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of the News No. 3 March 2011

Basking in the Wonder of www.YearoftheTurtle.org

One of the last of its Conservation Fund, Turtle Survival kind: a Yangtze giant Alliance, /Behler softshell turtle ( swinhoei) surfaces in a Chelonian Center, Chelonian lake in . Only four Research Foundation, Conservation individuals are known to International, WCS, and San exist. Photo by Brian D. Horne. Zoo Global. At the top of the list is the ( abingdonii), with only one individual male –“”– surviving today for this Galapagos . Only a handful of individual turtles survive today for other species as well. For example, only four (three Turtles in Trouble males and one female) remain for Turtles are in the midst of a Freshwater Turtles” report paints China and Vietnam’s Yangtze Giant survival crisis, and this crisis has a somber portrait for turtles of the Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei). never been greater. The world’s most world, and specifically for a list of have been named the 25 most endangered and in a newly released report by the freshwater turtles. These 25 turtles, Turtle Conservation Coalition. The along with an additional 24 species release of the “Turtles in Trouble: highlighted in the report, are being 25+ Endangered Tortoises and decimated by illegal hunting for both food and the pet trade along with Inside: page habitat destruction. Many of these Ask the Experts 2 turtles are threatened with Year of the Turtle Partners 3 within the next several decades if strong conservation efforts are not International Marine Turtle 5 Conservation Program taken. “Turtles in Trouble” was released at a : Mediterranean Turtles 7 recent workshop hosted in Singapore South West Turtle Conservation 8 by the Wildlife Conservation Society Turtles are being impacted by a Network () (WCS) and Wildlife Reserves variety of major threats, and many Mesopotamian Softshell Turtles in 9 Singapore. The report was authored are gradually succumbing to these by the Turtle Conservation Coalition, threats. They are being collected, Catching Turtle Fever–Mexico 10 an alliance of turtle- and conservation- traded, and eaten or otherwise Dr. Carl Safina on Turtles 12 focused organizations and many Year used in overwhelming numbers. of the Turtle partners, including the Turtle Conservation in 13 Additionally, their habitats are being IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater increasingly fragmented, destroyed, PARC Regional Spotlight 14 Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Continued on p. 6 “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. 3, March 2011, p. 2 Ask the Experts! Get Your March Are Snapping Turtles “loyal” to a particular nesting site or location? Will the Calendar! female return to the same nest, nest area, or side of the pond, or is nest site selection more random? I know of a nest site on a private pond from last year that was ransacked by predators. Would the turtle lay her there again? Alex Bailey Biology Instructor, Natural Sciences Dept. Alamance Community College Graham, North Carolina

Alex, Many species of turtles, including Snapping Turtles, exhibit a strong fidelity This month’s calendar photo to previously used nesting areas. While some turtles may nest for within contest winner, Jelger Herder, is inches of where they nested in prior years, others nest in the same general a part-time professional nature open-canopied area. These areas include exposed river banks, lake and pond photographer from the Netherlands. shores, natural forest openings, or areas with thin, nutrient-poor soils where He specializes in , dense vegetation has difficulty becoming established. In all populations, a and fish and works for RAVON small percentage of the females opportunistically exploit newly created nesting (Reptiles, , and Fish habitat, whether it is created naturally or by humans. Human-created habitats Conservation Netherlands). He such as along railroads, highways, gardens, agricultural fields, power line right- photographed this young Leopard of-ways, and gravel mines will also serve as nesting areas for Snapping Turtles Tortoise ( pardalis) on July and other freshwater species if these areas are close enough to the aquatic 28, 2007 while searching for reptiles habitat that the turtle calls home. Since there is no parental care once the eggs in Mkhuze, South Africa. See this are laid, turtle nests experience a high degree of predation. Nest predation by month’s winner (above) and runner- mammalian predators is often particularly pronounced in areas with limited up at www.parcplace.org/YOT suitable nest sites, resulting in many nests being placed within a relatively YearoftheTurtleCalendarMarch.pdf small area. Al Breisch Call for Photos for the 2011 PARC Joint National Steering Committee Co-chair Year of the Turtle Calendar Photo Contest Do you have questions about turtle biology or turtle conservation issues It’s not too late to enter the 2011 that you would like answered? Submit your turtle questions via email Calendar Photo Contest! We are [email protected] ( ), and we will select questions to answer in accepting entries all year long. our upcoming newsletter editions. Please include your name and location in Give us your best shot! For more your email message. information and for entry details, please visit www.parcplace.org/ yearoftheturtlephoto.htm.

