Nature’s News SPECIAL EDITION Volume 4, Issue 3 May—June 2011 Nature Abounds Partners with Year of the Turtle Turtles are in seri- awareness, Partners in Year of the Turtle. ous trouble. The Interna- Amphibian and Reptile Currently, tional Union for the Con- Conservation (PARC), 328 species of turtles servation of Nature has proclaimed 2011 as are known world- (IUCN), an organization the Year of the Turtle. wide, and they are that maintains a compre- Through out- being impacted by a hensive list (Red List) of reach efforts to research- variety of major Green Sea Turtle the status of the world's ers, educators, natural threats, to which many destroyed, developed, species, categorizes 47% resource managers, and are gradually succumb- and polluted. Populations of all living turtle species the public, the “Year of ing. In overwhelming are shrinking nearly eve- as threatened. Because of the Turtle” campaign numbers, turtles are be- rywhere. the issues surrounding tur- aims to increase U.S. ing collected, traded, and Species world- tles and the need to raise involvement in local-to- eaten or otherwise used. wide are threatened and national turtle issues. They are used for food, vulnerable, many are State and federal wildlife pets, traditional medi- critically endangered, agencies, along with sev- cine—eggs, juveniles, others teeter on the very eral conservation and adults, body parts—all brink of extinction, and a turtle organizations, are are exploited indiscrimi- few have already been partnering with PARC to nately, with little regard lost forever. Eight spe- help spread the word for sustainability. On top cies and two subspecies about the plight of tur- of these targeted attacks, having gone extinct since tles. Nature Abounds is their habitats are being 1500 AD. an official partner of the increasingly fragmented,

In this Issue: World Turtle Day—May 23rd American Tortoise toises and turtles in caring Meet Max, Rescue a nonprofit organiza- homes. ATR assists law Nature Abounds 3 tion established in 1990 for enforcement when under- Spokes-turtle the protection of all species size or endangered turtles of tortoise and turtle, is are confiscated and pro- Around the sponsoring its 11th annual 4 vides helpful information Globe World Turtle Day on May and referrals to persons 23rd. The day was created with sick, neglected or as an annual observance to abandoned turtles. from the wild, and the Across the USA 6 help people celebrate and According to ATR breeding stock is drastically protect turtles and tortoises co-founder Susan Tellem, “ reduced.” She noted that and their disappearing habi- “We are seeing smaller experts predict the complete How You Can Back tats around the world. turtles coming into the res- disappearance of one of the Help Turtles Cover Since 1990, ATR cue meaning that older world’s oldest creatures has placed about 3,000 tor- adults are disappearing within the next 50 years. P a ge 2 www.NatureAbounds.org Volume 4 Issue 3

North America’s Smallest Turtle Mortality Rate Spikes

“The U.S. Fish and Wild- tiles in the past few years. The bog tur- life Service has made bog turtle tle is North America’s smallest turtle recovery a priority,” said Alison and reaches only 4.5 inches in length Whitlock, Northeast Region Bog and as many ounces. Turtle Recovery Coordinator for The Wildlife Conservation So- the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- ciety’s (who has been involved in the vice. “We are working with many study and conservation of bog turtles partners from state agencies, non- since 1973) veterinarians will join forc- governmental organizations, and es with other health experts to find out private landowners to address the why these bog turtles are getting sick. threats to this species. Working WCS health experts and federal and with the Wildlife Conservation state wildlife managers are currently Society to conduct this health as- locating wild turtles for health assess- ©USARMY.MIL sessment addresses one of the re- ments to determine these baseline con- covery objectives, and we are ditions and possibly identify a common tional levels and is federally listed looking forward to continuing this cause to explain recent turtle mortality. as “Threatened,” and partnership in conservation.” After conducting a physical exam of “Endangered” in New York State The announcement last individual turtles, health experts will and Massachusetts. One of the week comes after wildlife manag- collect a number of samples—blood, threats is habitat loss. The number ers working in known bog turtle feces, cloacal swabs, biopsies—for lat- of known habitats for the threat- habitats in the Northeast have re- er analysis. ened northern population of the ported higher than average mortal- The species is currently pro- bog turtle is shrinking. ity rates for these threatened rep- tected on state, national, and interna-

