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TurTle Survival allianceAn IUCN Partnership Network for Sustainable Captive Management of Freshwater Turtles & Tortoises — www.TurtleSurvival.org
auGuST 2008TSA
Giant YanGtze SoftShell turtle, Rafetus swinhoei (See article p. 4)
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From the TSA Co-Chairs
As you read this eighth edition of the TSA newsletter, reflect back on how far this publication has come since 2001. It’s difficult to continue to call this a newsletter. Perhaps TSA magazine or annual report would be a better name. Regardless, we hope you like the new polished format and appreciate the extra pages. Putting this publication together takes more and more effort every year, and that is certainly a positive reflection on the growth of our organization. We have a lot going on around the globe, and our reputation for doing good turtle conservation work continues to grow. The TSA is becoming well known for taking decisive conservation action and being unafraid to take risks when situ-ations warrant. There can be no better example of this than our top story for 2008--the historic attempt to breed the last two Yangtze giant softshell turtles, Rafetus swinhoei, in China.
Under the able leadership of Dr.Gerald Kuchling, and with superb support and assistance from Lu Shunquing of WCS-China, an agreement was reached to unite the only known living female Rafetus at Changsha Zoo with an ancient male at Suzhou Zoo. At least three workshops were held to reach this agreement. But once this happened, TSA began to raise funds in anticipation of an event we knew would be expensive, high profile, and risky. Our only comfort was the realization that doing nothing was riskier. By April 2008, all the preparations had been made, the final pieces were in place, and Team Rafetus arrived in China the first week of May. China Girl was transported more than 600 miles by van to Suzhou, and within two days, the Team was reporting exciting signs of interactions. On Day 3, an attempted breeding was witnessed, and remarkably, just weeks later, the female nested, depositing 45 eggs. More and more, this event looks like something that was just meant to be, and if we are successful, it will be a lasting tribute to the careers of all involved. It will certainly be recorded as TSA’s proudest moment, so far.
Our programs in India and Myanmar continue to gain traction and attract the attention of the donor community, which reflects well on the success of those efforts. In addition to Batchelor Foundation funding for both of those programs in 2007, we received significant grants from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (India), the Beneficia Foundation (India), Natures Own (India), and the British Chelonia Group (India and Burma). In 2008, we kicked off a Madagascar program with funding from Batchelor Foundation and Natures Own, targeting two critically endangered endemic tortoises, the phoughshare and the spider tortoise.
Also in 2008, we are coordinating a TSA-specific version of the Asian Scholarship Program. Targeting biologists who are actually working on TSA programs in range countries, this opportunity is designed to provide training in skills better suited to the work they do. This summer, two colleagues from the WCS-Myanmar turtle conservation program, Khin Myo Myo and Kyaw Moe, are in the U.S. undergoing a broad range of training opportunities that will conclude at the annual conference in Tucson. We are making a serious effort to communicate more effectively with the TSA membership, and the new E-newsletter has become an effective vehicle for getting our message out and keeping you up to date on all that is going on. We were skeptical that there would be enough material to report every two weeks, but surprisingly we have not had a problem finding content. Our ultimate goal is to make the TSA web site the place to go for turtle and tortoise conservation news. We hope you are finding both beneficial. Thanks to Sandy Binns for her tireless work in keeping them timely.
As we write this, plans for the Sixth Annual Symposium on Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles are in full swing, as we return to the West in 2008, to Tucson, Arizona. This will be our third conference held in conjunction with the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, and it has already become the world’s largest gathering of non-marine turtle folks. We owe special thanks again this year to TSA Conference chairman Lonnie McCaskill for another great, repeat performance to pull this event together (with the enthusiastic support of the Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau), and to Program chairman Don Boyer who, with the various session chairs, has organized an outstanding conference program. To our many conference supporters and volunteers who help to make this event special, we sincerely thank you.
Finally we pause to reflect on the strength of the TSA and what keeps this organization at the forefront of turtle conservation. We continue to believe that our core strength comes from the partnerships that have always been our foundation. However, there is something less tangible that unites us and keeps us motivated. Recognizing that the turtle conservation community is composed of many strong and dominant per-sonalities who are bound to clash from time to time, we believe it is our shared vision that allows us to put those differences aside and move on together for the greater good--the greater good being turtle and tortoise conservation. Together, we can and must put our passion for turtles to work for their survival.
Rick Hudson and Dwight LawsonCo-Chairs, Turtle Survival Alliance
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In This Issue
f e a t u r e S
4 cover Story8 Membership10 animal Management and husbandry12 • Significant Breedings16 • Short husbandry articles18 • Behler chelonian conservation center20 • Maintaining Giant asian Softshells in captivity22 tSa europe
r a n G e c o u n t r Y p r o G r a M S
26 india36 Madagascar43 cambodia44 Vietnam46 Mauritis48 Myanmar
e x c l u S i V e S , n e w S , & a n n o u n c e M e n t S
52 a taste of thai52 1st tSa training Scholarship program53 Disney wildlife conservation fund hero award55 British chelonia Group56 the turtle conservation fund59 nature's own60 Donor recognition
turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE BOARDrick HudsonCo-Chair Executive CommitteeTSA US Co-Chair
Dwight lawsonCo-Chair Executive CommitteeTSA US Co-Chair
Kevin BuleyExecutive CommitteeTSA Europe Vice-Chair
Hans Dieter PhilippenExecutive CommitteeTSA Europe Vice-Chair
Hank ZwartepoorteExecutive CommitteeTSA Europe Chair
anders rhodinEx-officio Executive CommitteeIUCN TFTSG Chair
u.S. Steering committeeSheri AshleySandra BinnsDon BoyerKurt BuhlmannAndy DaneaultScott DavisOrlando Diaz-FigueroaRay FarrellGreg FlemingGreg GeorgeCris HagenBrian HorneHeather LoweLonnie McCaskillBill NineslingHugh QuinnSam RiveraChuck SchafferPaul vander SchouwDarrell SennekeBrett StearnsChris TabakaBill Zeigler
DeSIgN & lAyoUT: JohN BINNS www.IRCF.oRg INTeRNATIoNAl RePTIle CoNSeRvATIoN FoUNDATIoN
A U g U S T 2 0 0 8 T S A N e w S l e T T e R © 2 0 0 8 T S A
for membership information, or to contact the tSa please visit: www.turtleSurvival.org or send your correspondence to: turtle Survival alliance 1989 colonial parkway, fort worth tx 76110
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cover Story
At the TSA conference in 2005, Dr. Peter Pritchard reported that five live
specimens of Rafetus swinhoei were known to exist in Chinese institutions. Since then, the specimen at Beijing Zoo died in late 2005 and the one at Shanghai Zoo died in late 2006. Fortunately, following a TSA-sponsored workshop in January 2007, Dr. Lu Shunqing and I identified an additional live female Rafetus swinhoei at Changsha Zoo. It was obvious that captive breeding had to be tried, but none of the three Chinese institutions then holding Rafetus were willing to offer their animal for a breeding loan (see TSA Newsletter August 2007). Instead, in 2007 an agreement was reached, signed, and stamped by Changsha Zoo, Suzhou Zoo, and WCS-China to perform artificial insemination in order to try to propagate the last individuals. In the meantime, the last remaining specimen of Rafetus in the West Garden Buddhist Temple in Suzhou died in August 2007 (the purported second Rafetus there has not been seen for many years). Suddenly, only two old individuals were left—both in Chinese institutions.
The situation captured the attention of the media, and in early December 2007, Jim Yardley reported in the New York Times that the world’s last known female Yangtze giant softshell turtle was living in one Chinese zoo, while the only known male in China was living in another—and this aging pair was the last hope of saving the largest freshwater turtle in the world. To make use of this international attention, TSA sent me (GK) to China to negotiate an agreement with Chinese stakeholders for the captive breeding of Rafetus at a workshop organized by WCS-China in late 2007. A major hurdle was to dissuade the Chinese delegates from executing their already signed and stamped agreement to perform artificial insemination. With only one very old male remaining, collecting sperm would simply be too risky. The demise of the male ploughshare tortoise, Astrochelys yniphora, at Honolulu Zoo 24 years ago,
historic efforts to Save the world’s rarest turtle
Gerald Kuchling
following electro-ejaculation to collect his sperm for artificial insemination, is still living memory. That species has not been bred in the United States since then.
The very last male Rafetus in China was not a sound candidate to un-earth and try this procedure. On the other hand, to use the Suzhou male for natural mating and insemination was not without risk either. The last time a Rafetus specimen had been moved into his pond in order to attempt breeding, about 15 years ago, an epic battle started immediately and he killed his intended partner the same day. His battle scars are still evident today—he lost about half the leathery back flap of his carapace.
These historic facts ensured animated and lively discussions at the workshop in December 2007. Until five minutes to its end, an agreement for captive breeding by natural
means seemed out of reach. The Chinese side considered natural breeding too risky, and TSA threatened to pull out of the project if artificial insemination was tried prior to an attempt at natural mating. However, for natural breeding attempts, TSA offered to fund the necessary modifications of a pond at Suzhou Zoo, to organize and pay for the transport of the female from Changsha to Suzhou (about 1,000 km), to organize an insurance policy for the female, and to cover the insurance costs for her transport and a two-months period afterward during which she would be paired with the male. This last aspect finally allowed Changsha Zoo to agree to a compromise: to attempt natural breeding first in the spring of 2008 and to try artificial insemination only later if natural breeding failed. To make this project as safe as possible and to ensure the best timing for successful breeding, the following rational was used and the following strategies and timetables were developed:
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female Rafetus basking comfortably at theSuzhou zoo, china.
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• Both male and female are allowed to hibernate undisturbed in their respective ponds in Suzhou Zoo and Changsha Zoo during the winter of 2007/08.
• In the meantime, a separate but adjacent pond at Suzhou Zoo is modified with a dividing fence and gate and beach areas in both compartments.
• A tunnel is constructed between the male pond and the breeding pond through which turtles can swim when the gate is open.
• The female is transported from Changsha to Suzhou after she emerges from hibernation in mid-April, but prior to ovulating her first clutch of eggs (as assessed by ultrasound scanning). In 2007 she ovulated in mid-May.
• After transport to Suzhou, the female is first moved into one compartment of the breeding pond on her own.
• Only after the female settled down (a few days later), would the male be allowed to swim through the new tunnel from his old pond into the compartment of the breeding pond adjacent to the female, but separated from the female by the dividing barrier. This way the male has to leave his territory of the last 50+ years and has to swim into a new area to the female.
• The two turtles would be observed for a few days as to how they respond to each other and behave while separated by the grid through which they can see and smell each other.
• The sliding door between male and female is only opened if the presence of large vitellogenic follicles in the female is confirmed by ultrasound scanning.
• In case of aggression and fighting, the turtles are separated immediately.
Timing of these events was obviously critical. The most important aspect was that the female had to have large vitellogenic or pre-ovulatory follicles in her ovary at the time of her first introduction to the male. Due to her ovarian cycle as assessed by ultrasound scanning in 2007 (see TSA Newsletter August 2007), this occurs in late April/early May. This would offer the best chance that the male, an old warrior and proven Rafetus
killer three times the body mass of the female, would think of “making love rather than war.” It would also offer the best chance that the female, an 80+ year old presumed virgin (see TSA Newsletter August 2007 for her history), would be receptive and would welcome advances of the male.
The countdown started in early 2008. TSA and WCS did not take their responsibility lightly and assembled a formidable team of foreign experts to assist with the transport of the female and with her introduction to the male: Paul Calle, VMD (Bronx Zoo), Dr Scott Davis (manager of the largest collection of giant softshell turtles outside of Asia), Nimal Fernando (Ocean Park Hong Kong veterinarian), Alex Grioni (Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden veterinarian), and Mitch Kalmanson who was contracted to insure the female and to handle transportation logistics. The Chinese team included Dr Lu Shunqing of WCS-China and veterinarians and staff from the Changsha and Suzhou zoos. A large, foam-padded wood box was built for her transport at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Hong Kong, according to specifications by Scott and shipped to Changsha Zoo.
The first hurdles were delays in the construction of the breeding pond in Suzhou Zoo. China had an unusually harsh and cold winter in 2008 with a lot of snow. Thus, the transport of the Rafetus female had to be delayed from mid-April (as originally planned) until early May, and all airline tickets of the foreign experts had to be re-issued. My ultrasound examination of the female on 05 May showed large vitellogenic follicles in her ovary and no signs of ovulation yet, so the transport went ahead. However,
Gerald Kuchling performs a reproductive evaluation of the female Rafetus at the changsha prior to moving her to Suzhou. this exam helping to pinpoint her ovulatory cycle and determine when she should be introduced to the male.
the window of opportunity to pair her with the male prior to ovulation had narrowed considerably. The two vans organized for her transport proved to be too small for the wooden box. Mitch had to organize a third, larger, air-conditioned van from Shanghai, which arrived in Changsha in the early afternoon of 05 May. A convoy of cars left Changsha soon after. The entourage also included Chinese media and a PBS Nature film crew to document this event.