Submit Your Citizen Science Projects Are you involved with a turtle citizen program or have information on a specific project? Other turtle enthusiast would love to hear about it in to get involved as well! We are putting together a project list that will be available very soon, including such projects as the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ Neighborhood Watch (www.naturalsciences.org/research-collections/citizen-science/neighborhood-box-turtle-watch) and the Fort Worth Zoo’s Texas Turtle Watch (www.fortworthzoo.org/conserve/txturtlewatch.html). Please send information on your citizen science programs to [email protected] and make sure your project helps us get more citizens involved in turtle science! Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 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 Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection’s Wildlife Division (CT DEP Wildlife Division) is a state agency that has developed a number of programs to manage wildlife and contribute to diversified and healthy wildlife populations throughout the state. The CT DEP Wildlife Division is engaged in a comprehensive outreach and education effort to make the public more aware of the wildlife that can be found throughout the state. In 2011 the CT DEP Wildlife Division also has made a commitment to inform Connecticut residents about the state’s native turtles through monthly press releases, articles and species profiles in issues of the bimonthly magazine, Connecticut Wildlife, a children’s art contest, and related events. www.ct.gov/dep/wildlife

The Conservation Center in Las Vegas was created in 2009 when the San Diego Zoo partnered with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Bureau of Land Management, and the Nevada Department of Wildlife to apply its expertise to desert tortoise conservation by managing basic husbandry and veterinary care, conducting health screenings, operating the pet desert tortoise pick-up service and offering callers to the Conservation Center tortoise care education. The San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research is also using its experience in the reintroduction of wild animals to build upon previous desert tortoise translocation research and is implementing conservation research projects to help advance the science of population management for this species. www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation The Council was formed in 1978 by a group of biologists and others concerned about the range-wide decline of the gopher tortoise ( polyphemus). The Council offers professional advice for management, conservation, and protection of gopher tortoises; encourages the study of the life history, ecology, and management of gopher tortoises and other upland species; conducts active public information and conservation education programs, and seeks effective protection of the gopher tortoise and other upland species throughout the southeastern United States. www. gophertortoisecouncil.org

The International Conservation Foundation (IRCF) is a member-based organization that actively pursues the conservation of reptiles and amphibians and the natural habitat and ecosystems that support them in a variety of capacities depending on the project or program. IRCF support may include funding, mobilization of volunteers, and/or logistical assistance. www.ircf.org

The Mid-Atlantic Turtle and Tortoise Society (MATTS) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the responsible herpetoculture of turtles and tortoises, supporting the study of chelonian natural history, and conserving Mid-Atlantic chelonian species and habitat. MATTS was founded in 1997 by a diverse group of concerned hobbyists and professionals in the Baltimore -Washington- Northern area, though more than twenty states are now represented. MATTS has multiple meetings per year, field trips, very active outreach-educational and adoptions programs, an impressive newsletter and website, and actively participates in donating to worthy chelonian causes. www.matts-turtles.org Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 4

The Rio Grande Turtle and Tortoise Club is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to the care, conservation and preservation of chelonians in New Mexico. We work with individuals, organizations, veterinarians and local, state and federal agencies to educate the public and to find suitable homes for chelonians in need. www.rgttc.org

Seneca Park Zoo provides engaging and educational experiences to give our community the motivation and skills to act as stewards of the environment. In celebration of World Turtle Day, on Sunday, May 22 the Zoo will invite visitors to learn why these animals are disappearing and what they can do in the conservation effort. Activities will include keeper talks, docent stations, hands-on activities for kids, and readings of The Tortoise and the Hare. We will host Tortoise and the Hare races, complete with costumes and prizes. www.senecaparkzoo.org Turtle Foundation is dedicated to protecting and conserving endangered sea turtles. We focus on small projects that have a high probability of success. Our organization is primarily volunteers. In East Kalimantan, Indonesia, our nest protection program has resulted in 4 million hatchlings released to the sea since 2000. Our monitoring and research project in , West Africa protects female Loggerhead Turtles from being slaughtered as they come ashore to nest and works to educate and help the local community. www.turtle-foundation.org 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. Our full list of partners can be found at www.parcplace.org/yearoftheturtlepartners.htm.

Turtles in the News If you have items you would like to contribute to Turtles in the News, Lonesome George, the last living http://vietnamnews.vnagency. please send them for consideration to member of Chelonoidis abingdonii, is com.vn/Environment/208476/ [email protected]. to be given two new potential mates Endangered-turtle-to-be-removed- in an attempt to finally produce for-treatment.html Submit Your Turtle offspring. Read the full story from The BP Gulf oil spill was a deadly the Telegraph at time for sea turtles, as more sea turtles Art, Stories, and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ were killed or injured in the Gulf of Poetry earth/wildlife/8274521/Will- Mexico in the months following the Do you have turtle art, stories, Lonesome-George-finally-find-a- spill than in any similar period during or poetry that could be highlighted mate.html the past two decades. Read the full during the Year of the Turtle? story from the Associated Press at Submit your turtle art (in jpg, A proposal has been made in http://news.yahoo.com/s/ tiff, or pdf format) and copies Vietnam to remove Hoan Kiem Lake’s ap/20110126/ap_on_re_us/us_ of your stories and poems via giant turtle in order to treat it for gulf_oil_spill_turtles email to yearoftheturtle2011@ injuries believed to have been caused gmail.com. We will be including by fish hooks, pollution and attacks ScienceDaily spreads the word submissions in upcoming by other species of turtles. However, about the Year of the Turtle! The full newsletters and in other Year of experts have raised concerns over the press release can be accessed at the Turtle materials and outreach feasibility and methods of moving the http://www.sciencedaily.com/ efforts throughout 2011, and we turtle out of the lake for treatment. releases/2011/02/110202102117. want your work to be part of it! Read more from Viet Nam News at htm Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 5 International Marine Turtle Conservation Program – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service By Earl Possardt, USFWS International Marine Turtle Program Officer

