A PUBLICATION OF THE TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE Turtle Survival 2016 RICK HUDSON FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK What a difference ten years can make full on recovery mode, with nearly ten thousand star tortoises held in three renovated breeding facilities and over 450 reintroduced to the wild. Nearly 700 roofed turtle hatchlings have been col- lected from protected nests, 60 were reintroduced in 2015 and close to 100 have hatched at the TSA- built breeding center at the YZ. These incredible milestones are largely attributable to the dynamo husband and wife team of Steve (WCS) and Kalyar Platt (TSA) who seem to be everywhere at once, capable of managing a mind boggling amount of work, from both a big picture, programmatic view down to the tiniest minutiae. Back in 2006 we were casting about in Mexico, looking for a partner to help us find solutions to address the dramatic declines in populations of the Central American River Turtle. It would take four years before we identified the ideal partner, the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE) and went to work, first sup- PHOTO CREDIT: KALYAR PLATT porting field surveys then holding a workshop that led to a Hicatee conservation monitoring network In the “full court press” world of TSA and the thousands of river terrapin hatchlings, that would in Belize. In 2011 we launched the Hicatee Conser- steady demand to move forward with new otherwise have been lost to predation, have been vation Research Center at BFREE to help answer programs and facilities, or respond to new crises, released in the Chambal. In 2010 we expanded questions about the reproductive biology of this there is rarely time to reflect on our past. But re- into four additional ecoregions in India, each challenging and enigmatic species. Today we are cently I was flipping through our 2006 magazine with its own suite of target species and unique well on our way to building self-sustaining captive and what struck me was how far we have come as challenges. Today the TSA manages three turtle populations, and have produced twelve hatchlings an organization, and with some of our signature conservation and outreach centers, is actively from our breeding colony in just the first two years. programs, in just ten years. engaged with riverine communities to reduce There are now 54 adults in our colony, including In 2006 we were coming off of Year 1 of our pressures on limited freshwater resources, and is 20 reproductive females, so this group will grow first major conservation grant from the Batchelor rapidly becoming integrated into state govern- rapidly and soon provide us with options for taking Foundation - $100,000 in 2005 – that really al- ment species conservation plans; being called pressures off of wild populations. lowed TSA to begin investing in a diverse portfolio upon regularly to assist with confiscations and Finally, back in 2006 the Turtle Survival of range country programs that included Thai- rescues. I remember well my first trip to India in Center (TSC) was not even on our radar, though land, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Mexico, India, 2003 that was the impetus for this program, and we were starting to realize that if we were going China and Vietnam. look back with pride at how far we have come. to make good on our promise of zero turtle extinc- We hit the ground running in India where, In terms of impact, our Myanmar program tions, it would require a dedicated facility. In 2013 based on recommendations from a 2005 stra- is certainly the most dynamic of TSA’s field pro- the TSC became a reality and today is a bustling tegic planning workshop that set conservation grams and due to a strong partnership with WCS, hub of activity with over 700 turtles and five priorities for India’s diverse turtle fauna, the has rapidly become a model for turtle conserva- full time employees in the lowcountry of South TSA started working on the iconic Red-crowned tion in Asia. In 2006 we were just getting involved Carolina. Our vision for having a centralized base Roofed Turtle, designated as the flagship species with the Yadanabon Zoo (YZ) in Mandalay, help- of operations for TSA, and establishing successful for our India program. The National Chambal ing them develop new facilities for both Burmese breeding colonies for those species having little Sanctuary (NCS) is the last stronghold for this Star Tortoise and Burmese Roofed Turtles. Both chance for survival in the wild, has been realized critically endangered river turtle, but there was a of these endemic species were dangerously close far faster than any of us could have predicted. This high incidence of nest loss due to jackal predation. to extinction in the wild, but small populations of is due to generous donor support of course, but In 2006 the TSA launched a program in the NCS star tortoises were held in government run facili- moreover this vision would not