At least once every hour during the transport, the box was opened to check the female’s temperature and water was sprinkled over her. The female was fine during the 14-hour night drive to Suzhou, but the journey was not without drama: The driver of the big van with the female had already come all the way from Shanghai to Changsha before departing to Suzhou. It is not surprising that during the rainy night, he fell asleep at the wheel. To avoid a crash, Paul shouted and shook his shoulders while I grabbed the wheel. The driver woke up with a start, and the van swerved perilously close to the guardrails. Another driver took over but we were on guard. We had to watch the drivers more than the turtle. In the early morning, after a sleepless night, a Suzhou cafe served us coffee an hour before their opening time, after which we were ready to release the female into the breeding pond.
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Scott Davis inspects the female in her specially designed transport box, built by Kadoorie farm and Botanic Garden.
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From then on, everything worked perfectly and according to plan. Due to the earlier delays this was also our only chance for success - the female had to be inseminated prior to ovulation in order to produce fertile eggs, and we could not control the time of ovulation. We could not afford to loose more time and had to rush through the next steps. On 06 May, the female settled in her pond without problems and seemed relaxed. On 07 May, the gate of the tunnel was opened and the male swam through into the breeding pond (he had obviously smelled the female and was keen to get there). After the male paced up and down the dividing fence without showing aggression, the gate was opened in the afternoon of 08 May and the pair met for the first time. All their interactions were friendly and they showed interest in each other. In the afternoon of 09 May, we observed for the first time the male mounting the female. Courtship and mating continued, on 14 May a possible copulation was observed. On 18 May, I left China, and on 19 May, Changsha and Suzhou zoos decided to separate the pair again out of fear that the turtles could damage each other.
Although the female had laid eggs in previous years, despite never having seen a male, she never had a nesting beach and always used to drop her eggs in the water. We were not sure what she would do now. However, on 06 June she walked up the beach just after lunch, dug
a proper nest hole in the sand, laid a clutch of eggs, closed the nest, and concealed the place. In anticipation of this event, TSA had shipped three incubators to China, but they were still held up with customs at Shanghai airport. Lu Shunqing and I returned to Suzhou on 15 June, the incubators arrived at the zoo on 20 June, and they were set up with temperatures of 29, 31 and 33ºC. To help with monitoring
incubation, the TSA hired Emily King, a Chinese-American biologist who studied gopher tortoises in Florida for her masters and is fluent in Chinese. Emily will stay in Suzhou until incubation is completed. On 23 June, we dug up the nest and found 45 eggs. Probably due to the cool and rainy weather in June, they showed no signs of development (white patches). Thirty-two eggs (including five with cracks) were moved into the incubators and 13 were left in the nest together with a temperature data logger. After a few days in the incubators, most eggs showed white patches that continued to grow larger. We had fertile Rafetus eggs! By a hair’s breadth we barely missed the critical
female Rafetus basks with male in close attendance.
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female Rafetus begins exploratory test digging at the nest site.
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the clutch as it first appeared after uncovering.
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time when we rushed to open the gate to let them mate on 08 May. Due to the date of her nesting she must have ovulated shortly afterwards, in mid-May.
The breeding project is going as well as we could have possibly wished. However, success is still not guaranteed and not everything seems to be optimal. For many years or
decades, the diet of the adults has been largely pieces of frozen and thawed meat without bones (beef, pork, chicken) and liver. The diet of the female was improved during 2007 and she now eats a lot of whole freshwater crayfish, whole fish, and chicken necks or other pieces with bones, but the diet of the male is only slowly being improved. The nutrition of the female can obviously
affect the viability and hatching success of the eggs. Some of the eggs had thinner shells and cracks when we removed them from the nest, indicating a calcium deficiency in the female. Although the two old turtles seem to have done everything right so far, several management aspects of the project still have to be addressed including set ups for raising hatchlings and juveniles and improved adult nutrition.
This historic event has been costly but the turtle conservation community has responded generously to make this possible. For their support we sincerely thank the Wildlife Conservation Society, Turtle Conservation Fund/EAZA Shellshock, Batchelor Foundation, British Chelonia Group, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Walter Sedgwick, David Shapiro, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Karrie Chen and Allesandro Fornetti.
Vice Director chen Daqin (Suzhou zoo) and lu Shunqing (wcS china) weighing Rafetus eggs.
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Vice Director Yan xiahui (chnagsha zoo) marking eggs. recovering the first clutch of 45 eggs laid at the Suzhou zoo.
Gerald Kuchlingemail: [email protected]
chelonia enterpriSeS 154 Bagot road, Subiaco,
wa 6008, australia
8 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
Membership
There has never been a more exciting time to be a member of the Turtle Survival
Alliance! In addition to the incredible conservation success stories featured throughout this publication, there are new benefits available to members. The improved TSA website features web forums to foster communication and sharing of information. Public forums include a document and image library and a place to discuss the latest TSA news. Members-only forums are designed to share information about special announcements, animal placement, and user-submitted updates to the website.
While exploring the new features of the TSA website, you are encouraged to log in and visit your account page. There, you can update your contact information to ensure that you continue to receive both electronic and mailed correspondence. Our newest addition to our member benefits is our weekly e-newsletter that features the latest in conservation news, event updates, and special offers. This newsletter has received a wealth of positive feedback, and we hope that you are all enjoying reading it each week.
This year, the membership has consistently numbered more than 200 individuals, organizations, and institutions representing 12 countries. However, we’d like number to be even higher! Funds generated by membership dues help to offset the operating costs of the TSA and allow access to non-restricted funds that can be used in the event of unexpected costs related to conservation projects around the world. In essence, your support is essential to our success. Our most powerful recruitment tool is word of mouth from members like you. Please consider forwarding your next e-newsletter to your family and friends along with a personal note encouraging them to join and help the TSA move into 2009 bigger and better than ever.
Our members are truly our greatest asset. As an organization, we believe that anyone can
Members Make the Difference!
Heather Lowe, TSA Membership Coordinator
Name: David ShapiroHometown: Hong Kong
Occupation: I work for my family business. We design, manufacture and sell school supplies internationally. I recently moved to Hong Kong to manage our office here. It's been a challenge, but I'm really happy and enjoying my new life. Plus, I'm learning Cantonese which helps a lot. I miss my family and friends - especially my nephews and niece but I wouldn't trade my new life for anything right now. I was at a point where I needed a change and I'm fortunate that my company gave me that opportunity.
Do you keep turtles at your home? I have a leopard tortoise named Finn. Some friends gave him to me as a gift this year. Finn and I are best buds. He's very content to sit with me on the couch and likes when I pet his head. Also, I take him to the park on the weekends and let him roam around. Kids really gravitate towards him and that’s fun to see.
What first sparked your interest in turtles and tortoises? This is a question I get asked a lot. When I was a little boy my older sister wrote a paper on "How the turtle got its shell." I must have been about eight years old and she would have been 11. I remember that I loved her story and since then I've been an obsessive turtle lover.
contribute to turtle conservation, regardless of background or experience. Each and every member has the ability to become an advocate for turtle conservation in their local community, increasing TSA’s presence around the world. The diversity of our membership contributes to our success, and our next initiative will be to highlight individuals that make the TSA the organization it is today—you! We have kick-started this initiative by featuring two members here – David Shapiro and Michael Rapley. We hope you enjoy getting to know them and encourage you to respond to an e-mail questionnaire you will all be receiving in the near future asking you to introduce yourself to the group. We want to meet you! Member profiles will be included in the weekly e-newsletter as well as future publications like this one.
MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PRIVILEGES: TSA members with special skills are sometimes invited to participate in TSA field projects. In 2007 Dave Manser (Ponds and Plants) traveled to Myanmar and India to work on filtration and pond design at Batagur headstarting facilities. Dave is shown here carrying sand to for the Burmese roof turtle nesting area.
9turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
What do you enjoy about being a member of the TSA? The thing about the TSA that is most profound to me is the overwhelming successes. Every time I open the newsletter or visit the website it's more and more good news. Sometimes I'm just amazed by the pictures and stories. The TSA is really making a difference and that makes me feel like, in my small part, I'm making a difference, too. I’m also learning a lot. My involvement with the TSA has taught me about many different and interesting types of turtles from all over the world that I never knew existed.
How did you first learn about the TSA? About five years ago someone forwarded me a press release from the TSA highlighting some of the world’s most endangered turtles. After reading it, I decided to send a donation to help the cause. From there, I started to really discover all the things the TSA did. The more I learned, the more I realized the group was truly making a difference and I knew I wanted to help.
Have you ever tried to educate others about turtles and turtle conservation? Yes I have, in several ways. One of the things that I’ve observed in Hong Kong is the way turtles are perceived and treated here. They are very common as pets and yet proper care is not understood. My friends who bought me Finn also bought a turtle for themselves (named Olivia). They were surprised when I explained all the things they needed to do to care for her – the pet store had not provided them with any of that information. Now they know and she is treated like a queen.
I have another friend here in Hong Kong whose family has always had turtles in their home for "good luck." She said she never paid any attention to the turtle in her home until she met me and now she says "hello and good bye" every time she sees it. That may seem like a silly thing to note as a success, but it's actually a major change in mind set. For her to see the turtle as a living animal and not just a "good luck charm" is an important step.
Lastly, I've been writing to friends and family about the Rafetus efforts and everyone is fascinated, anxious and excited. I've been blown away by how the story has touched so many people who had not previously had an interest in turtles.
Name: Michael RapleyHometown: I was born in Alberta, Canada and grew up in Parker, Colorado
Occupation: I am a Countermeasures Operations Manager for NASA, supporting the health of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and Shuttle. Working for NASA is truly fantastic in that the work that is being done will at some point be written about in history books. There is something very satisfying and patriotic about being part of the team who is putting humans into space, keeping them up there for long periods of time and taking them to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
Tell us about your family. My wife and I have been married for ten years and have two amazing kids. We met in college and I love her more today than the day we met. My six-year-old son loves spending time outside, building with Legos and watching Star Wars. My two-year-old daughter is fiercely independent, loves “helping”, painting and digging for worms. The fact that I have a number of spengleri who could benefit from a weight-loss program is a tribute to her enthusiasm.
What first sparked your interest in turtles and tortoises? Like many people the seeds that have ended up defining who I am today were planted during my childhood. I grew up chasing and reading about snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles and whatever else I could find. My favorite book was titled “Strangest Creatures of the World.” I must have read it a couple hundred times and still have it today. The deepened appreciation for turtles probably started about 15 years ago when a friend sent me two baby turtles that he had hatched from a raccoon-raided turtle nest. However, it wasn’t until I moved from
Colorado to Houston that my interest really started to take shape. One nice thing about Houston is that its climate is conducive to keeping many species of turtles outside year round. A friend of mine in Colorado had a number of turtles that he thought would do well in Houston and to make a long story short, a box of Cuora flavomarginata arrived a few days later. It was during my research of this species that I learned of the plight of Asian turtles and the direction for the next ten years of my life was set. There are days that I blame him for that, but mostly I thank him.
What is your most memorable encounter with a turtle in the wild? Once on my way home from work I found a large snapping turtle that had been hit by a car. After a bit of a struggle, I took it home to an empty stock tank in my garage where it could stay until it was “better”. I woke the following morning around 3 a.m. to my dogs barking relentlessly in the kitchen. The “injured” snapper had managed to climb out of the stock tank, through a doggy door, and was proceeding to claw its way through the French doors of my kitchen. Needless to say, at that point he was deemed “healed” and was released a few hours later.
What do you enjoy about being a member of the TSA? What do you get out of it on a personal level? The benefit of participating in the TSA is the knowledge that we are all working together in an effort to prevent the extinction of turtles and tortoises. Stepping back and looking at the big picture you realize just how vast and complex this crisis is and it is only by working together that we can truly have a chance at preserving these amazing creatures.
How would you describe your personal conservation philosophy? Do as much as you can with what you got.