Locations of MTCA projects funded from Olive ridley arribada at Ostionel National Park, Costa Rica. 2005 – 2009. Photo by Dr. Roldan Valverde, Southeastern Louisiana University. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s international sea funding from the MTCA Fund has enabled the Service turtle conservation efforts have historically been greatly to take on an international leadership role and we now constrained by lack of dedicated funding and were support over 40 projects in over 30 countries. During the confined to three high priority projects in Mexico: the period 2006-2010 the Service awarded 396 grants for a Kemp’s ridley in the State of Tamulipas, a hawksbill total of $5,564,800 with $8,415,000 in matching funds project on the Yucatan Peninsula, and a black turtle from grantees and partners. project along the Pacific coast. In July of 2005 this all changed when the U.S. Congress passed the Marine Turtle Conservation Act (MTCA) of 2004 in recognition of the growing threats to marine turtles, their migratory nature which requires multinational conservation efforts, and the need for a dedicated funding source for international marine turtle conservation efforts. With an initial budget of $100,000 in 2005, appropriations grew quickly to $2,000,000 in 2010. The dedicated source of

The Turtle Foundation provides training to Cape Verdian soldiers patrolling beaches to stop the slaughter of nesting loggerheads on Boa Vista. Photo by Christian Roder, The Turtle Foundation. The global distribution of marine turtles and vastness of threats has required the Service to prioritize and focus our efforts on specific species, regional populations, and threats to be most effective and to have the most impact. We recognize that marine turtle conservation requires long term commitments of effort and resources. Consequently, most projects we support are multiyear and School children observe the release of a tagged hawksbill will likely go on for decades if they are to be successful, turtle on Chiriqui Beach, Panama as part of a recovery as has been the highly successful bi-national Kemp’s effort to restore the Caribbean’s largest historic nesting population of hawksbills. Photo by the ridley project we have partnered with the Mexican Conservancy. government on since 1978. Priorities for the Service’s Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 6 Omani rangers high priority. Summaries of marine turtle projects and deploy a tagged nesting loggerhead additional information about the MTCA program can be at , accessed at www.fws.gov/international/DIC/species/ —the site of marine_turtles/marine_turtle.html. the world’s largest loggerhead nesting assemblage (40% of global loggerhead nesting). Photo by E. Possardt. current international program include the Oman, Cape Verdian, and Japanese loggerhead nesting assemblages, leatherback nesting populations in the Pacific and West Africa, the Caribbean hawksbill population, olive ridley arribada (large synchronous nesting events) populations in Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and India, and East Gabon Sea Turtle Partnership members collect data on a nesting leatherback trapped by logs, an all too common Pacific green turtle populations in Mexico. Supporting occurrence on Gabon beaches. Photo by Gabon Sea Turtle regional and global capacity building institutions for Partnership. marine turtle conservation, such as the Year of the Turtle encourages article submissions on Sea Southeast Asian Marine Turtle Agreement, the Inter- Turtle research, conservation, and education to be part American Convention for Sea Turtle Conservation of future issues of Year of the Turtle News. Please contact and the International Sea Turtle Society, are also of [email protected] to contribute.