Pollution and Turtles in Florida in 2006 and 2007. Group northern waters are more polluted, members measured and weighed the but the scientists point out that turtles, took blood samples, and exam- turtles that migrate eat more, and ined their reproductive systems with therefore consume more pollu- testicular biopsies. They were then fit- tants. Migrating turtles were on ted with satellite transmitters and re- average larger than the permanent ©NIST leased. Over two months, 10 of the ani- residents. The animals seemed One of the many threats mals traveled north as far as Cape May, healthy, researchers said, but what loggerhead sea turtles face is man- N.J., while nine remained near their constitutes good health in an adult made pollution, but the extent of starting point at Cape Canaveral. male loggerhead is not clear. the risk is a question. A recent The study found that the turtles “These were reproductive- study looked for the answer as had measurable blood levels of 67 dif- ly active animals,” said Jennifer scientists measured contaminants ferent chemicals used in pesticides and M. Keller, a co-author of the study in the blood of a group of adult other industrial products. The logger- and a biologist with the National male turtles and tracked their mi- heads that migrated had higher levels Institute of Standards and Tech- gration along the Atlantic Coast. than those that stayed near Florida, nology (NIST). “But the males Led by Jared M. Ragland, confirming prior research that found have higher blood levels of con- a graduate student at the College more pollutants in turtles in northern taminants than the juveniles, and of Charleston, in Charleston, S.C., latitudes. It is possible that the fish and that adds to our concern.” the group captured 19 loggerheads invertebrates that turtles feed on in www.NatureAbounds.org Volume 4 Issue 3 P a ge 3

Meet Maximillian Terrepene, Nature Abounds Spokes-turtle

My name is Maximillian friends I met along my travels to get Terrepene. My friends call me Max. to their office. I’m about 10 winters old, and I’m an Nature Abounds told me they Eastern Box Turtle. would help in any way they could if I I was brought home by a could help teach them what I know. I, child when I was really small of course, agreed because I realized (illegally), and as the child grew he that without them knowing what me lost interest in me so the family just and my relatives are dealing with how took me out into the woods and re- could they know how to change leased me. Before they released me, things and make it better for all of us. I watched them using their computer I plan on working with the and saw the Nature Abounds page staff at Nature Abounds for the rest of when they were looking at the Watch my life (another 90+ years if all goes Watch for “ Max’s Facts ” in future the Wild program. Well, long story well) spreading the word about turtles editions of Nature’s News short I am a smart guy and I remem- also called tortoises and teaching all I bered the address. know about my other friends in the I stopped by the Nature wild that I've met in my journeys. Abounds office and asked them if If you are internet savvy, you they could help me spread the word can follow me on Facebook. I’m also about myself and my relatives and on Twitter.

Turtles and Plastic Don’t Mix In March, a disturbing re- tles around the world, creatures alarming rate. In the 1960s, less than port was released that chronicles that easily mistake plastics for food 1 percent of waste was plastic, but what decades of plastic pollution items like jellyfish. According to today it makes up to 80 percent of in our oceans has done to sea tur- the report, about half of all sur- all waste that accumulates on land, tles. One of the more troubling veyed sea turtles have ingested shorelines, on the ocean surface or stories from the report highlights plastic. on the seabed. an instance of a green sea turtle Of course, sea turtles aren't Coauthor of the report, Dr. that swallowed so much marine the only marine animals imperiled Wallace J. Nichols said, "The sci- pollution that it pooped plastic for by plastic. Plastic debris ensnares ence is becoming crystal clear: sea a month. marine mammals like seals, and turtles and plastic pollution don't Upon rescuing the turtle in plastics are commonly discovered mix well. Sea turtles have spent the 2009, marine biologists in Florida in the stomachs of whales, dolphins past 100 million years roaming seas noticed that the turtle was having and fish. Micro-plastics have also free of plastic pollution, and are now problems digesting food. After been found to be accumulating in sadly the poster animal for impacts dislodging a large piece of plastic mollusks and crustaceans. of our throw-away society on endan- from the animal's gastrointestinal As single-use plastics gered species." tract, the turtle proceeded to defe- increase in use, as well as get Experts met on plastic pollu- cate 74 foreign objects over the mindlessly discarded at a compara- tion met in March for the Fifth Inter- next month including latex bal- ble rate, they gather in the eddying national Marine Debris Conference loons, string, soft and hard plastic, currents of the world's oceans. to look at possible solutions. How- a piece of carpet-like material, and Though the report estimates that ever, they know a change won't two large tar balls. only about 0.2-0.3 percent of plas- come easy unless individuals around The turtle is representative tic production eventually ends up the world make basic behavioral of a growing problem for sea tur- in the ocean, it accumulates at an changes to prevent plastic use. P a ge 4 www.NatureAbounds.org Volume 4 Issue 3