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Questions about membership? contact: heather lowe, Membership coordinator
817/239-8981 [email protected]
10 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
animal Management and Husbandry
TSA’s animal management policies, practices and goals have evolved and
changed since the organization’s inception – and 2008 and beyond will be no exception. We have constantly struggled to track and manage a diverse and ever-growing turtle and tortoise collection numbering in the thousands and spread over an almost equally diverse group of recipients. At the same time, the TSA has made several attempts to forge closer ties between its captive colonies and field initiatives as well as to focus our management efforts on those species that would benefit from ex situ colonies. During the 2008 Steering Committee meeting, the Animal Management Committee made several decisions focused on these efforts. Some have already begun to be implemented, and some you will notice over the next several months.
As part of an on-going evaluation of priority species, we now group species into three basic categories. High priority species are those being actively managed as an assurance colony and/or a species for which there is little hope for in situ efforts in the near future. Turtle placements will be open to all currently active TSA members, but placements of high priority specimens will be made with qualified recipients through an application and evaluation process overseen by the Animal Management Committee and/or the designated species coordinator (formerly TMG coordinator). TSA will maintain ownership of the specimens, but share offspring through a standard loan agreement. The Committee tested the new process by reviewing applications and placing seven recently-purchased Cuora mccordi among one private and three institutional members. lower priority specimens will be placed on loan in a similar fashion, but are subject to less stringent control. The lowest priority species will be permanently adopted or donated to recipients for a minimal fee without any future reporting obligation on the recipient. If you are currently holding
animals that fall into this category, you won’t be subjected to another fee, but do expect to hear from us soon regarding permanent adoption. You may have already noticed a number of specimens coming up for adoption via the new email list serve. Look for more streamlined communication and regular animal management updates and animal availability as part of these notices.
animal Management update
Dwight Lawson, TSA US Co-Chair
In March 2006, the TSA received a confiscation of 83 African pancake
tortoises, Malacochersus tornieri. For many logistical reasons, these tortoises could not be released back into their native habitat. The TSA took on the challenge to manage and place the animals in captivity.
african pancake tortoise confiscation update
Andy DaneaultAssistant Curator of EctothermsDisney’s Animal Kingdom
Upon arrival in Florida, members from the TSA Animal Management group and TSA members assisted in triaging the tortoises. During this time, tortoises were marked and implanted with transponders for permanent identification.
Prior to transferring the pancake tortoises to TSA members, a questionnaire was distributed
to interested members. This questionnaire helped facilitate the placement of the animals with individuals having species specific experience, ideal housing accommodations for multiple age classes, veterinary care, and a willingness to participate with the TSA species coordinator (Andy Daneault) in population management plans. Animals were then divided into appropriate breeding groups and placed with 17 private TSA members and one TSA/AZA Institutional member.
This group of tortoises will increase the genetic diversity of the U.S. African Pancake tortoise population, which is essential for long-term captive management. For this reason, the TSA pancake tortoise population will be included in the upcoming second edition of the AZA African pancake tortoise studbook and Population Management Plan. Each individual in the TSA population represents a potential founder for the U.S. population, which will now include the TSA managed animals and the AZA managed animals. The partnership between the TSA and AZA is a valuable asset in successfully managing these animals in captivity.
To this end, the first breeding success from confiscated animals was reported by TSA member Bill Holmstrom at the Bronx Zoo, New York. Bill has successfully hatched three pancake tortoises from the 2006 confiscation and reports that more eggs are incubating. Several other members have reported eggs being laid and are anticipating successful hatchings in the future.
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McCord’s box turtle, Cuora mccordi, was first described by Ernst in 1988,
based on a series of 12 individuals obtained from a Hong Kong turtle dealer in the early 1980s. The turtles were reported to have been purchased near the city of Baise/Bose/Paise in southwestern Guangxi Province, China. Visits by a number of researchers since that time have failed to confirm their presence in this area. The origin of this species remained unknown for more than twenty-five years. Despite our lack of knowledge on this species, it appears clear that Cuora mccordi is critically endangered and in all probability is biologically extinct in the wild.
Early this year, a paper was published by Zhou, Blanck, McCord & Li in the journal Hamadryad (Centre for Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust). This paper identifies the province where C. mccordi was collected and answers a number of questions dealing with the turtle’s natural history. The authors recommended further fieldwork to clarify distribution and current population status, as well as improvements in captive breeding programs to safeguard the future of this species.
Although this species does well in captivity, only a few people have been able to breed this turtle consistently and have produced only females. It is possible that sex in this species is determined by incubation temperature (TSD), as is the case with a related species Cuora flavomarginata (Farrell, unpublished data).
Earlier this year, TSA acquired seven captive hatched Cuora mccordi, five juveniles and two sub-adults. Sex was determined by an endoscopic procedure. The results indicated that all are females.
taxon Management Group plan for Mccord’s box turtle
Ray [email protected] Fajette St., Staten Island, NY 10305
In order to prepare a Taxon Management Plan (TMP), it was necessary to determine how many C. mccordi are currently in private and zoo collections in the U.S. and Europe. In 1999, Jim Barzyk estimated there were 350 specimens worldwide in captivity, and in 2000, Elmar Meier estimated that approximately 70 specimens were in the U.S. and 100 specimens in Europe. A review of the ISIS database indicated that three U.S. zoos have this species in their collections. The TSA membership inventory indicates that two members have C. mccordi in private collections, and several individuals who are not affiliated with TSA are also known to have mccordi in their collections. Attempts are being made to contact these individuals to determine the turtles’ status.
Currently, there are 91 (18.41.32) C. mccordi reported in the U.S. and represented in the TMG. Thirty-five of these are offspring from the original wild-caught founders. The good news is that there appear to be 56 (17 males and 39 females) of the original adult founders still in collections, which were wild caught and may represent different bloodlines. This will have a positive impact on genetic diversity, assuming that breeding increases and members agree to exchange offspring (F1s). In addition, TSA Europe reports 34 turtles in their studbook (5.19.10). We are working to exchange several TSA C. mccordi (F1 offspring) with TSA Europe to improve genetic diversity.
A questionnaire was distributed to all of the TMG members to gather information on the husbandry, breeding, and the origin of the turtles. A brief summary of the data received follows:
The responses from the TMG members indicate that their turtles have been in captivity from 2 to more than 25 years. Breeding success has been reported by three TMG members. Some individuals maintain C. mccordi in an aquatic environment with nesting and small land areas. Others keep
them either semi-aquatic or totally terrestrial. It is interesting to note that breeding has occurred in all three setups.
The monthly temperature data from Guangxi Province indicates that temperatures start dropping below 15° C in October and continue to drop below 10º C in January. By late February - early March, temperatures begin rising to a high above 15º C . Based on this data, it appears that C. mccordi becomes inactive between October and March and may hibernate for part of this time.
Three of the TMG members put their turtles through a hibernation period at temperatures ranging from 7 -13º C, for two to four months during the winter, with no negative effects. I recently met an individual who lives in New Jersey and has had several adult C. mccordi living outdoors year-round since the 1980s. This is very similar to my experience with C. flavomarginata.
Nesting has been reported to occur throughout the year, and females can double clutch. Average clutch size is 2.5 (range 2-4 eggs). Incubation period varies depending on temperature. Those who hibernate their turtles up to four months (November-February) report nesting occurring as early as March. However, nesting can occur as late as October. This late nesting might be due to double clutching.
Within the next year or two, we plan to incubate eggs at 25º C to determine if males are produced. If so, this will have a positive impact on survival of this species. An additional goal is to obtain USFWS permits to exchange F1 offspring with TSA Europe members.
Though is a significant amount of work will be necessary to ensure the survival of this species, I remain confident we can meet this goal. This is, after all, what the TSA was organized to do.
If you are interested in becoming involved with this project, please contact:
Andy DaneaultDisney’s Animal Kingdom
12 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
Signif icant Breedings
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Mike Rapley announced the hatching of two Four-eyed Turtles, Sacalia quadriocellata, on 20 and 25 August 2007. The first turtle hatched after 79 days of incubation at 27 °C with the second hatching a few days later using the same temps. An interesting observation was how different the two eggs looked. The eggs were laid around the same time, spread throughout the month of May 2007, from two separate breeding groups, each comprised of 2.4. The first group laid a total of six eggs that were relatively short, ~19 mm (3/4 inch) in length and ovoid in shape. The second group laid a total of seven eggs that were ~38 mm (1.5 inches) in length and noticeably narrower. Hatchings have been set up outdoors under similar conditions as the adults.
The Fort Worth Zoo reports that three Forsten’s Tortoises, Indotestudo forsteni, hatched on 2 April, 21 May and 5 July, 2008. Though exact egg laying dates are unknown, the eggs were retrieved from the nest in December 2007, January 2008 and March 2008. Incubation periods were 108, 114 and 121 days, at 29 °C, and two eggs from other clutches are still incubating. The Zoo’s group of 4.2 was assembled in late 2005 for inclusion in the conservation based chelonian and iguana collection at the Animal Outreach and Conservation Center (ARCC) that opened March 2006.
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The Fort Worth Zoo also reports the hatching of 28 roti island Snakenecks, Chelodina mccordi, between 5 March and 2 June 2008. This species is also managed in the ARCC collection along with Burmese Star Tortoises, Geochelone platynota.
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Ron de Bruin (Netherlands) reports on the first F2 breeding of the chinese Golden-headed Box Turtle, Cuora aurocapitata. A captive bred female from1992 (see de Bruin and Zwartepoorte, Herp Rev 1994; 25 (2): 58-59) mated with a captive bred male (1996) from Elmar Meier, and laid a clutch of four eggs on 19 May 2007. A second captive bred female, also from 1992, laid a clutch of six eggs on 7 June 2007. From the first clutch, one egg hatched after 70 days incubation in vermiculte at 27.5 0C. Two eggs from the second clutch hatched after 72 days at 29 0C. One hatchling died after a week. The two hatchlings had a straight line carapace length of 3.5 and 3.8 cm, and weighed 11 and 12 grams, respectively.
Brad Moxley reports that the Knoxville Zoo has hatched four more asian Spiny Turtles, Heosemys spinosa, since its last TSA update. The first three hatched in 2007 on 20 August, 4 December, and 13 December. The most recent addition hatched on 2 April 2008. Post-oviposition mass revealed that this newest hatchling came from a previously non-reproductive female. Incubation temperatures were a fairly consistent 27-28 °C with one notable exception; the egg hatched on 13 December was not discovered immediately in the outdoor enclosure and therefore experienced temperatures as low as 6 °C. All hatchlings are healthy and growing well.
Mrs. Lies Niessen in Belgium has reproduced the Southern vietnamese flowerback Box Turtle, Cuora picturata, for the past two years. Her breeding group consists of 2.4 animals and all females produce fertile eggs. In 2007 five hatchlings were produced from 13 eggs, and thus far in 2008 seven eggs have been laid of which have three have hatched. The eggs are incubated in vermiculite at two different temperatures (26 and 29 °C). Incubation period varies between 94 days at 29 °C and 109 days at 26 °C.
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Significant Breeding - continued
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Richard Struijk reports one Southern vietnamese Flowerback Box Turtle, Cuora picturata, hatched at Richards’ facility in 2008. A single egg was laid on 5 April 2008. The egg measured 57.9 x 31.0 mm and weighed 26 grams. Incubation technique was exactly the same as described above for C.bourreti. After 96 days, a 51.8 mm long and 20 gram heavy hatchling appeared. This juvenile is the first picturati ever bred in the Netherlands. Richard is the European Studbook Foundation (ESF) keeper for the galbinifrons complex of Asian box turtles including C. bourreti, C. galbinifrons & C. picturata.
Richard Struijk also reportst the same location, six Forsten's Tortoises, Indotestudo forsteni were hatched between 2005 and 2007. 80% of the recorded clutches (n=10) contained only one egg with the remaining 20% consisting of two. Mean egg size was 52.2 x 35.9 mm (n =10) and weights ranged between 31 and 46 grams. Eggs were incubated in (slightly) damp vermiculite at 29-30º C. Hatchlings measured between 43.6 and 48.2 mm in size and between 26 and 31 grams in weight. In most cases hatchlings still had an incompletely resorbed yolk sack and stayed in the egg for 1-2 days before emerging completely.
In the Netherlands, Richard Struijk reports that he hatched two central vietnamese Flowerback Box Turtles, Cuora bourreti. On the 19th of March 2008 a clutch of two eggs was produced. Eggs measured 54.2 x 30.0 mm and 55.1 x 30.0 mm and weighed 28 and 32 grams, respectively. Both eggs were incubated while buried up to 45% of their height in a damp mixture of cocopeat and sand, at temperatures ranging from 25-27º C. After 93 and 94 days both eggs hatched successfully. The hatchlings measured 50.0 mm and 45.9 mm and weighed 18 grams. These juveniles are the first bourreti ever hatched in the Netherlands.