Turtles in Trouble, cont. from p. 1 Coalition’s report calls attention to the most endangered turtles is aimed this alarming and growing problem. to be used as an effective guideline Turtles play a significant role in our to set urgent priority actions for natural and cultural heritage, but we conservation and research on these are on the verge of losing many of species. Without decisive actions to these unique creatures forever. The safeguard the future of these turtles bad news is that all of the threats and other turtles worldwide, these to turtles are directly or indirectly important and charismatic animals tied to human activities. The good could be lost forever. news is that this gives us a chance to The full “Turtles in Trouble: 25+ change the outcome. We started the Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Very little is known about the (Geochelone platynota), Year of the Turtle campaign to teach Turtles” report can be downloaded at which is threatened by both the pet people how to take action and help www.iucn-tftsg.org/top-25-2011/. trade and a demand for meat. Photo keep turtles as a common part of the by Brian D. Horne. ecosystem,” says Alvin Breisch, PARC developed on, and polluted. Of the National Steering Committee Co- 25 most endangered turtles in the chair. report, 17 inhabit . Illegal hunting Building on previous Top 25 lists of turtles in Asia for food, pets, and from 2003 and 2007, the 2011 traditional medicines is a particular presentation of the world’s most problem. Better enforcement of endangered turtles is intended to raise existing trade laws, habitat protection, a greater awareness about the critical and captive breeding are all keys to survival status of these well-known The red-crowned roofed turtle ( ) is limited to a few preventing these 25+ turtle species animals that have thrived on our isolated pockets along the Ganges and from going extinct while bolstering planet for millions of years, but who basins in India and existing populations. now face an extremely high extinction Bangladesh and is listed as “Critically Endangered” on IUCN’s Red List. Photo “The Turtle Conservation risk within our lifetimes. This list of by Brian D. Horne. Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 7 Turkey: A Land of Turtles in the Mediterranean where rivers enter the sea, African protection, unplanned settlements, Softshell Turtles ( triunguis) industrialization, agriculture, and can also be encountered. tourism in Turkey destroy or at least Many scientists and civil society lead to narrowing of these beaches. organizations continue to work In addition, international nylon for the protection of turtle species pollution, unconscious fishing, and in Turkey. At this time, there are pollution of seas with petroleum no developed turtle rehabilitation and chemical wastes all endanger the centers in Turkey. There is no habit of marine turtles living on our shores. In order to better protect the turtles By Dr. Serdal UGURLU, Veterinary consumption of turtle meat and eggs of Turkey, better shoreline planning Faculty at Istanbul University in Turkish culture. Turtles have been leading their lives for 100-200 million and the education of environmental years. Unfortunately, however, in consciousness in children can be Turkey has a very rich turtle the last century, as in most of the advised, because the rulers of the population. Here it is possible to see a world there are some environmental future (politicians, businessmen, variety of land, freshwater, and marine problems which threaten the future farmers, and fishermen) are today’s turtles. For example, land turtles such of turtle species in Turkey. children. For them, knowing about as Greek Tortoises ( graeca) The main problems affecting the the importance of turtles in the and Herman’s Tortoises (Testudo lives of land turtles include forest fires, natural world today will be integral hermanni) can be encountered nearly burning of fields, artificial fertilizers, to conserving these animals for the everywhere. Freshwater turtles, such urbanization, and construction of future of the world. as Caspian Turtles ( caspica) highways. For freshwater turtles, and European Pond Turtles ( specifically, decreased levels of water orbicularis), can be found in many Are You an Educator in rivers and lakes and insufficient small rivers of the country as well. refinement of industrial and or Interpretive Additionally, Turkey has some of residential drains are dangers which Naturalist? the most important Mediterranean lead to decreases in survival rates of coastal habitat where marine turtles lay these animals. We have been working to eggs. Thus, Turkey is very important While adult marine turtles live in develop a collection of Year of the for the continuation of Loggerhead the sea, every year they come to the Turtle resources for teachers and Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Green coast to mate and lay eggs, where they naturalists. One great example is the Turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations. Adopt-a-Pond Turtle Curriculum need beaches approximately 40 meters Twenty nesting beaches are under the www. wide (from sea to the land). Similar to from the Toronto Zoo ( protection of the Turkish government torontozoo.com/adoptapond/ many countries and despite laws for along the Mediterranean coast. Here, turtleCurriculum.asp). If you are willing to share, please send Caretta caretta, your unit materials, educational program information, websites, hatchling, launching itself into the sea. or PowerPoint presentations to yearoftheturtle2011@gmail. com. Please include your name, the name of your school/nature center or organization, and location. If you did not create the materials, please be sure to tell us where you found the materials. Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 8 The Role of the South West Turtle Conservation Network in Conserving Marine and Freshwater Turtles in Southwestern Bangladesh

By Maksudur Rahman, Program Coordinator, Centre for Coastal Environmental Conservation in Khulna, Bangladesh