be what it is today and established protected riverine hatcheries ties. A small captive group of adult roofed turtles without the hard work of our dedicated staff . And where hundreds of clutches of river terrapin eggs were living in a small pond at YZ, and the first so to you – Cris Hagen, Nathan Haislip, Sheena were moved for incubation. This highly success- cohort of wild hatchlings had just arrived from the Koeth, Carol Amell and Clint Doak – the 2016 ful program is now in its tenth year, and tens of Chindwin. Today, both of these programs are in Turtle Survival magazine is dedicated. TURTLE SURVIVAL TABLE OF CONTENTS ALLIANCE Board Members James Breheny Andre Daneault William Dennler Susie Ellis, PhD Michael Fouraker Rick Hudson, President John Iverson, PhD Patricia Koval, Chair Dwight Lawson, PhD Lonnie McCaskill FEATURES PARTNER NEWS John Mitchell Inside Cover | From the President’s Desk 3 | Partners Russ Mittermeier, PhD 2 | Meet the Staff Colin Poole 5 | Turtle Conservation Fund 12 | Animal Update Hugh Quinn, PhD 6 | TSA Europe 17 | Significant Breedings Anders Rhodin, MD 7 | In Memoriam 18 | Outreach Walter Sedgwick, Treasurer 8 | NAFTRG Frank Slavens 19 | Capital Campaign Andrew Walde, Executive Director 10 | Veterinary Update Robert Weise, PhD 11 | Donated Goods EXCLUSIVES, NEWS AND 12 | Capital Campaign ANNOUNCEMENTS Director of Development 51 | Conservation Hero Award 55 | Brewery Partnerships Ilze Astad 52 | Bellinger River Turtle Crisis 54 | Bowling for Batagur Turtles 56 | We are the TSA Administrative Staff 60 | Behler Award Chris Clark 64 | Donor Recognition Howard Goldstein David Hedrick RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES 20 | Madagascar Turtle Survival Center Staff Carol Armell, RMA, NCPT 26 | Bangladesh Clinton Doak 29 | India Cris Hagen 34 | Myanmar Nathan Haislip, MS 40 | Indonesia Sheena Koeth, RVT, CVT 42 | China 44 | Belize Range Country Program Leaders German Forero-Medina, PhD 43 | Cambodia Kalyar Platt, PhD 46 | Colombia Herilala Radriamahazos, PhD 48 | Palawan Forest Turtles Shailendra Singh, PhD Turtle Survival Alliance © 2016 Contents of this publication should be cited as: Author. (2015) Article Title. Turtle Survival, pp. xx–xx. ABOUT THE COVER: In early November 2016, just as the TSA magazine was in the final stages before going to press, we were notified of a confiscation of over 800 Big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalum) in Tachileik, Burma. While not on the scale of last year’s Palawan Forest Turtle rescue, this still represents one of our worst nightmare scenarios. Kalyar Platt, Director of TSA’s Myanmar Turtle Conservation Program, sounded a cry for help and the situation indeed looked desperate. Responding to crises such as this is one of TSA’s strengths and we quickly began mobilizing resources. The turtles were moved to the TSA’s Turtle Rescue Center in May Myo and the grim task of triage began. Big-headed turtles are a difficult to manage species in captivity due to their aggressive nature, need for cool swift-flowing streams, and their ability to climb. As this amazing cover photo well illustrates, these turtles are able to scale vertical rock walls, making their husbandry and management much more challenging. Fortunately the cool montane climate at May Myo is favorable to this species, but there is simply no way to be prepared for individually housing this many turtles. Compounding the situation was the condition of the turtles; most had suffered long-term neglect and were succumbing to starvation and infections. Despite the best efforts of our dedicated and experienced teams of responders, we are down to ~120 turtles at the time of this writing. We are especially grateful to Wildlife Reserves Singapore for sending in the first veterinary and husbandry team, followed by staff from TSA’s Turtle Survival Center and the Wildlife Conservation Society. We also pay special tribute to the many donors – too numerous to list here - that generously supported this extraordinary rescue effort. If there is a bright side to this tragedy, it is that we will be better prepared next time. PHOTO BY KALYAR PLATT. http://instagram.com/turtlesurvival http://www.facebook.com/TurtleSurvival http://twitter.com/turtlesurvival a publication of the turtle survival alliance 01 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org Meet the Staff DAVID HEDRICK to his lifelong love of reptiles, he brings with him encountering turtles in the wild and grow to David joined the team as the Turtle Survival a wealth of experience in nonprofits, business, appreciate these wonderful creatures as much as Alliance Social Media Manager this year. A and administration. After nearly a decade in you and I do.” native of Tennessee, David has worked in Zoo education, teaching everything from marching Herpetology for fifteen years. He is the Lead band to freshman biology, he pivoted to nonprofit HOWARD GOLDSTEIN Ectotherm Keeper at the Chattanooga Zoo, a work.