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The Saint Louis Zoo reports that one Mccord’s Box Turtle, Cuora mccordi, hatched on 19 June 2008. The incubation period was 67 days at ~ 25.0° C. This could be the first male hatched in captivity. At the current time five eggs from other clutches are still incubating. The Zoo’s original group of 3.6 was assembled in 1995 and 1998. Prior to the current hatching the Zoo had a single female hatch on 31 May 1997.
The Saint Louis Zoo also reports the hatching of one northern Spider Tortoise, Pyxis arachnoides brygooi, on 20 June 2008. The egg was laid on 17 November 2007 and was initially incubated at 30° C for 10 weeks. A diapause was simulated for 8 weeks at temperature of 22.2° C. The egg was then returned to 30° C for the duration of the incubation.
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turtle Survival alliance − transforming passion for turtles into conservation action
16 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
Short Husbandry art ic les
A Sulawesi Forest Turtle (Leucocephalon yuwonoi) hatched at the facility of
Dr. Charles Innis on June 30, 2008. The incubation length was 176 days at temperatures fluctuating daily between an evening low of 23° C and a day time high of 28° C. Ambient humidity was 80-90%. The single egg was deposited 1 cm deep in a nest box containing dry sphagnum peat moss, and was left in place for the duration of incubation. A flat stone was placed over the egg to prevent disturbance by the adults in the enclosure. Although the peat moss was generally dry, small amounts of water were likely added as adults turtles moved between the water and nest box.
Fertility of the egg was apparent after one week of incubation when an opaque, transverse, white band developed. A blood ring became visible by candling within one month, and larger blood vessels developed throughout incubation. In the last month of incubation the dorsal surface of the egg became yellow, raising concern about the viability of the embryo. However, blood vessels remained intact, and incubation was continued. Approximately two weeks prior to hatching blood vessels were no longer visible
Sulawesi forest turtle
Charlie Innis, DVM
another Successful captive Breeding of the Sulawesi forest turtle.
Throughout the past ten years, the San Diego Zoo has added many new species
of chelonians and maintained an already large collection, including many key species. In this same time period, there has been a merging of tried-and-true husbandry techniques with newer ideas and technology. This has led to many new successes and improved degrees of success with other species.
In the spring of 2004, 2.2 adult Burmese Star Tortoises, Geochelone platynota, were donated to the San Diego Zoo from the Como Zoo where they had been quarantined and stabilized. These animals were part of a United States Fish and Wildlife Service confiscation and tender a crucial genetic endowment to the captive population of Geochelone platynota in the United States. After some time to get established and a couple of small infertile clutches, a large clutch of 11 eggs was laid by a 4.5 kg female on 4 December 2007. This large female lost 1.0 kg after the deposition of eggs and nesting activities. The clutch was put through a one-month diapause at 18˚C and then incubated at 30˚C. The first hatchling emerged at 128 days, and 2 more followed at 135 days. The mean hatch weight of the juveniles was 24g. No other eggs in the clutch developed at all.
A pair of adult Matamatas, Chelus fimbriatu, has been housed at the San Diego Zoo since 1993 in an exhibit enclosure. Courtship,
breeding behavior, and egg laying started to occur about 10 years after their arrival. For the first time, 6 Chelus fimbriatus were hatched in 2008. There were 12 eggs laid on 24 April 2007 and all were incubated at 30°C. A long time period occurred between the first hatching and the last: The first hatchling emerged on 04 January 2008 at 276 days; the last one hatched on 05 April 2008 at 348 days.
In 2008, the San Diego Zoo continued to have success with many important programs, including successful hatching of Pyxis planicauda, Pyxis a. arachnoides, and Chelodina mccordi. Some important husbandry changes were made with both juvenile tortoises and juvenile aquatic turtles. All hatchling and juvenile tortoises were moved to a Doskicil Reptile Complete rack system built by Freedom Breeder™ (2306 S. Daubenberger Rd., Turlock, CA 95380), which have plastic sliding drawers with hardware cloth screened tops but still provide room for UV light and basking spot lamps. The powder-coated metal rack is on rolling casters so it can be taken outside for natural sunlight. This modification was made to prevent loss or injury to the tortoises due primarily to rodent predation. The screened tops limit the spread of pathogens through vectors such as cockroaches. An important change in the husbandry of aquatic turtles has been the addition of an aquatic rack system from Aquaneering, Inc.™ (7960 Stromesa Court, San Diego, CA 92126). This modified Xenopus frog research tank system features a self contained filtration system sequentially consisting of a pre-filter floss, settling weir tank with a fluidized bed biological filter, carbon filter and a UV filter. To ensure there is always an adequate
San Diego zoo
Significant firsts hatch at the San Diego zoo while Maintaining Key programs
level of water, it is directly plumbed to a fill line with a carbon filter to remove chlorine from the make-up water. Heat is provided with an Ebo Jaeger™ titanium heater with thermostat. Full spectrum fluorescent lighting is provided. Each polypropylene tub has a concave bottom, a double standpipe, and an independent flow control valve. This system has contributed to the successful rearing of many species of aquatic turtle. The San Diego Zoo will continue to merge new technology and proven husbandry techniques to ensure longevity of all species of chelonians it maintains.
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17turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
as the embryo filled the entire egg. Ten days prior to pipping, a fine crack developed on the ventral surface of the egg, and the egg was removed to a hatching box containing moist sphagnum moss, at a temperature of 28C. The hatchling pipped on June 30, and was fully emerged on July 1. A small yolk sac remnant was present. The hatchling weighed 35g, with SCL of 56mm, SCW of 43mm, SPL of 50mm, and SPW of 29mm. One supernumerary vertebral scute was present, which has also been noted in at least two other captive-bred L. yuwonoi.
The dam and one possible sire were imported as wild-caught adults by Dr. Innis and the late Dr. Barbara Bonner in 1998. The other possible sire was imported as a wild-caught adult in 2001, and is on loan to Dr. Innis from the Fort Worth Zoo. This is the second successful breeding of this trio in the past five years, with the previous hatchling being the first captive breeding of this species.
The Sulawesi forest turtle is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and remains threatened by collection for the food and global pet trade. The species has yet to be found in any protected habitat in Sulawesi. The TSA Taxon Management Plan for this species seeks to improve captive breeding efforts for the species, but this has been hindered by egg infertility and unsuccessful incubation attempts. For example, the adult female cited in this report has produced 25 eggs in ten years, but the majority have been infertile, while several fertile eggs have failed early in embryonic development. Several hatchlings have been produced by a private breeder in California, and one hatchling was produced at the Muenster Zoo in 2006, but died several weeks after hatching. Zoo Atlanta reported late embryonic death of one specimen in 2007. At this time, several additional eggs are under incubation at Zoo Atlanta and Dr. Innis’ facility.
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Last year at this time we were expectantly reporting that things might be looking up
for Impressed Tortoises, Manouria impressa, in captivity. As the 2007 newsletter came out, I had just begun to incubate a clutch of 21 eggs from a pair of wild-caught Impressed Tortoises that had been in captivity for about 3 years. The eggs were divided and incubated at either 27C or 29C. All proved fertile and hatched after 72 – 79 days. Hatchlings were fed a finely chopped mix of oyster and button mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, slightly cooked sweet potato, and bok choy. Moistened Mazuri tortoise chow was added periodically throughout the first six months and is now added in greater proportion. The juveniles are clearly less finicky than their wild-caught adult counterparts and have grown rapidly. At almost one year of age, the group maintained by the author has experienced no mortality. A subset of three individuals from each incubation temperature was endoscopically sexed at 10 months of age. All were male. Additional details on the husbandry and growth of these juveniles will be presented at the TSA conference in Tucson this September.
Now, as the 2008 newsletter goes to press, I am happy to report that the second clutch of eggs from this pair was just put into the incubator. The adult pair, kept separately through the winter (Oct – May), was introduced again in their shady, heavily planted 3m x 7.5m outdoor pen in late April. The male began courting the female almost immediately and copulation appears to have occurred at about that time. The male has largely ignored the female after this initial courtship. The female
impressed tortoise
Dwight Lawson
captive reproduction of the impressed tortoise – Sustained Success
began nest construction in mid-June, but dropped off nesting activity until first week of July when nest building (and local rains) began in earnest. Nineteen eggs were laid around July 9 and the majority are being incubated at 30° C in an attempt to produce females.
At least one other pair of Impressed Tortoises is reproducing regularly in the U.S., and a European pair also produced in 2007. Hopefully, this signals a turn-around in the captive management of this historically problematic species.
impressed tortoise, 2007 offspring.
impressed tortoise, female on nest mound.
Dr. Sam rivera uncovers the July 2008 nest.
impressed tortoise, breeding.
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E. madagascarensis that a local woman was pulling out of Lake Sariaka on the end of her fishing line.
The BCC, the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, and the Desert Tortoise Council currently are working toward purchasing a 17,000-acre parcel of land in Durango, Mexico to protect the core habitat for the endangered Bolson Tortoise, Gopherus flavomarginatus. The project is led by Myles Traphagen, with additional scientific support from Ross Kiester and Jim Juvik. The purchase of this 17,000-acre property will substantially increase the protected habitat for the tortoise. Surveys have indicated that this property likely contains the greatest known densities of the tortoise, possibly representing as much as 25 to 50 percent of the remaining total population.
August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
John l. Behler chelonian conservation center
Behler chelonian center 2007−2008
Maurice Rodrigues
Over the past year the Behler Chelonian Center (BCC) has achieved much
success with its captive breeding and management program and has embarked on three significant in situ conservation projects. In January, co-directors Eric Goode and Maurice Rodrigues were invited to Madagascar to participate in the IUCN Red Listing workshop. All five of Madagascar’s endemic species—Radiated Tortoise, Astrochelys radiata, Spider Tortoise, Pyxis arachnoides, Flat-tailed Tortoise, Pyxis planicauda, Madagascar Big-headed Turtle, Erymnochelys madagascarensis, and the Ploughshare Tortoise or Angonoka, Astrochelys yniphora--were proposed for reclassification as critically endangered. During this meeting, the BCC committed $70,000 over the next five years to implement the proposed Action Plan for the conservation of A. yniphora.
Unfortunately, after the meeting Eric and Maurice witnessed the consequences of the intensive poaching of these species for the illegal trade. In Antananarivo, they saw more than 200 A. radiata individuals and eight A. yniphora that had recently been confiscated from poachers. With recent population estimates indicating that the wild population numbers no more than 400 individuals - 200 adults and 200 juveniles (Pedrono, pers.com.) – and with an estimated 200 specimens having been poached from the wild since 2001, this confiscation demonstrates the impact that the illegal trade has had on this species, further reinforcing the urgency of implementing the Action Plan.
Goode and Rodrigues then traveled with Russell Mittermeier, Anders Rhodin, Peter Paul van Dijk, Gerald Kuchling, and Richard Lewis to the Kirindy Forest and Cap Sada on the west coast of Madagascar, where they were fortunate to see A. yniphora and P. planicauda in the wild. Rodrigues even happened upon an A. yniphora hatchling. They also saved an
roberto limon, Desert institute in Durango, and Myles traphagen in Bolson tortoise habitat.
In February, the BCC hosted the annual Turtle Conservation Fund and TSA Steering Committee Meetings at The Maritime Hotel in New York City.
This spring, the BCC erected a new tropical greenhouse in which it will house primarily P. planicauda. The new greenhouse is equipped with automated heating, rain, and humidity systems, creating seasonal active and dormant periods for the specialized needs of this endangered species.
In May, the BCC played host to two students from Asia. Pelf Nyok traveled from Universiti Malasia Terengganu in her homeland of Malaysia, where she has studied Mangrove Terrapin, Batagur baska and Painted Terrapin, Callagur borneoensis. Koulang Chey arrived at the Center the following week and exchanged information about Impressed Tortoises, Manouria impressa, the species he studies in his native Cambodia. Koulang saw for the first time M. impressa constructing a nest and laying eggs at the BCC. Both students assisted BCC staff with the daily care of the animals at the Center and conducted surveys of Western Pond Turtles in the wild.
For the months of June and July, Peter Praschag has taken up residence at the Center to apply his expertise in captive husbandry and exchange information with BCC staff. Peter is conducting general health assessments along with developing detailed protocols covering the captive husbandry and biology for each species at the Center.
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Group photo Madagascar (from left) richard lewis, eric Goode, anders rhodin, russell Mittermeier, Gerald Kuchling, peter paul van Dijk, Maurice rodrigues, Malagasy Guide.
19turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
flat-tailed tortoise, Pyxis planicaudaforsten’s tortoise, indotestudo forsteni
forest hingeback Species, Kinixys erosa
Mexican Spotted wood turtle, Rhinoclemys rubida rubida
This past year, the BCC added some notable new species to its breeding successes, including P. planicauda, Mexican Spotted Wood Turtle, Rhinoclemys rubida rubida, Forest Hingeback Tortoise, Kinixys erosa, Forsten’s Tortoise, Indotestudo forsteni, and Indian Star Tortoise, Geochelone elegans, as well as more than 25 P. arachnoides (all three subspecies). Over the past three years (2005 – 2008) the BCC has successfully hatched the following species: • Astrochelys radiata
• Kinixys erosa
• Chersina angulata
• Malacochersus tornieri
• Geochelone elegans
• Manouria impressa
• Geoclemys hamiltoni
• Pyxis planicauda
• Geochelone platynota
• Pyxis arachnoides arachnoides
• Geochelone sulcata
• Pyxis arachnoides oblonga
• Homopus signatus signatus
• Pyxis arachnoides brygooi
• Indotestudo forsteni
• Rhinoclemys rubida rubida
peter praschag in one of the tropical greenhouses at the Bcc.
Finally, the BCC is proud to announce the launch of its website. We will constantly update it with the latest developments at the Center and our conservation projects in the field. Please visit the BCC website at:
http://www.chelonianconservation.org &
support turtle and tortoise conservation
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20 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
Maintaining Giant asian Softshells in captivity
The six species of giant Asian softshell turtles in the genera Chitra and Pelochelys
are among the largest of all turtles. Adults often exceed 100 cm in carapace length, and there are several reports of Pelochelys cantori and Chitra chitra reaching 200 cm. Large adults often weigh more than 100 kilos, and reports exist of animals weighing over 200 kilos.
Their large size has not prevented these animals from being among the most endangered chelonians on the planet. Two species, Chitra indica and Pelochelys cantori, historically had natural ranges across much of Asia, but their populations have been heavily exploited for their meat and eggs. The remaining four species, C. chitra, C. vandijki, P. bibroni and P. signifera, have much smaller ranges in Southeast Asia and New Guinea and are not abundant. All species are threatened both by hunting and by the logging and mineral development of land surrounding their habitat. Consequently most are either currently listed, or have been proposed for listing, as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Captive breeding operations are underway in Thailand and Malaysia for Chitra chitra and a rescue center for C. indica is just getting started in India. However, only limited numbers of animals are being held in assurance colonies elsewhere. In part, the lack of captive breeding activity is due to the space requirements of adult animals. In order to address the need for assurance colonies and to advance husbandry techniques for these animals, a new softshell breeding facility has been constructed in Texas. Animals are maintained in 10m x 4m x 1.5m fiberglass raceway tanks containing .4m of washed sand substrate. Water quality is maintained through biological filtration and UV sterilization, with a tank volume of water filtered and sterilized twice per hour. Animals are fed individually quick frozen whole fish three times a week with weekly vitamin supplementation. Due
to their extremely powerful feeding strike, each individual must be hand fed to avoid accidental bites. Pairs are placed in tanks with a 1.5 m wide, sand-filled land area between them to provide nesting and basking areas. Metal halide lights above each beach provide full spectrum lighting, including UVA and UVB levels equivalent to the equatorial sun at noon.
Under these conditions, 10 cm juveniles of both genera are capable of growing to 80 cm breeding adults in 7-10 years. Young animals (<30 cm) can be housed together with minimal inter- or intraspecific aggression. As animals approach 40 cm, they must be housed as individual pairs, or male-male and female-female interactions will reach critical levels as each animal tries to defend a territory. Interspecific aggression appears limited, and a pair of Pelochelys can be housed with a pair of Chitra in each 10m
Scott K. Davis
Both Pelochelys and Chitra co-exist in the same tanks.
Scott's six large raceways; each pairof tanks is joined with a central basking and nesting area.
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x 4mtank. A few miscellaneous turtles in the genera Chelodina, Emydura and Elseya have coexisted with the giant softshells for several years without incident. Interestingly, although the other genera frequently use the beach areas for basking, the giant softshells prefer to bask in a few inches of water and use the beach solely for nesting.
The entire collection was moved into a new facility in December 2007 and settled in nicely without a single loss. Copulations of three female P.cantori, ranging from 75-90 cm carapace length, were observed in April 2008. Several clutches of eggs have been laid and are currently incubating in the sand on the nesting beaches.
The maintenance and breeding of these genera appears to offer no unique challenges provided that the scale of their tanks is appropriate. More details on the facility,
as well as video of mating behavior, will be shown at the TSA Conference in Tucson. See you there.
Scott displays some recently laid Pelochelys eggs.
water quality is maintained through biological filtration and uV sterilization.Scott's six large raceways; each pairof tanks is joined with a central basking and nesting area. ramp leading to the basking and nesting area.
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TSa europe
The Egyptian tortoise, Testudo kleinmanni, is ranked Critically Endangered by
the IUCN Red List. It suffers from a range of serious threats, including habitat loss, predation, and collection for the pet trade. It is listed among the Top 25 Most Endangered Chelonians by the Turtle Conservation Fund.
The situation in the wild has grown even worse over the last few years. In Egypt, the species is virtually extinct. Only a few very small populations occur in the Omayad Reserve and the Zaranik Protected Area. In Israel, a few scattered populations exist in the Negev desert, but even there, pressures are increasing due to military movements. The situation in Libya is uncertain. Over the past decades, trade from that country has increased, and large numbers of tortoises are seen in markets in big cities in northern Africa. Many are illegally exported to Europe (see accompanying report from Italy by Fornetti), and there have been some recent confiscations on the Libyan/Egyptian boarder.
The project in egypt:
Some years ago, a project to promote the in situ conservation of the Egyptian tortoise was launched in Egypt. Key players in this project are Sheriff Baha El Din who has published several papers on T. kleinmanni, and Omar Attum (Purdue University). A so-called “soft release project” started in the Zaranik area and involves local Bedouin people of the Sweirki tribe. The 1,400 members of this tribe who live within the reserve subsist by raising cattle and agriculture, but they once collected tortoises destined for the pet trade. By training some of them to become rangers and involving local people, the project benefits from local management. The ranger jobs provide income, and the people have the opportunity to become involved in conservation of wildlife. Since 2003, a limited number of confiscated tortoises have been released within a fenced area and their
egyptian tortoise - linking captive population management with wild population protection
movements monitored with radio tracking. Later, the rangers each track one tortoise for 10 days a month. Information on movement and activity patterns, nutrition, and breeding behavior is collected, and the tortoises are measured and weighed. Eventually, radio tracking becomes unnecessary, and the rangers develop responsibility for “their” tortoises. The area in which the rangers operate is 250 square kilometers (96 sq miles). Funding for this project is mainly coordinated by Purdue University. The Dutch/Belgium Turtle and Tortoise Society (NBSV) and the European Studbook Foundation (ESF) hope to collect 10,000 euro by the end of 2008 [?]. A significant portion of these funds will be used for this important in situ project.
The european captive population
The ex situ captive population in Europe has increased dramatically. Within five years the EAZA managed population tripled in size. By December 2007, the studbook population numbered 346 specimens. As normal in studbooks the total living population, however, is much smaller. When the EAZA
studbook began in 2000, 40 specimens were recorded as captive born between 1990 and 2000; subsequently, 160 were born between 2000 and 2008 at 7 EAZA institutions. Of the initial studbook group of 144 wild caught specimens, 73 died between 2000 and 2008. In the same period, 74 of the 200 captive born specimens died. The high mortality of the wild caught specimens is significant. The survival rate of the offspring of the last few years is much higher than before 2000 due to improvements in husbandry.
This year, the total living Egyptian tortoise studbook population will increase significantly through the donation of 144 Libyan tortoises confiscated by the Italian CITES authorities. Of the initial 256 surviving tortoises, 150 are currently housed at Bioparco in Rome. They were offered to TSA Europe on the condition that they would be housed at EAZA institutions that have reproduced the species and/or have skills to keep Testudo species. Seven EAZA zoos were selected as well as the Amphibian Reptile Conservation (ARCO) centre in Almeria in southern Spain. The seven EAZA zoos offered to “sacrifice” their current stocks of unknown origin animals,
Henk Zwartepoort, TSA Europe Chairman, EAZA and ESF coordinator for the Egyptian tortoise
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egyptian tortoise - linking captive population management with wild population protection
including the offspring, in favor of the soon-to-arrive Libyan stock. This way a completely new studbook group of known Libya origin stock was created. The current EAZA stock of 85 from these 7 zoos will be transferred to a few other EAZA collections, but the majority--65 specimens--will go to carefully selected private ESF locations.
The current ESF living studbook population numbered 126 specimens at December 2007, and 108 births were reported between 2004 and 2008 at 6 ESF participants. The majority of the studbook population is captive born. During that period, 21 deaths were reported, of which 12 were captive born and 9 were wild caught or unknown birth specimens. Through the transfer of the 65 EAZA specimens, the total living ESF population will increase to almost 200 specimens.
This year several dozen births have been reported by both EAZA and ESF breeders.Through improved husbandry within both the EAZA and ESF collections and the arrival of 114 Libyan specimens, the total ex situ European population will rise to almost 500. Another 130 Libyan specimens are still in Bioparco in Rome. If this upcoming transfer of 144 to EAZA works out to everyone’s satisfaction, these 130 will also become available for the European studbook population.
TSA Europe’s program for the endangered Egyptian tortoise is an outstanding example of making good use of confiscated wildlife, successfully integrating them into a cooperative management program, and providing a conservation benefit for the species. The future of T. kleinmanni in nature may appear bleak, but efforts to protect remaining wild populations must continue. TSA Europe is answering the call there as well. This is an exemplary program that blends both wild and captive management and provides an important safety net against the extinction of this highly at risk species.
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hatchlings from the 2007 season.
TSa europe
trafficking in egyptian tortoises and the italian connection
Alessandro Fornetti, Bioparco, Roma
Though Italy has no wild populations of the Egyptian tortoise, Testudo kleinmanni,
the country has become a focal point in the illegal trade of the species in the last few years. The reason is easy to understand: with the national laws becoming tighter on the commerce of autoctone species (T. hermanni, T. marginata, and, to some extent, T.graeca), traders have turned their attention to the Egyptian tortoise, which to the untrained eye of the buyer, represents a good alternative. T. kleinmanni are smuggled from North African countries by the hundreds, and this has resulted in a few major seizures by Italian Law Enforcement Agencies. Several proposals to the authorities in the countries of origin failed to prompt any interest in having the tortoises sent back, so the “Italian Stock” has continued to grow and will likely continue to do so.
A large group of T. kleinmani were seized in October 2005 at an airport during a smuggling attempt from Libya and put into custody at the Bioparco (formerly the Zoo of Roma). It consisted of 274 animals, roughly 27 percent of which were juveniles, with the rest equally divided between males and females. The average weights were 100 gr for the juveniles, 157gr for the adult males, and 260gr for the adult females. In late November 2006, I contacted TSA Europe Chairman Henk Zwartepoorte, asking if the TSA would be interested in receiving part of the seized tortoises. Upon his positive reply, I approached Dr. Massimiliano Rocco, Deputy Chairman of the CITES Italy Scientific Commission, and following negotiations, we were offered a group of T. kleinmanni.
The Bioparco handled this emergency situation very well. The tortoises were housed under slightly modified EAZA guidelines, and the excellent work carried out by the Curator of the Reptiles, Stefano Micarelli, and his staff is underscored by the fact that the tortoises started to reproduce even with no special provisions for captive breeding. More
important, the death rate has been minimal over the years, certainly exceeded by the remarkable hatchling success. At the request of Henk Zwartepoorte, a significant part of the group was tested for both mycoplasma and herpesvirus, the results being negative.
Dr. Rocco agreed to the project on the condition that only qualified institutions would receive the animals. This is understandable, given that the relationship between the authorities and private breeders in Italy is very poor at the moment. This situation is due to a number of reasons, the primary being the weak dividing line between “breeder” and “trader.” It is hope that this situation can be rectified in the future by bringing the strict guidelines required by the TSA and other associations to Italy. So far, 11 institutions from 7 European countries have answered the call, offering to house a total of 144 specimens. The project was made public at the Prague Turtle Symposium on 19 April 2008, and further interest was shown by several parties. At the time of writing (late May 2008), we are awaiting final approval from the judge in charge of the seizure.