The Centre for Coastal objective of SWTCN is to conserve Environmental Conservation marine turtles by raising awareness (CCEC) recently initiated in stakeholders, communities, and development of the South West Turtle policy makers. who have been traditionally involved Conservation Network (SWTCN) in for several generations. The network Bangladesh involving local NGOs Freshwater Turtles: Bangladesh of suppliers is mostly confined in and educational institutes, including once supported almost 10% (25 extreme confidentiality within the Khulna University. The main species) of the world’s known turtle people of the same clan. Often, every objectives of SWTCN are to promote species: five were marine, two were single turtle that is found is collected governmental wildlife conservation land tortoises, six were softshell and sold from these populations. acts and regulations, to encourage the turtles, and the remaining 12 were creation of governmental agencies via freshwater turtles. During the 1980s Turtle collection in Bangladesh an interrelated co-management consists of several stages – approach, to raise turtle collectors/hunters (shikari), conservation awareness among middlemen/suppliers (mahajan), educational institutes, traders, depot owners (wholesellers, and consumers, and to take aaratdar), suppliers/retailers, and immediate action against trade consumers. The same people and hunting of endangered often play different roles in this turtles. Both marine and trade chain. Collection is carried freshwater turtles are the focus out all over Bangladesh and of these efforts. brought to the trading centers, which are located in various Marine Turtles: Bangladesh locations of the country— has nearly 710 km of coastline, particularly the southern districts but not all shores are suitable of Bangladesh. Turtles collected for turtle nesting. However, marine in Bangladesh are transported turtles do venture throughout the and 1990s intensive and unregulated alive and reach the traders through coasts. Five species nest in Bangladesh, collection for millions of dollars of their widespread but secretive of which the Olive Ridley and the commercial export virtually destroyed network. The middlemen/suppliers Green Turtle are two species found in the viable natural populations of and depot owners offer advanced the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. all the turtle species. Commercial money (locally called dadon) to the All marine turtle species are Critically export has been banned since 1998, collectors. The recent turtle trade Endangered or Endangered (IUCN but the trend of collection has not survey also discovered that due to Red Data Book) due to illegal trade, changed, though it has decreased in lack of supply of freshwater turtles the lack of use magnitude. A turtle trade survey was to meet local demand, marine turtles by fishermen, lack of implementation carried out between November 2009 have also become a commodity to of government regulation, and and July 2010 to assess the population supplement the domestic trade. the absence of a clear conception status of traded species. The numbers Domestic trade may be putting the about the importance of turtles of collectors have been reduced last pegs in the freshwater turtles’ among fishermen, communities, significantly, as the turtle trade is now coffin in Bangladesh. and government officials. The main predominantly carried out by people Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 9 The most common species involved role in the transit of illegal shipments in domestic trade include of soft-shelled turtle cartilage from punctata andersoni, tecta, India. petersi, Aspideretes hurum and Aspideretes gangeticus. The SWTCN understands that there is number of species is significantly low an urgent need to conserve the marine compared to the 17 freshwater turtle and freshwater turtles of Bangladesh. species traded in the late 1980s and In order to ensure the survival of early 1990s. This suggests that the the turtles of Bangladesh and to aid diversity of the natural populations of in the establishment and growth of freshwater turtles is primarily affected SWTCN, CCEC is pleased to have due to unregulated capture from Turtle Idols made from Sundarbans nature in addition to other factors honey wax and Turtle Wall Mats on such as habitat destruction, land use sale among the Sundarbans tourist change, and pollution. International and markets. Please help to promote export of live turtles is banned, but these important turtle conservation the soft cartilage of the soft-shelled initiatives. For more information and turtles is dried and exported under to join SWTCN, visit www.ccecbd. the label “dry fish” to far eastern org or contact Maksudur Rahman at countries. Bangladesh also plays a [email protected]. Mesopotamian Softshell Turtles in Iran By Asghar Mobaraki, Senior Expert for Reptilians and Amphibians, Department of Environment, Biodiversity and Wildlife Affairs Bureau, Tehran, Iran, [email protected]

Author Asghar species in Iran. Considering the lack of biological Mobaraki with a data available and to determine the exact situation Mesopotamian Softshell Turtle. of the species in the area, the Reptilian Section of the Biodiversity and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of the Environment (DOE) of Iran, in cooperation with the provincial DOE office, have initiated a study of this species. The focus of the work has been collecting data on the main habitats, distribution, morphology and size, and threats surrounding this species. Based on biometric data collected from about 20 turtles, the largest size recorded There is a population of Mesopotamian Softshell Turtles was approximately 70 cm of curved carapace length and (Rafetus euphraticus) occurring in a small part of Iran 20 kg in weight. Rafesh is a very greedy carnivore and within Khoozestan province. Some of the most important attacks most anything that looks like food. Fish is one of parts of its range are along the border between Iran and the main food resources. Basking is the most common . There are many important rivers in this area for behavior observed in Rafetus euphraticus, and burying in Rafetus euphraticus, such as the Karkheh, Dez, Karoon, the mud and the sand is also another recorded behavior. Djarrahi, Shahoor, and Bahmanshir Rivers, as well as the Pollution, including debris, oil, and urban/agricultural related drainages of these rivers. Shadegan International sewage, fisheries by-catch, habitat destruction, and lack Wetland (Ramsar Site) is also considered an important of awareness among local people are the most important habitat. threats to this species. Other pollutant threats include The most common local name for Rafetus euphraticus wastes from industrial sources like sugar cane factories is “Rafesh.” In some locations the turtle is also known as that directly enter the habitats. Following these studies, “Righal.” Until recently, Rafesh was a relatively unstudied we also plan to develop semi-captive rearing centers. Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 10 Catching Turtle Fever Story and Photos by Elke Wind, Northwest PARC Co-chair

