other large Communities, scientists, students, coastal bays, San Ignacio and Ojo de and others are working throughout Liebre, are well known for the gray the peninsula to protect and whales that gather every winter in restore sea turtle populations. The the warm, sheltered waters to mate Grupo Tortugero de las Historically, Baja California and calve. While well known for hosts an annual meeting the last supported a commercial fishery gray whales, these coastal systems weekend in January that brings for sea turtles, and turtle meat has provide important foraging habitats together community members from long been a traditional food in local for Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and throughout Alta California, the Baja communities. In 1990, in response Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas). California Peninsula, and the Pacific to rapidly declining populations, the The complex bay systems are largely Coast of mainland Mexico. People Mexican government banned all take undeveloped, support small human from Hawaii, Japan, India, Australia of turtle sand eggs. However, threats populations, and maintain most of and other parts of the world come to remain including habitat loss due their ecological integrity. participate and learn from the success to development, poaching of eggs, of nearly 15 years of work. and death due to entanglement in In addition to the annual meeting, commercial fishing gear. Populations Group Tortuguero coordinates of all species are reduced from past a community based monitoring levels, and Leatherback Sea Turtle program. The lagoons of the remote populations have reached critical Pacific Coast near the community levels. of Punta Abreojos typically have the Together, the Mexican states of highest abundance of turtles: from Baja California and Baja California 2000-2010 the monitoring site at Sur form the world’s second longest Abreojos captured 862 turtles, with peninsula. The diverse coastal and 140 individuals marked. Monitoring open-water habitats along the programs are run by local community peninsula’s over 2500 km of shoreline members using standardized methods are inhabited by five of the world’s Near the tip of the peninsula, the to monitor turtle populations and seven sea turtle species. cool Pacific currents meet the warm raise community awareness. The southern half of the peninsula’s waters of the Gulf of California and Pacific Coast is dominated by long miles of sandy beach provide nesting sandy beaches and an extensive habitat for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles system of bays, wetlands, channels, (Lepidochelys olivacea) and the . The extremely rare and increasingly endangered Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nests at three locations in the southernmost portions of the peninsula. On the Gulf of California, Cabo Pulmo National Park is home to the most northerly in the eastern Pacific and habitat for Hawksbill Turtles. Farther Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 13 on Magdalena Bay, hosted the 8th annual “Festival de la Tortuga Amarilla” in celebration of the large numbers of Loggerhead Turtles that cross the Pacific to feed on the abundant pelagic red crabs found in the waters offshore. Additionally, small-scale sea turtle-based tourism is a fast-growing source of income for community members with few alternatives to commercial fishing or poaching. SeeTurtles is a successful program started in Magdalena Bay that supports turtle conservation through ecotourism. The strong and growing network of community members, researchers, students, and fishers that has developed throughout the Baja California Peninsula and stretches from the coasts of Asia to the beaches of Baja California has long been a destination for naturalists mainland Mexico has demonstrated a powerful and and ecological researchers. In May 2011, Loreto, Baja effective method of species conservation that is succeeding California Sur was host to the meeting Applying Science in helping turtle populations recover. to the Conservation and Management of Natural Resources Resources on the Baja California Peninsula and the Gulf of California where over 300 scientists, NGO leaders, and Group Tortuguero de las Californias www.grupotortuguero.org key government representatives gathered. In 2008, the community of Loreto hosted the 28th International Sea Conservation Science Symposium Turtle Symposium in conjunction with the 10th annual http://conservationscience.com.mx/ meeting of Grupo Tortugero. See Turtles Community events around the peninsula celebrate www.seeturtles.org turtles. In October, Puerto López Mateos, a small town

Upcoming Meetings and Events Year of the Turtle Lecture, Modeling Patterns and Dynamics Looking Ahead to 2012: November 3, 7:00-10:00 pm, of Species Occurrence Workshop, World Congress of Herpetology 7, presented by Columbus Zoo and November 28 - December 2, August 8-14, 2012, Vancouver, British Aquarium, at Ohio State University’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Columbia, Canada. Fawcett Center, Columbus, OH (see Laurel, Maryland p. 4 for announcement) 10th Annual Symposium on the International Congress for Conservation and Biology of The Wildlife Society 18th Annual Conservation Biology , Society for Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, Meeting, November 11-13, Conservation Biology, December August 16-19, 2012, Tucson, Arizona. Waikoloa, Hawaii 5-9, Aukland, . Sea Turtle and Marine Strandings Field School, MassAudubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, November 11- 13, Wellfleet, Massachusetts Subscribe Now! Don’t miss the final edition of the Year of the Turtle News! If you have not already, subscribe to the monthly electronic newsletter by submitting an email with the subject “subscribe” to yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. com. Year of the Turtle News No. 11, November 2011, p. 14 Turtle Talk! During the hour-long presentation, Mills and Cox discussed turtle biology and ecology, turtle conservation, ongoing turtle studies at MWSU, and Missouri’s rich native turtle fauna. A Year of the Turtle handout, containing information from the PARC website and other sources, was made available, along with various turtle-related publications from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Mills and Cox both have extensive experience in environmental education, and Mills has a team of undergraduate students who are involved in turtle studies in nine campus ponds.

Missouri Western State University Herpetologist Dr. Mark Mills and Missouri Department of Conservation Naturalist Shelly Cox discussing turtle conservation. Photo by Cindy Benson. On September 13, the Biology Department at Missouri Western State University (MWSU), the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), and the Midland Empire Audubon Society sponsored a free public presentation, “It’s Turtle Time! 2011 is the Year of the Turtle,” in the outdoor amphitheater behind MDC’s Northwest Regional Office in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Dr. Mills holding up a Common Snapper so those in the Cox showing the back of the amphitheater could see. Photo by Cindy Benson. audience a . The public was invited to come down after the presentation to ask questions and touch this and other turtles. Photo by Cindy Benson.

MWSU herpetologist Dr. Mark Mills and MDC Naturalist Shelly Cox gave a presentation to 130 people of all ages highlighting turtles and turtle conservation to celebrate PARC’s Year of the Turtle. The presentation was followed by an informal question and answer period with the opportunity to see and touch five native species (, serpentina; Spiny Softshell, spinifera; Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina; Approximately 130 people of all ages attended this outdoor Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta; and , presentation. Photo by Cindy Benson. Chrysemys picta) and one , Agrionemys () horsfieldii.