Though legal times are unpredictable, I’m confident that the first group can be placed within a few weeks.
The importance of having good numbers of these wild-caught, unrelated animals introduced into breeding programs cannot be underestimated. I hope this action will set a precedent in Italy for the management of seized tortoises and turtles and will result in a standardized procedure.
emergency enclosures for a group of confiscated egyptian tortoises at the Bioparco.
adult t. kleinmanni from the seized group.
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Morphological studies of golden coin box turtles, Cuora trifasciata, held in
European Association of Zoos and Aquarium (EAZA) collections provided clear evidence that different genetic clades were being maintained and sometimes bred together. Captive reproduction recently occurred in Munster, Rotterdam, and Chester, and earlier in Hamburg Zoo, though possibly from “genetically dissimilar” breeding pairs. Hence, it was decided to initiate genetic screening on all known EAZA specimens. The zoos of Hamburg, Munster, London, Whipsnade, Chester, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam, plus one private keeper, participated in this study. In 2007 – 2008, a research project was carried out by Dr. Jens Poschadel at Hamburg University to identify the various genetic lineages and sort the turtles accordingly for captive breeding. Of 36 turtles tested, three distinct clades were detected. Based on these results, recommendations were made to relocate and exchange several specimens to create optimal genetic combinations.
This genetic work rejuvenated the previously inactive studbook/breeding program for C. trifasciata, and Torsten Blanck and Elmar Meier are co-managing the program for the European Studbook Foundation. It is to be
expected that the studbook breeding program will grow to 60 specimens during the course of this year. As a result of this research, in 2008 the Rotterdam Zoo achieved a significant breeding when two females, paired with a male of the same genetic clade, produced fertile clutches of four and five eggs. At the Munster Zoo, a large number of eggs from the different clades are currently being incubated. The zoos contributed to the costs of the genetic research of their turtles, and the costs for the private animals were covered by a small private donation. Further genetic research on the whole Cuora genus is needed, and funding is currently being sought to support this research.
Finally, Elmar Meier of the Munster Zoo-based International Center for Conservation of Turtles (ICCT) reports that 19 eggs have been laid by 4 C. trifasciata females this year. Eleven of these eggs are fertile, including both C. trifasciata and the recently described C. cyclornata meieri. In addition to these clutches, another 26 fertile eggs have been laid by some of the other endangered Cuora species, including C. aurocapitata, C. flavomarginata evelynae, C. (galbinifrons) bouretti, C. mccordi, and C. zhoui.
the Golden coin box turtle status in eaza institutions
Henk Zwartepoort, TSA Europe Chairman, ESF Chairman
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ranGe countrY: india
project Kachuga: india program expands initiatives in Year three
Brian D. Horne and Shailendra Singh
Incredible India. This national slogan aptly describes the many unique
cultural experiences that comprise India. Consequently, conducting Indian turtle conservation necessitates an understanding of the complex needs of more than one billion Indian citizens, which at times, can conflict with needs the country’s turtles. India’s turtles face an unprecedented onslaught of pressures, ranging from intensive harvesting to large-scale habitat loss, endangering nearly 60 percent of the populations of the 28 native turtle species. Additionally, with the rise of the modern global economy, India has seen the respective economic value of its turtles dramatically increase in the past two decades. Sadly, India’s long cultural history of traditional turtle consumption is no longer sustainable, as its turtles and turtle products have become international commodities, especially in Southeast Asia.
The main goal of the joint TSA - Zoological Society of San Diego - Madras Crocodile Bank Trust project is to prevent the extinction of the red-crowned roof turtle, Batagur kachuga, in the Chambal National Sanctuary (CNS). With fewer than 500 adult females remaining in the wild, decisive conservation actions that have immediate impacts are warranted.
In three field seasons (2006-2008), our program has been highly productive. More than 200 nests of B. kachuga and 1,500 nests of the three-striped roof turtle, Batagur dhongoka, have been protected from jackals, Canis aureus. The majority of resulting hatchlings were released within 24 hours of hatching. A select few were reserved for headstarting—rearing juveniles in captivity until they reach a size assumed to afford them greater survivorship when released into the wild. In 2008, due in part to the generous support of Nature’s Own, we tagged more than 3,500 hatchling turtles (the majority were the enigmatic B. dhongoka) produced in our two Uttar Pradesh riverside hatcheries prior to their release into the sanctuary. In early November, after the
a crowned roof turtle, hardella thurjii, found nesting in the lower chambal river, a first in the four-year history of the project.
ashutosh tripathi holding a juvenile indian narrow headed Softshell, Chitra indica, from the chambal river that was captured by hand, near the village of Baswra. ashutosh is beginning his first year of field research on the abundance and distribution of Chitra indica thanks to a grant from the cleveland Metro parks.
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monsoon floodwaters recede, we plan to begin recapture surveys using seine nets that require 20 plus people and several small country boats. By surveying for marked turtles, we hope to document rates of hatchling survivorship and dispersal. It is crucial that we have a standardized means of gauging the success of our hatch-and-release program.
Yet, the goal is to do more than conserve a single species. The aim is to improve protection of a significant portion of the turtles’ habitat as well as reduce the human demands on resources that the turtles depend upon for survival. Previous conservation projects in India (such as Project Tiger) have been less than successful because social and educational programs for rural communities, often within protected areas, have not been incorporated in species-specific conservation actions. Thus, there continues to be substantial poaching and incidental capture of wildlife due to impoverished people being dependent on wildlife and wildlife products as a source of income.
Long-term success is dependent on formation of strategic partnerships with local communities to find mutually beneficial, eco-friendly livelihood options that will conserve the sanctuary’s natural resources. Our project must enlighten communities to the perilous situation of the sanctuary’s wildlife and the entire ecosystem.
Therefore, several new initiatives were launched this year, including the construction of a model “green” headstarting facility to increase capacity, construction of an education center, implementation of wide-ranging environmental education programs, and planning for a modest alternative livelihood program for riverside agriculturists.
Furthermore, we have begun collaborations
with the Center for Environmental Education (a well known and highly respected Indian NGO) to develop our education material (mobile information kiosks, teacher curriculum planning, bi-lingual course books, etc.). The center will also help design our new environmental education center in the village of Garhaita (located within the CNS) to increase environmental awareness within the sanctuary. Construction of the new education center and the launch of a wide-ranging education awareness program for communities living within and on the border of the CNS are made possible by a grant from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. The program will help create better awareness of the unique biodiversity of the CNS and the importance of turtles and other mega-fauna in the river ecosystem, as well as garner greater community support and participation in turtle nest protection, rearing, and headstarting.
We have initiated investigations into how to provide alternative livelihood options to
riverside agriculturists, thanks to the Benefica Foundation. This small-scale agriculture has devastating impacts on prime sandbars for turtle nesting, rendering these areas unsuitable for nests. This agriculture is also a point source of pesticide pollution.
Riverside agriculture offers employment for only four to five months a year and a net pay of $100 US a month. The majority of the
Shailendra Singh releasing hatchling three-Striped roof turtles, Batagur dhongoka, into the chambal river after the turtles are weighed, measured, and permanently identified with a decimal coded wire tag.
Brian D. horne, Shailendra Singh, Matt Milnes, and ashutosh tripathi at the chambal river field Station.
Jeff lang speaks with members of the center for environmental education, a highly respected indian nGo that the conservation team is partnering with.
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of local handicrafts, which could be sold at fair-market prices via the Internet or small boutique shops at areas with high volume of tourists, such as Delhi, Agra, or Jaipur.
With funding from the Turtle Conservation Fund, the British Chelonian Group, the Benefica Foundation, and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, we broke ground on new, green nursery facilities at the Garhaita Turtle Rehabilitation Center. These facilities will include solar powered water pumps and bio-filtration, a true necessity in a region with both electricity and water shortages.
Additionally, we are coordinating our efforts with the Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Forest Departments to provide greater enforcement of the fishing and sand mining ban in the Chambal National Sanctuary. We hope that increased presence of Forest Department Staff will reduce the number of illegal fishing nets in the river. Reducing the adult turtle mortality is a critical next step for our conservation program. In the near future we hope to begin dialogues with the Forest Department officials in Rajasthan, as we know very little of the B. kachuga populations in the headwaters of the Chambal River
Thanks to funding from the Zoological Society of San Diego’s Division of Conservation Science, we are moving ahead with renovating the incubation facilities (a new dedicated generator and new Lyon© incubators) at
the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust so that we can perform constant temperature incubation experiments for determination of Temperature Sex Determination (TSD) patterns in B. kachuga. Those data will be compared to our field data (nest temperatures and endoscopic sex determination) so we can verify that an unbiased sex ratio of hatchlings is produced in our riverside hatcheries. We are also renovating former crocodile enclosures at both the Deori EcoCentre and the Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Center for additional capacity to headstart B. kachuga juveniles as well as to enhance the breeding potential of captive adults. The Zoological Society of San Diego has provided the program with a new four-door pickup truck and an inflatable run-about. These generous contributions will enable us to access far more of the Chambal River than previously possible.
Although we will probably never master all the intricacies that define India, we have now built a strong foundation of broad-based conservation initiatives that we strongly believe will reverse the downward spiral in the population of one of India’s most charismatic turtles, B. kachuga, and set it on a trajectory toward self-sustaining population levels.
Shailendra Singh and Brian D. horne atop camels in the national chambal Sanctuary. camels are used during the dry season to search for nests along the expansive sandbars of the chambal river.
a pair of drowned three-striped roof turtles, Batagur dhongoka, unfortunately this is not a rare site as there is limited enforcement of the fishing ban within the national chambal Sanctuary.
farmers we have interviewed have expressed a strong desire to be gainfully employed throughout the year. We hope that a modest program of skill training will have tremendous impact on the turtles’ conservation. Some farmers may be hired as field assistants and trained to protect turtle nests from predators. Others may be trained in the production
acknowledgements: For their tremendous help and dedication to the project we would like to thank Mr. D.N.S. Suman (Uttar Pradesh Principle Chief Conservator of Forests & Wildlife), Mr. S.P. Sharma (Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Morena) and Mr. Neeraj Kumar (DFO, National Chambal Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh) and Mrs. Eva Sharma (DFO, Endangered Species
Brian D. horne confiscating an illegal fishing net in the national chambal Sanctuary. although 3 animals were found dead we were able to save the lives of three additional males entangled in the net.
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a yearling red-crowned roof turtle, Batagur kachuga, at the tSa sponsored headstarting facility in at the Deori ecocentre.
Shai Singh (right), ashutosh tripathi (center) and a field assistant dig up nest at the end of the hatching season to count unhatched eggs.
Programme, Uttar Pradesh). We would like to thank the Bachelor Foundation, the Turtle Conservation Fund, the Disney Worldwide Conservation, the Beneficia Foundation, Nature’s Own, and the British Chelonian Group, and the Zoological Society of San Diego for helping fund our endeavors. Rick Hudson and Matt Milnes have untiringly reviewed our numerous grant proposals, which we greatly appreciate. Lonnie McCaskill, Dave Manser, and Greg George have provided much insight in the construction of the new turtle facilities. For logistical help we thank Rom Whitaker, Nikhil Whitaker, Payal Narain, and Dhruvjyoti Basu. Dr. Abdesh Gangwar and Dr. Rashmi Gangwar are thanked for their inputs in our ongoing and proposed education initiatives. And finally yet most importantly for help with the fieldwork with thank Dr. Rishikesh Sharma, Ashutosh Tripathi, Ravi Bhadauria, and the people of Garhaita.
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ranGe countrY: india
tSa announces two Major Grants for indian turtle conservation
Rick Hudson and Brian D. Horne
The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) recently announced a
$17,900 grant to the Turtle Survival Alliance for their Indian Turtle Conservation Program. Spearheaded by the TSA, this is a partnership program with the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust/Center for Herpetology (MCBT/CFH) and the Zoological Society of San Diego’s Division of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES). The flagship species is the critically endangered Red- Crowned Roof Turtle, Batagur (Kachuga) kachuga. With less than 500 adult females remaining in the wild, there is an urgent need to implement conservation measures to prevent its extinction. Efforts are focused within the National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS), a 400-kilometer tributary in the Ganges River drainage and the last stronghold for B. kachuga. Current conservation measures for this species include protection of field-collected nests from predators at in situ and ex situ hatcheries. A portion of the hatchlings are retained at two modest nurseries until they reach a size that will improve their chances of survival when released into the wild – a method referred to as headstarting.