In 1997, about 900,000 sea turtles came to La Escobilla beach alone. Historically, the area was known for turtle harvesting—in the 1970s a turtle slaughterhouse was built in Mazunte, making the area the center of sea turtle exploitation and creating a town largely dependent on the trade of turtle meat and eggs. Legally about 30,000 animals a year were killed, but some environmentalists believe the number may have been much higher due to illegal poaching. Elke posing with an injured Hawksbill In the 1970s the Pesquera Industrial receiving veterinary treatment before Oaxaca became concerned with the When I finally made the decision it was released back into its tank. over-exploitation of sea turtles and to join a Mexican friend (a fellow “Mazunte” is derived from a Nahuatl proposed a more sustainable sea turtle biologist) on a trip through the state phrase, “maxotetia” which means industry that included captive rearing of Oaxaca over the winter holiday I “please deposit eggs here.” Seven of and the monitoring of commercial didn’t expect to come back with turtle the eight marine turtle species come activities. Although the government fever. We only have one extant native to the Mazunte area to lay their eggs. prohibited collection in 1971, species of freshwater turtle in British Thousands of Olive Ridley turtles it was largely ignored. By 1988, Columbia, and sea turtles are rarely arrive en masse to lay their eggs in the number of nests had dropped seen in the waters off of our coast. nearby Escobilla Bay. The nesting to less than 100,000. The trade in But as the co-chair for Northwest season generally begins in May and turtle meat and eggs was banned PARC I had been spending more time lasts for several months. Although an by the Mexican federal government thinking about turtles in 2010 than endangered species, the turtles come in 1990. While this led to increases ever before. So, when I learned in my to the beach in large numbers for a few in nest number it also caused most travel preparations that the national nights after a full moon. These events families to lose their primary source Mexican Turtle Centre (Centro are called arribadas. Other turtles that of income. Government and private Mexicano de la Tortuga) is in Oaxaca lay eggs here are the Hawksbill turtle, organizations worked to provide and that many of the local beaches the “prieta” (a subspecies of Green economic alternatives for the local are marine turtle nesting sites, I made turtle), and some Leatherback turtles. community. The federal government sure we visited the area. The Mexican Turtle Centre is located in the small town of Mazunte (population 702) on the Pacific Coast. Some sources state that

Tourists to the area participate in a hatchling release at a local beach. Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 11 Catching Turtle Fever, continued are measured, tagged and their eggs go. We watched with excitement as collected for incubation at the center. each of the hatchlings made its way established the Mexican Turtle Hatchlings are released back into the to the surf at its own pace. When the Center to promote sea turtles as a ocean from the same beaches where first hatchling finally made it to the base for tourism. The community they were collected. And that’s where water and got caught up in a wave worked with NGOs to develop a I caught turtle fever. we all cheered. Everyone watched plan to educate locals about the A few days after I visited the turtle and cheered right until the very last environment, reforestation, and centre I heard of a hatchling release at hatchling was tumbling along as it ecotourism. For example, The Body a local beach called Playa de Ventanilla was swept into the sea by a wave. I Shop worked with locals to distribute just north of Mazunte. I caught the know this was an experience that I cosmetics made in the area using local transport called the “collective” will always cherish, and based on the local ingredients. The community has (a pickup truck with benches put in excited voices, laughter, cheers, and declared itself a “Reserva Económica the back) up to Mazunte just before smiles I saw on the families and kids Ecológica Campesina” (Peasant sunset—hatchling turtles leave the in the crowd they were also rewarded Ecological Economic Reserve) as it nest at dusk or at night to reduce with a case of turtle fever. has stopped hunting turtles and their the risk of predation. I arrived early eggs and is now working towards and enjoyed a few minutes walking preserving them. The number of on the beach and watching the sun turtle nests increased from 60,000 in sink lower towards the horizon. 1988 to nearly 700,000 in 1995, and Slowly people started to gather, and this number continues to rise. I noticed that many were wearing Volunteers Needed: Eastern The Turtle Centre covers a 4-ha white t-shirts with ‘S O S’ written Massachusetts Turtle area and displays numerous sea and on them in turtle-shaped lettering. Surveys from March – June freshwater turtles as well as tortoises. For $10 I bought a t-shirt and was It also includes an aquarium/ inducted into the hatchling turtle Surveys targeting habitat of museum. The Centre conducts release group. After a 15-minute talk Eastern Box, Wood, and Blanding’s research into techniques that help about marine turtles by a volunteer turtles are being organized by Erin manage, increase, and preserve native with a hatchling flapping in hand Snook, Community Outreach turtle species, it provides educational we were asked to line up behind a Coordinator, Sudbury Valley opportunities, and it promotes line drawn on the sand about 15 Trustees, AmeriCorps MassLIFT ecotourism based on turtles. The m parallel to the breaking surf. We Member. She needs your help! facility receives 60,000 visitors a stood excitedly waiting for a little Please contact her if you can join year. Volunteers from the Centre also hatchling to be placed gently in our the effort ([email protected]). monitor local beaches. When females hands. Once they were all distributed Data will contribute to the Year come onto the beaches at night, we all bent down and on the count of the Turtle USA Turtle Mapping generally just after a full moon, they of three we let our little hatchlings Project!

The Centre houses a variety of turtles and tortoises, such as this female Painted ( pulcherrima), many of which are endemics threatened with extinction.