Ontario The company says Area residents A “green energy” it will acquire and manage a who oppose the applica- wind turbine project to be property outside the project tion for an exemption to built in Prince Edward area for habitat preserva- the Endangered Species County is seeking permis- tion, rehabilitation and im- Act say in a news release sion to “kill, harm and har- provement for both Blan- that the company would ass” the threatened Blan- ding’s turtles and whip- construct 5.4 km of roads ding’s turtle and whip- poorwills and fund related “along an environmentally poorwill, according to a graduate research. protected shoreline on permit application posted “Beyond standard Lake Ontario’s most im- species monitoring, a bene- portant migratory bird path Around the Globe on the Ontario Environ- mental Registry this week. fit to the species will be in Prince Edward County. Gilead Power achieved through value The unique role that the Corp., which is developing added monitoring for multi- south shore of Prince Ed- the Ostrander Point Wind ple years on both the newly ward County plays in the Energy Park on Crown acquired property, as well support of ever declining land along the shores of as the wind power site, to migratory bird populations Lake Ontario, says in its gather new information and will be permanently al- application that it is doing knowledge about Blan- tered.” everything it can to lessen ding’s turtles and how they any impact on the threat- use their habitat,” the per- ened species. mit application says.

Africa are caught every year in National Park and Satellite tracking fishing nets along the Conkouati-Douli Nation- of Olive Ridley sea tur- coast of Central Africa, al Park just across the tles off the coast of Cen- yet we previously had no border in the Republic of tral Africa has revealed understanding of their Congo were created to that existing protected movements or what areas protect both olive ridley areas may be inadequate are critical to protect their and leatherback sea tur- to safeguard turtles from populations.” tles from fishing nets, but fishing nets, according to In the first com- dozens of dead olive rid- scientists with the Uni- prehensive tracking study ley sea turtles have con- versity of California- of Olive Ridley sea turtles tinued to wash up on the Santa Cruz, the Wildlife during the nesting season, shores of the park every Conservation Society, the the researchers used satel- year. These deaths have University of Exeter, and lite transmitters to follow perplexed park managers Olive Ridley turtle others. Scientists in- 18 female turtles during and resulted in mounting volved in the study rec- their journeys ashore to concern about the health ommended the extension lay eggs. The nesting sea- of this threatened species. of an international marine son brings the turtles clos- "What we found, park that spans the waters est to the coastline and to however, made sense. of Gabon and the Repub- the danger of being cap- Turtles were regularly lic of Congo and better tured in fishing nets. moving outside of the international cooperation Turtles were park boundaries where to manage this threatened tagged in Mayumba Na- we believe they were en- species. tional Park, a 900-square- countering fishing nets Researcher Sara kilometer marine protect- and drowning, and later Maxwell said,"Thousands ed area on the southern washing ashore where we of olive ridley sea turtles coast of Gabon. Mayumba (Continued on Page 5) www.NatureAbounds.org Volume 4 Issue 3 P a ge 5