Written by Brian Horne and TSA India Program Coordinator Shailendra Singh, this grant provides funding for both a research and an education component. Research activities are aimed at determining TSD patterns to insure both sexes are produced at the riverside hatcheries, gaining a better understanding of frequency and minimum size of reproduction, and monitoring population trends and survival by surveys and mark/recapture studies. The research component of this program will improve the chances of conserving the turtles, yet illegal fishing within the sanctuary must also be addressed. If turtles continue to drown in illegal nets, no amount of headstarting activities will prevent the extinction of the species. Village meetings and local outreach activities to educate locals to the situation within the NCS will be essential. Pilot alternative livelihood initiatives will attempt
to find the most feasible economic options for reforming turtle poachers and illegal fishermen. A large-scale education awareness program will be launched for communities living within and on the border of the NCS that will help garner greater support and participation in turtle nest protection, rearing, and headstarting. The humble education center in the riverside village of Garhaita will be expanded so that larger awareness meetings can be held and school groups can be better accommodated. Over 200 village schools are in close enough proximity to Garhaita to be serviced by the expanded education center.
Beneficia Grant
We are also pleased to announce a $25,000 grant from the Beneficia Foundation to support our Chambal River-based Indian turtle conservation program. This is the second year that Beneficia has supported the India project, and will allow the program to expand a number of new and important initiatives. This grant will support the flagship recovery program for the Red- Crowned Roof Turtle, Batagur kachuga, based at the National Chambal Sanctuary (described above) by providing funding for the construction of new hatcheries and headstart facilities at Garhaita and the Deori EcoCentre (a state run gharial headstarting center).
With illegal hunting as the foremost threat to the sanctuary’s wildlife conservation actions on the Chambal will only be effective if some of the pressures on turtle population can be mitigated. Funds are now available to develop sustainable means to curtail these activities by providing alternative income sources for the area’s impoverished people, such as the creation of an e-commerce free trade system of artisan products (e.g., wood carvings and ethnic textiles). In addition, the turtle conservation center’s community outreach and education activities will be expanded to better serve the sanctuary’s estimated 30,000 school age children.
Finally, we need to expand this successful program to additional locales that may support remnant populations of B. kachuga, as well as initiate conservation actions for other turtles of special concern. The Beneficia grant will allow us to accomplish this goal by enlisting the services of Dr. Peter Praschag. One of the world’s foremost authorities on Indian turtles, Peter has made some important recent discoveries on Indian turtle distribution and evolutionary relationships. It is Peter’s largely volunteer efforts that have greatly increased our knowledge of some of the rarest and most endangered Indian turtles. Accordingly, it is with his expertise and assistance that we will be able to initiate conservation programs for four additional species targeted in the 2005 Conservation Action Plan for Endangered Freshwater Turtles of India - Batagur baska, Aspideretes nigricans, A. leithi, and Pangshura sylhetensis.
The Future
The Indian turtle conservation program, now in its fourth year, is steadily gaining traction and has produced some major conservation impacts on a number of fronts. These successes are attracting new support from major donor organizations. While securing new funding is always important, there are other, more intangible, factors that contribute to this program’s success. The friendship and collaborative relationship that has developed between Brian Horne and Shailendra Singh cannot be understated. With the strong support of the Zoological Society of San Diego, Brian is contributing tremendous resources (boat, vehicle, generator, incubators), as well as bringing credible scientific oversight to the program. It also must be noted that by administrating and managing many of the program’s logistical aspects the renowned Madras Crocodile Bank Trust is playing a key role. But, the true heart and sole of this program is Shailendra’s unwavering dedication to turtle conservation. Because of him, the future of India’s turtles is looking brighter.
31turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
In recent genetic studies, the critically endangered river terrapin was split into
two genetically distinct species: the northern river terrapin, Batagur baska, from India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar; and the southern river terrapin, Batagur affinis, from Malaysia and Indonesia. Almost all our knowledge about the river terrapin is based on B. affinis, and nearly nothing is known about the biology and ecology of B. baska. The last available data on the northern species goes back to the early 1990s, when a head-starting program was conducted in the Indian Sunderbans. During our surveys in February and March 2008—funded by the Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF)—we covered all major rivers in Orissa and West Bengal, the Indian and Bangladesh part of the Sunderbans and along the coast to the most southeastern corner of Bangladesh, bordering Myanmar. In spite of extensively interviewing local fishermen and random boating along the Subarnarekha and Brahmani rivers—two historical, well known habitats of B. baska in Orissa—we found no evidence of ongoing occurrence. However we could record a hitherto unknown and vanishing population of B. baska in the Devi River, one of the branches of the Mahanadi River. The mouth of the Devi River is one of the three most important rookeries for the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, in India. A local boatman, living more upstream on the edge of a nesting beach of the Devi, harvested three nests of B. baska in 2006 and one in 2008. In the Indian Sunderbans, the situation seems to not be much more promising. Out of the last ten nesting females reported by Bhupathy in 1995 only one still frequents the beach on Mechua Island. At the least, several specimens of both sexes could be observed in a big pond of the Sajanakhali Interpretation Center in the Sunderbans Tiger Preserve. According to the staff at the center, 17 turtles, originating from eggs collected in 1991, are still kept in this facility. Although not a single specimen could be obtained from the excessive turtle trade, chances are slightly better of finding some
remaining individuals in the Bangladesh part of the Sunderbans. B. baska seems to be extirpated in the Chittagong district, where fishermen used to poach them especially around Kutubdia Island and St. Martin’s Island. Now and then, a specimen is caught in the Sunderbans, but all fishermen confirmed that the species is rapidly vanishing there.Water pollution from heavy industry is one of the main threats, especially in East Indian river systems. Along all surveyed rivers, sand mining was going on. Furthermore, in East India, the rivers are parceled to turtle poachers supplying their catches to West Bengal. In the Mafia-like, well-organized trade, black sheep among the state police as well as the forest department are involved. In Bangladesh, all kinds of freshwater turtle species are still sold openly in the markets. The collapse of Indian and Bangladesh freshwater turtle populations during the mid- to late 1990s was caused by changing fishing techniques. Small rowboats were replaced by motorized fishing trolleys that set wide area nets in the rich fishing grounds at the river mouths, sometimes reaching from one riverbank to the other. The northern river terrapin is one of the most elusive turtle species. Hardly a photograph exists of a male in breeding color. Unlike B. affinis, the head of the male B. batagur is jet-black and sharply contrasts to the orange to crimson dorsal neck. The carapace is a red-brown and more similar to males of B. kachuga than to B. affinis. The northern river terrapin is on the very edge of extinction, and immediate conservation actions are badly needed to save one of the most colorful river turtles.
field survey for the river terrapin (Batagur baska) in east india and Bangladesh
Peter Praschag, Rupali Ghose, and Florian Wollinger
above. in the breeding season male Batagur baska display distinct and contrasting coloration of a black head with reddish neck and shoulders.
3.5 kg Batagur baska from the Sundarbans of Bangladesh.
rearing pond at Sajanakhali interpretation center at the Sunderbans tiger preserve. according to the staff, 17 Batagur baska are kept in this facility.
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The Indian foothills of the Himalayas, or the Terai region (6500 km2) of northern
Uttar Pradesh, is a highly threatened ecosystem comprised of forests and a mosaic of wetland grasslands (much like the wet prairies of the United State’s upper Midwest), swamps, lakes, and tributaries. So rich is the diversity that the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) lists the Terai as one of top 200 most important eco-regions in need of conservation. Furthermore, the area supports a considerable chelonian diversity, with more than 50 percent of India’s freshwater turtle species having been well documented. Hence, in addition to continuing our turtle conservation programs in National Chambal Sanctuary, we expanded our 2007-2008 efforts to include turtle conservation within the incredible and unique Terai.
Shortly after initiating our fieldwork, we realized that all of the region’s turtle populations
ranGe countrY: india
turtle conservation in the terai region of northern india
Shailendra Singh¹, Brain D. Horne², and Bhasker M. Dixit³
are under severe threats from poaching and habitat degradation. Consequently, we organized numerous meetings with regional environmental organizations, local youth programs, and nature enthusiasts to develop their interest in turtle conservation initiatives. With their help, we commenced turtle conservation and education activities on the Sarju and Ghaghra rivers. We also enlisted their help to survey thewetlands in an attempt to better quantify turtle diversity, abundance, and the threats to the turtles’ long-term survival. During theses surveys, we positively identified 14 species of freshwater turtle, notably the Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle, Chitra indica, crowned roof turtle, Hardella thurjii, Indian hill turtle, Melanochelys tricarinata, three-striped roof turtle, Batagur dhongoka, and Indian eyed turtle, Morenia petersi. The occurrence of Morenia from the Pilibheet district of Terai was a western distribution extension record. The species was previously
known from 150 km east of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. We also have great hope that a population of red-crowned roof turtles, Batagur kachuga survives, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Turtle poaching and illegal fishing are rampant on both rivers. While the indirect threat to the turtle population is seasonal fencing of the river, which prevents fish and other aquatic animals from moving beyond a limited area, more serious threats include fishing with illegal-size fishing nets (>1 mm gap) and conversion of riverbanks into agricultural fields. More than 350 turtles—including C. indica, Nilssonia hurum, Nilssonia gangeticus, H. thurjii, Geoclemys hamiltoni, and M. petersi—were observed in the possession of poachers during the five-month field survey. In an effort to gain the trust of the poachers, we purchased an initial few C. indica, H. thurjii, and M. petersi turtles from the poachers, collected morphometric data, and released the turtles into the safer location of the river. To further gain the poachers’ confidence, we hired several of them as field assistants. Once trust was established, they readily provided their knowledge of regional turtle abundance and distribution. They shared a wealth of
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a turtle poacher displaying a large adult female crowned roof turtle, hardella thurjii, which was caught in the fisherman’s large seine nets. these turtles are prized for the flesh and are generally consumed local rather than being exported.
the most common method that turtle poachers use to target softshell turtles is the “thousand hook’ trap, a long line (approximately 100 meters) that has literally thousands of unbaited hooks. these trap lines are strung in shallow water and are extremely effective at snagging turtles as they swim past
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information not only on the natural history of the various turtle species but also on the scale and pace of the turtle trade in the region. Additionally, this relationship has yielded incredibly valuable information regarding a few fragmented but large viable populations of H. thurjii and C. indica, as well as confirming the presence of an additional six and eight species in the Sarju and Ghaghara rivers respectively. We believe that our recently “discovered” H. thurjii population on the Sarju River is possibly one of the largest populations of this species remaining in India, with more than 700 individuals of various size classes observed in a manner of days.
Many part-time poachers hailed from the numerous small rural fishing communities along the rivers. The more specialized turtle hunters originated from the towns of Kanpur and Unnao. Additionally, nomadic Kanjar tribes were observed poaching turtles for the commercial meat trade. These fishermen sell their catches to local middlemen, who smuggle the live specimens and products (mostly dried cartilage from shells of softshell turtles) through the underground black-market networks of West Bengal and Assam on route to Southeast Asia and China. During our visits, we noticed that C. indica, N. gangeticus, and N. hurum are in high demand for their cartilage, and the meat of
H. thurjii is considered very good quality and also is in high demand.
As dried turtle cartilage is easier and more lucrative to transport than live turtles, fishermen and trappers are targeting softshells. Generally, the cartilage is cut from
the turtle before it is killed, leaving the animal to suffer a painful death. One kilogram of dried cartilage fetches approximately INR 2000 (about $50 US). That amount can be obtained from two 18 kg adult softshells. With the average daily wage for eight hours of hard physical labor being a mere INR 100, or $2.50 US, one can easily reach the conclusion that it pays well to be a turtle poacher. With the help of our field assistants/former turtle poachers, we visited a few of the regional turtle trade collection centers. At one of the 15 reported intermediary warehouses in the Terai, we observed that approximately 80 kg of cartilage and 600 to 700 kg of live turtles (presumably for meat) are being exported monthly. Our field assistants also helped us identify local poachers and organize a meeting with them to understand their problems and their ideas on feasible economic alternatives to turtle poaching.
At first, the poachers were very reluctant to meet with us. They declined our invitations three times before finally agreeing to meet with us along an isolated bank of the Sarju River on 2 October 2007. Twenty-one hardcore turtle poachers gathered with us for a full day of discussions concerning their backgrounds, skills, practices, and feasible livelihood options in their region, as well as the ecological and religious importance of turtles. Our efforts are beginning to pay off, as
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after months of negotiations the area’s turtle poachers agree to meet at an all day roundtable discussion on the plight of the turtles as well as how tSa can help in the development of alternative livelihood options for the poachers.