Eastern Box Turtle by Sudbury Valley Trustees member Dick McWalter. Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 12 “There’s quite a lot left” – Dr. Carl Safina By Dede Olson, Research Ecologist, US Forest Service, and National Co-Chair, PARC Turtles are “compelling and one of the five species of sea turtles. soothing,” said Carl Safina to me. They are unique taxonomically He then looked up, his gaze like that and can be massive, weighing one of a child’s – honest, trusting, and ton. One that I saw on a nesting soulful. He clearly has a spiritual beach in Suriname was the size of connection with turtles, and an awe a Volkswagon! They are the most and compassion for them, I thought. widely distributed turtle. Safina states Later during his banquet speech, he that Leatherbacks have declined 95% said “The compass of compassion in the last 20 years in the Pacific shows not what is good for me, Ocean. The upside is their rate but what is good.” We were at the of almost exponential recovery in Wisconsin Wetland Association parts of the Atlantic. Through Carl conference, in Baraboo, Wisconsin, Safina’s lens on the world we see both where turtles had been discussed redemption as we slowly turn our nature’s majesty and a new paradigm during the day, and Safina had been efforts and technologies to achieve for human-world relations. He sees invited to speak to us after dinner, to natural resource sustainability. Hope our metamorphosis towards being give us dessert with a dose of science, is his by-line. He has it, and through nature stewards. I share the hope, and philosophy, poetry, and conservation his words, he gifts it to you. “We are although the path is not easy, I think reality. borrowing heavily from people not we are rising to the challenge. yet born” he said to us as we viewed “There exists a presence in the his slideshow featuring polar bears ocean, seldom glimpsed in waking and penguins on shrinking ice, a hours, best envisioned in your baby albatross carcass filled with dreams. While you drift in sleep, cigarette lighters, and a sea turtle turtles ride the curve of the deep, in a fisherman’s net. His analogy seeking their inspiration from the of humans as being on a par with sky. From tranquil tropic bays or the volcanoes and meteors of past nightmare maelstroms hissing foam, mass extinction events was sobering. they come unseen to share our air.” However, “there’s quite a lot left,” . Photo by Andy Page 1, Setting Course, Voyage of the Adams he said to keep our minds from the Turtle by Carl Safina, 2006, Henry downward spiral. Holt and Company, . Carl Safina is one of the luminary Voyage of the Turtle is the www.blueocean.org writers of our day. He authored the Leatherback’s story. Leatherbacks are acclaimed Voyage of the Turtle,

among other works. His new book Leatherback SeaTurtle on the Gulf Oil Spill is due out soon, at Galibi Nature and I anticipate something on turtles Reserve in Suriname. Photographed in 1980 in that as well. He is known as being by Dede Olson. an artful weaver of science, natural history, and conservation issues. He has a knack for telling stories of our careless dance with our precious natural heritage, the fall-out from that dance as we rearrange Earth to our own short-sighted purposes, and the glimmer of hope for ecological Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 13 Endangered Turtle Conservation in Northeast India: The TCRP Celebrates Year of the Turtle in By Chittaranjan Baruah, Coordinator, TCRP, Assam, India

At the conjunction of the Himalaya Community awareness and the Indo-Burma biodiversity and capacity building for turtle nest hotspots, northeast India is regarded protection. as a major turtle conservation priority area. This region supports a remarkable 23 species of turtles and tortoises, making it one of the most diverse turtle faunas in the world. Since its inception in 2009, the Turtle Conservation and Research Program (TCRP) has initiated a freshwater turtle conservation program in the state of Assam. In 2010, TCRP started a community are being organized to involve all age drawing, and painting competitions awareness and capacity building groups to excite them about the role among the local school children. project for safeguarding the region’s of turtles in our environment. These It is noteworthy to mention that turtles, with programs to document celebrations helped organize a series northeast India is famous for flagship diversity and abundance, nesting of follow-up meetings during Year species like the surveys and in-situ egg protection. In of the Turtle in an effort to save the (Pangshura sylhetensis) and the Black addition, TCRP recently launched an regional turtle diversity. The TCRP Softshell turtle ( nigricans). ex-situ habitat development project has created dialogue with regional For more information on for certain threatened taxa. conservation organizations as well as turtle conservation programs