United Arab and only 5 per cent is im- Programme (UNEP) esti- ported from outside. mated in 2006 that every Emirates (UAE) The verification square mile of ocean con- The UAE has fi- aims to ensure that the tains 46,000 pieces of nalized the systems and process of degradation floating plastic and that processes in making plas- will not harm the people 70 per cent to 80 per cent tic bags in the country and environment. Plastic of reported marine debris biodegradable by 2013. bags pose danger to the worldwide is plastic. A All providers and suppli- environment because UNEP study shows that ers of ingredients that will some chemicals in the plastic debris causes the enable plastic bags to de- material are toxic and take deaths of more than a mil- grade quickly - need to be thousand years to break lion seabirds every year, verified and approved by down. The toxic sub- as well as more than Emirates Authority for stance enters the food 100,000 marine mam- Standardization and Me- chain by seeping into the mals. trology (ESMA) before soil during its breakdown According to a they can deal with plastic process, and causes a study conducted by the manufacturers and trad- threat to animals and birds Ministry of Environment ers, according to a senior where they may either and Water, nearly 12 bil- Plastic Marine Debris government official. ingest or choke to death lion plastic bags are used It is estimated that by plastic wraps. Half the a year in the UAE. In Abu there are more than 100 camel deaths each year in Dhabi, plastic makes up manufacturers and suppli- the UAE are due to cam- 19 per cent of domestic ers of Bio or Oxo- els ingesting plastic bags. waste in the city, accord- Biodegradable additives Globally, the det- ing to the Centre for in the UAE. About 95 per rimental effects of plastics Waste Management. cent of the plastic bags in the environment have used in UAE are manu- been well-documented. factured in the country The UN Environment

AFRICA (Continued) both countries to join and ridley sea turtles would would see them," said expand Mayumba and fall within the expanded Angela Formia of the Conkouati-Douli National park boundaries." Wildlife Conservation Parks, creating what is the Studies such as Society's Ocean Giants first international marine this one highlight the crit- Program. park in this region of the ical importance of inter- The study re- world. national cooperation in vealed another critical "The proposal to managing and protecting finding: the tagged turtles combine and extend the long-lived and migratory spent more than half of protected areas will be in- species such as sea tur- their time in the Republic credibly effective," said tles. This work also of Congo waters, high- coauthor Brendan Godley, demonstrates the power lighting the need for in- professor at University of of satellite tracking tech- ternational cooperation to Exeter Cornwall and coor- nology to show where protect this species. The dinator of the Marine Tur- animals are going and Wildlife Conservation tle Research Group. "We how to better protect Society is now working estimate that 97 percent of them. in conjunction with the the most critical habitat for national park agencies of this population of olive P a ge 6 www.NatureAbounds.org Volume 4 Issue 3

servation and the quest for on the project site. It ap- California cleaner power. Many envi- pears that the largest con- In April, the ronmentalists contend it centrations of tortoise are Obama administration would be preferable to outside the project and in halted the building of two- subsidize smaller solar areas that we designed the thirds of a massive solar arrays on commercial and project to avoid." project in San Bernardi- residential rooftops, or on The BLM's new no's Mojave Desert as a industrial acreage, than assessment estimates that new federal assessment Across the USA offer government loan more than 3,000 acres of found that more than 600 guarantees to large com- tortoise habitat would endangered desert tortois- plexes on wildlands that eventually be lost as a re- es would die as a result of require transmission lines sult of construction, and construction. to transport the electricity more than 160 adult tor- An assessment this to urban areas. toises in the project area week by The U.S. Bureau The federal order will have to be captured of Land Management suspends construction ac- and moved, in addition to (BLM) disputed the esti- tivity on most of the 600 dying as a result of the mate by BrightSource En- Ivanpah project until the project. ergy, developer of the 392 U.S. Fish and Wildlife The U.S. Fish and MW solar thermal plant, Service redrafts a previous Wildlife Service will use that only 38 of the reptiles scientific opinion on the the new estimates to deter- would be disturbed by effect on the tortoise, mine whether finishing the construction at the 5.6- which may come as soon project puts the species in square mile Ivanpah Val- as May. In a statement, jeopardy. If not, the agen- ley site near Primm, Neva- BrightSource Energy cy is expected to set new da. spokesman Keely Wachs limits on how many ani- Questions con- said the new government mals may be killed, in- cerning the California tor- projections “are not con- jured or harassed. toises highlight the friction ©KTNV.ABC sistent with the actual between wilderness con- Dessert Tortoise numbers of tortoise found