local researchers in an effort to build in northeast India, visit www. strong partnerships and networks ruffordsmallgrants.org/rsg/ for a wider turtle conservation projects/chittaranjan_baruah programme in the region. Training and www.iucn.org/about/union/ on various aspects of turtle biology commissions/cec/?6105%2FTurtle- and conservation such as survey Conservation-Programme- techniques, egg collection, and Launched-by-CEC-Young- hatchery management has been given Professional. You can also reach Mr. to several student volunteers. Baruah and TCRP via email at tcrp. Ex-situ turtle habitat improvement For Year of the Turtle, the TCRP [email protected]. program of the TCRP. Photo by has started organizing a series of Chittaranjan Baruah. awareness campaigns. The main aim of the program is to create awareness A series of awareness campaigns among the people of northeast (both oral and poster/brochure India regarding the importance of presentations) have been carried biodiversity and turtle conservation. out in riparian village communities, The activities include a series of including local schools, across Assam. popular talks on conservation biology TCRP celebrates “Endangered Species among the local communities, Day”, “World Biodiversity Day,” and environmental awareness programs “World Turtle Day” in different parts targeting students and local of Assam to educate the community The Assam Roofed turtle (Pangshura communities, and extempore speech, in turtle conservation. Several events sylhetensis). Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 14 PARC Regional Working Group Spotlight: Box Turtle and Wood Turtle efforts among the conservation focus of NEPARC Northeast PARC (NEPARC) has been hard at work on conservation issues surrounding turtles in the northeastern United States. This hard work has resulted in a multitude of products available to the public, as well as the formation of many working groups, including groups focused on Box Turtles and Wood Turtles. Within these efforts, NEPARC has created an educational brochure, Your Backyard Guide to Helping Amphibians and BoxTurtle.htm). In addition, the Wood Turtle Working Reptiles, to provide homeowners with information on Group (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc/WorkingGroups/ how to make their backyard a better habitat for wildlife woodturtle.htm) has created a brochure about Wood (available at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc/Products/ Turtles to provide information on how people can help Backyard.htm). A wealth of educational materials on conserve this important species (available at www.pwrc. Box Turtles, including a poster entitled Please Don’t usgs.gov/neparc/Products/WoodTurtle.htm). Be sure Take Me Home, have also been created to raise public to check the NEPARC website (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/ awareness of box turtles and how taking individuals from neparc/index.htm) for future updates on these efforts as the wild can negatively impact wild turtle populations well as other recent NEPARC products. (available at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc/Products/ NEPARC also hosted a great constituency at its 2010 Annual Meeting in August along the scenic Atlantic coast at Acadia National Park in Maine. More information on the meeting can be found at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/ neparc/Meetings/index.htm. There you can also find registration and abstract submission information for the upcoming 2011 Annual Meeting, to be held August 17-18 at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in Millersville, Maryland.

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Alison Haskell Award for Excellence in Herpetofaunal Conservation Nominations are currently being sought for our new, annual cash award in memory of Alison Haskell (1956 – 2006). The award is to recognize an individual in North America who exemplifies extraordinary commitment to herpetofaunal conservation, as did Alison. Alison studied turtles as part of her graduate work, and went on to become PARC’s first ever Federal Coordinator. Sadly, her tenure was tragically shortened due to a valiant, but unsuccessful battle with ovarian cancer. Members of PARC aim to keep her memory alive through this annual award. Learn more about the award, and Alison! Year of the Turtle News No. 3, March 2011, p. 15 Upcoming Meetings and Events The Wildlife Society, Wisconsin Northwest PARC Annual Meeting. River Park North/Walter L. Chapter, with Society of American March 21-22 in Gig Harbor, Stasavich Science & Nature Center Foresters. March 1-3, Wisconsin Washington. “Sea Turtles” Program, with Guest Dells, Wisconsin. Speaker Dr. Matthew H. Godfrey, The Wildlife Society, Washington NCWRC Sea Turtle Program 76th North American Wildlife and Chapter, with Society for Coordinator, April 28, Greenville, Natural Resources Conference. Northwestern Biology. North Carolina March 14-19, Kansas City, Missouri. March 22-25, Gig Harbor, Washington. Dede Olson presenting Heckscher Spring Festival. April River Park North/Walter L. on Year of the Turtle. 30-May 1, Long Island, New York. Stasavich Science & Nature Center “Going Green for Turtles Rare Pond Species Survey River Park North/Walter L. St. Patrick’s Day-2011 Year of the Techniques Workshop, April 2-3, Stasavich Science & Nature Center Turtle” with Guest Speaker Jeff Rohnert Park, California. “North Carolina Turtles in Peril” Hall, PARC Biologist. March 17, Program, with Guest Speaker Greenville, North Carolina. North Carolina PARC Annual Jeff Hall, PARC Biologist, May 5, Meeting, with NC Chapter, Greenville, North Carolina German Chelonia Group Annual The Wildlife Society. April 5-7, Meeting. March 18-20, Gera, Junaluska, North Carolina. World Turtle Day. May 23. Germany. Northeast Fish and Wildlife 67th Second Mediterranean Congress of Association of Zoos and Aquariums Annual Conference, April 17-19, , May 23-27, Morocco. Mid-Year Meeting. March 19-24, Manchester, New Hampshire. Chattanooga, Tennessee.

TSA Seed Grants: Announcing a Call for International Research Proposals Subscribe Now! The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) has announced Don’t miss the upcoming editions of a request for proposals for grants in research and the Year of the Turtle News! If you have conservation actions that support specific tortoise and not already, subscribe to the monthly freshwater turtle projects and priority programs. For electronic newsletter by submitting an 2011, these include select work in Columbia, Indonesia, email with the subject “subscribe” to India, and Africa. For further information and application [email protected]. guidelines, please visit www.turtlesurvival.org/projects/ grants-available.