San Diego, CA the tortoises south of Las greatest chance for sur- The San Diego Vegas Wednesday. vival.'' Zoo outfitted 36 desert "Our mission is to The scientists tortoises with radio trans- aid in the recovery of the hope to find out the best mitters, 24 of them with desert tortoise,'' according conditions into which to GPS systems, to track to Paula Kahn, the insti- tortoises should be re- their movements and hab- tute's conservation pro- leased in the wild. itat choices in Nevada, the gram manager. "We are The desert tortoise park announced recently. using science to refine is considered to be Scientists with the translocation methods that "threatened'' under the zoo's Institute for Conser- we can use to ensure de- Endangered Species Act, vation Research placed sert tortoises have the where it has been listed since 1980. www.NatureAbounds.org Volume 4 Issue 3 P a ge 7

North Carolina The night-driving before the hatchlings Seasonal night- ban aims to protect three emerge and make their driving restrictions went species of threatened or way to the ocean. Between into effect May 1st on the endangered sea turtles – 10 and 15 percent of the Cape Hatteras National loggerhead, leatherback sea turtle nests in North Seashore. All beaches on and green turtles. Between Carolina are typically the 67-mile seashore will May and September, fe- found on the Cape Hatter- be closed to vehicles be- male turtles crawl onto as National Seashore. tween 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. beaches to deposit their Violators of the Enforcement begins at eggs into sand-covered night-driving restrictions midnight, and the regula- cavities. face up to six months in Once laid, the eggs jail and a $5,000 fine. Loggerhead Sea turtle tion will remain in effect hatchlings until Nov. 15. incubate for 50 to 70 days

Florida them go in the opposite outdoor advertising and For home and direction. decorations. business owners along Now, however, But there are con- the Volusia County Volusia County has pro- cerns that concentrating coast, this time of the posed the first major such lighting, such as year means turtle nests change in the lighting along the new midway begin popping up on the rules in more than two near the Main Street beach. decades. Pier, could undermine And that means The County the safer effects of the it's time to darken those Council is set to hear new lights. outside lights, so female about certain LED light- The U.S. Fish and sea turtles and their ing, which has a longer Wildlife Service would hatchlings don't become wavelength that appar- have to review any disoriented. ently does not confuse changes to the lighting The newborn tur- the sea turtles as much. policy. The County tles head to moonlight The long-wave LED red, Council is scheduled to once they emerge from amber or orange lighting vote on the new policy their sandy nests, but could replace conven- on Thursday, May 19. bright lights could have tional lights now used in

Michigan Park Zoo veterinarian, has tles have been born in If you remember been working to help ani- April with more are ex- the oil spill in Kalamazoo, mals affected by the oil pected to hatch in the next Michigan, last July, you spill. He alone has helped few weeks. The babies remember how big it was. rehabilitate about 2,500 will have to be cared for More than 800,000 gallons turtles. several more months. of oil spilled into a wet- Tabaka said that Many of their par- lands, and into a nearby about 450 turtles had to ents, however, were re- creek and ultimately into stay in care in the zoo re- leased or will be released the Kalamazoo River. habilitation facility over into the river in the com- Needless to say, a lot of the winter, and the facility ing weeks above and be- wildlife were affected. became a makeshift nest- low Ceresco Dam. ©Enquirer Since the spill, ing ground for some of Baby Turtles Born in Chris Tabaka, a Binder them. About 25 baby tur- Michigan in April NON -PROFIT Contacting Us ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE By Email: PAID CLEARFIELD, PA [email protected] Nature Abounds PERMIT NO. By Phone: Membership PO Box 241 (814) 765-1453 Clearfield, PA 16830 By Mail: PO Box 241 Clearfield, PA 16830 Twitter – twitter.com/natureabounds

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Small Things You Can Do For Turtles

• Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increas- es demand from the wild. • Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured. • If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again. • Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitat preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent off shore drilling that can lead to more endan- gered sea turtle deaths. • Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter. • Report the sale of any turtle or tortoise of any kind less than four inches. This is illegal everywhere in the U.S.