Shailendra Singh (center, dark blue shirt) with former turtle poachers displaying their certificates that they have signed which renounces their past turtle poaching and pledge to no longer partake in this illegal activity
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several of these turtle poachers have stopped trapping. Yet, we would be naive to believe that all turtle poachers can be convinced to stop harvesting turtles when we cannot offer them alternative livelihood options. This year, with help from Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and the Beneficia Foundation, we hope to develop some self-sustainable small livelihood options such as chicken farming, fish farming, apiculture, medicinal plant cultivation, goat farming, and artifact designing. We have enlisted the help of ten reformed poachers into our conservation program and have formed a “reformed turtle poacher conservation cooperative.” We continue to encourage and help them to adopt eco-friendly livelihood options, and our efforts are starting to make a difference. These reformed poachers recently alerted authorities to a consignment of more than 300 H. thurjii on the Katraghat bank of the Sarju River, near the town of Colonelganj. We also receive daily phone calls to our field site office about turtle activities and poaching.
Due to the increasing flow of information regarding the high level of illegal poaching of the endangered C. indica, we initiated a species-specific rescue and rehabilitation program in the village of Kakraha of District Gonda. The program aims to convince the turtle trappers, through reformed turtle poachers and stakeholder (e.g., village chiefs and community leaders) meetings, to stop turtle harvesting. We acquired the long-term lease of a two-acre community pond to serve as a repository for animals seized from the trade. Turtles will be kept on a temporary basis before release in an area not impacted by poachers. Currently, five rescued juvenile C. indica, 20 adult and sub-adult N. gangeticus and three adult female H. thurjii turtles are in the pond. Due to the aggressive behavior of the N. gangeticus, they will be released shortly, and modifications will be done to make the pond a more Chitra friendly captive environment. In addition, information panels have been erected close to potential turtle habitats, which appeal to everyone to conserve turtles. In addition to organized education programs using skits, we show the video “Turtles in a Soup” (Hindi language version), about the plight of turtles, in our campsites and at more than 30 riverside villages and fishing hamlets.
In the near future, a defunct toll tax building
of the Public Works Department on the Sarju River will be renovated as an education center cum turtle population-monitoring station This center will be very close to a river pool with significant numbers of turtles. We also recently began collaborating with
the Center for Environmental Education (CEE), a leading India environmental education agency, to increase and evaluate the effectiveness of our conservation education programs. We have been training five local environmental organizations in order to
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wildlife week, a week long conference on the state of wildlife conservation throughout india. Shailendra Singh was there to highlight the tSa turtle conservation program.
a previously unknown population of crowned roof turtles, hardella thurjii, which was pointed out to us by former turtle poachers. this population of h. thurjii maybe the largest remaining in india.
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develop their skills to achieve a broader reach. Furthermore, we have started corresponding with Nepal’s Forest Department, Crocodile and Turtle Rehab Center at Chitwan, and Tribhuvan University of Kathmando in hopes of expanding our conservation programs in the Terai region of Nepal.
We sincerely acknowledge the Turtle Survival Alliance in taking a leading position in Asian turtle conservation, especially its efforts to conserve Indian turtles. We extend our
thanks to the Turtle Conservation Fund, the Zoological Society of San Diego, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo & Cleveland Zoological Society, the Beneficia Foundation, the British Chelonia Group and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund for their ongoing support of our turtle conservation programs in India. We extend our sincerest thanks to Rick Hudson, TSA Co-Chair, for his project suggestions and enthusiastic encouragement. We especially thank Mr. DNS Suman, Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttar
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¹ Shailendra Singh, center for herpetology/ Madras crocodile Bank trust, tn, india [email protected]
² Brain D. horne, conservation and research for endangered Species, San Diego zoo, ca, uSa [email protected]
³ Bhasker M. Dixit,terai environmental Group, uttar pradesh, india [email protected]
Shailendra Singh (wearing hat, 2nd for the right) with villagers adjacent to the new chitra indica rescue ponds. these ponds will be an important component of our community based conservation efforts for the indian narrow headed softshell.
Pradesh Forest Department, for all his outstanding support and guidance. We thank Center for Herpetology/ Madras Crocodile Bank, the Terai Environmental Group, and Uttar Pradesh Forest Department for their help and support. We also extend our thanks to Mr. Pradeep K. Saxena (Terai Environmental Group) for his tireless assistance to the program.
36 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
ranGe countrY: Madagascar
Supporting efforts to protect Madagascar’s endemic tortoises – tSa launches new program
Michael Ogle and Rick Hudson
In January 2008 a workshop was held in Antananarivo, Madagascar concerning
the threats to Madagascar’s chelonians. The meeting--Turtles on the Brink in Madagascar: A Workshop on Current Status, Conservation Prioritization, and Strategic Action Planning for Madagascan Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles--was initiated by the IUCN SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group as well as Madagascar’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Forest, and Tourism. Several other organizations helped to bring everyone together, and they include the Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservation International, and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Other sponsors for the event included ANGAP, WWF, Turtle Conservation Fund, EAZA Shellshock Campaign, Chelonian Research Foundation, Turtle Survival Alliance, Behler Chelonian Center, Frankel Family Foundation, Moore Family Foundation, and George Meyer and Maria Semple. Rick Hudson (TSA Co-Chair) and Michael Ogle (Knoxville Zoo) represented the TSA at this event. Besides being a co-sponsor of the event, the TSA was invited to present on current ex-situ breeding programs for Malagasy chelonians in the United States and Europe.
The meeting had two primary focal points: to update each species listing for the IUCN Red List and create an Action Plan on how to best conserve each species as needed. The results of the meeting were expected but unfortunate. Each endemic species--angonoka or ploughshare tortoise, Astrochelys yniphora, radiated tortoise, Astrochelys radiata, spider tortoise, Pyxis arachnoides spp., flat-tail tortoise, Pyxis planicauda, and the Madagascar big head turtle, Erymnochelys madagascariensis will be – if they are not already listed as such - recommended for elevation to Critically Endangered status. The primary factors in their decline are not unexpected and include habitat destruction, collection for food, and the pet trade. It is estimated that 50,000 radiated tortoises
are shipped each year from Tulear alone to Southeast Asia and other places around the world. No one knows what the current level of “take” is in other areas in the southwest. The angonoka has experienced an even larger decline in population size since the turn of the century. Already in serious trouble from burning of their preferred bamboo forest habitat, poachers have removed large number of tortoises from the population, leaving a possible total of only 200 adults and 200 juveniles. This number is down substantially since the last formal population estimates were made in 2001. The number of tortoises being removed for all species – A. radiata in particular - is staggering, and if the illegal black market trade is not brought under control soon, the angonoka could become functionally extinct in nature in the next ten years.
The results of the action plan laid out specific conservation recommendations for each species. By the end of the meeting, a total of $300,000 had been pledged by various conservation organizations to help mobilize and implement those recommendations. The TSA pledged $40,000 over the next five years for Project Angonoka, including the field station run by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Ampijoroa. This is currently the only center in the world legally breeding A. yniphora - the classic “all eggs in one basket” situation and a dangerous precedent. Until the captive population can be better distributed among other locations, the Amphijoroa facility should be expanded to increase capacity for reproduction and reintroduction. Despite a successful reintroduction program, the wild population is in serious decline again, hence the captive population takes on a much more
ploughshare tortoise, astrochelys yniphora.
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typical bamboo forest at Baly Bay where young captive bred angonoka are released by the Durrell wildlife conservation trust program.
this hatchling angonoka was found in the Baly Bay national park by Maurice rodrigues.
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important role. A portion of the TSA funds will be earmarked for creating monitoring camps in the field to guard against smuggling. A new quarantine facility at Amphijoroa should also be constructed as well, so further confiscations in Madagascar can be brought into the captive population without risk to the current captive group.
The fate of tortoises confiscated from the trade was discussed during the workshop, and it was recommended that the Village des Tortues at Mangily -Ifaty could play a key role in holding, quarantining, and eventually redistributing confiscated animals, especially in the south, as well as serving an important education function. We visited this facility and were immediately impressed with both the level of care, as reflected in the general health of the tortoises, and
well as the captive environments which are basically fenced natural habitat. Located just north of Tulear, this center was started by the noted French chelonian conservationist Bernard Devaux, with the goal of providing a refuge for confiscated radiated and spider tortoises. The original SOPTOM – Village des Tortues is in Gonfaron France, and has expanded to other areas including Senegal and Madagascar. Occupying one of the last small pockets of spiny forest remaining in the area, the center has become a popular tourist destination. Currently the center maintains the largest captive population of northern spider tortoises, Pyxis a. brygooi, in the world
the tortoise enclosures are fenced areas of natural spiny desert forest, a rapidly disappearing habitat in southwestern Madagascar.
olivier razandrimamlfinarivo or Mamy, is the pri-mary tortoise caretaker at ifaty and has years of husbandry experience.
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– 620 specimens - as well as captive assurance colonies of the other two arachnoides subspecies . ~350 radiated tortoises also call this facility home. The primary caretaker, Olivier Razandrimamlfinarivo (Mamy for short), has done a tremendous job with all the tortoises here, but with so many animals coming in through confiscations, the center must be expanded.
The TSA decided to invest in the Village des Tortues and spent several months following
the workshop discussing design plans and costs. We will invest $4,000 initially on exhibit upgrades and a new hospital/quarantine facility. The new enclosure will be much larger then the previous exhibit and, due to the center’s location in the coastal arid southwestern spiny desert, will closely mimic the natural habitat of the spider tortoise. The second enclosure will serve as quarantine holding for any new spider tortoises brought in from future confiscations. Constructed in the local style the Tortoise Hospital will be
large number of radiated tortoises are placed at the Village des tortues from seizures heading for food markets in toliara.
the Village des tortues in Mangily – ifaty is a division of Bernard Devaux’s SoptoM.
made of concrete, wood and bamboo, and will be 8m x 4m in size. This clinic will be used to treat all incoming tortoises with any illnesses or injuries they might have brought in as well as to treat the established collection when necessary. Much of the medicines and equipment will be donated by French hospitals that work closely with Bernard’s SOPTOM tortoise facility in France.
Given the rapidly worsening situation for Madagascar’s chelonians, the TSA is stepping up to the challenge of their commitment to zero turtle extinctions in the 21st century. Over the next five years we will pursue an aggressive fundraising campaign to better position us to expand our role in this biodiversity hotspot. We know what the priorities are, and what must be done, but decisive action is required now. Other conservation NGOs are already working in Madagascar, and we must decide how we can best integrate our efforts with theirs. We are starting off strong due to generous support from several key donors. Batchelor Foundation funds will be used to fund the proposed angonoka monitoring camps near Baly Bay. Roy Young and his company, Nature’s Own, donated substantial funds that will be used at the Ampijoroa breeding center and the Village des Tortues. The funds directed at Project Angonoka will be complimented by matching contributions from the Behler Chelonian Center. Knoxville Zoo, with the help of volunteer Kristina Lucas Francis and her husband Paul, are also contributing to the Village des Tortues, and recently the Los Angeles Zoo awarded a $2,000 grant to the TSA, also earmarked for Pyxis programs. We offer our sincere appreciation to everyone that has helped to support our new Madagascar program. Gratitude also goes out to all the TSA members who purchased hand painted Pyxis sculptures that Kristina made last fall, and to those who adopted surplus spider tortoises from Knoxville Zoo. This is a great start, but more will be needed in the future. Please do not hesitate to help out in any way you can.
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ranGe countrY: Madagascar
Madagascar Quest: twelve days to find four Pyxis Michael Ogle and Rick Hudson
Following the IUCN Madagascar meeting in January 2008, we traveled throughout
southwestern Madagascar sampling as many areas as possible for populations of the three subspecies of spider tortoise (Pyxis a. arachnoides, brygooi, and oblonga). The ultimate goal was to find all four Pyxis (including planicauda) during a 12-day stint in the field. Upon arriving in Faux Cap from Tolanaro (Fort Dauphin), we began our search for the southern spider tortoise (P. a. oblonga). After speaking with several of the locals, we determined that many tortoises, including radiated (Astrochelys radiata), had already been collected out by smugglers over the last few years. Much of the coastal scrub – dune habitat that spider tortoises prefer remains intact, but after several hours of searching we were able to find only two male oblonga. The radiated tortoise population are severely depleted as well, and most of the specimens we found were juveniles or young adult males. Not a single adult female was found, which further points to illegal hunting, as females are highly prized by collectors. Sadly the situation with radiated tortoises has deteriorated rapidly in the Southwest, especially near the urban centers of Toliara (Tulear) and Tolanaro. Whereas just 10 to 15 years ago, one could easily observe radiata crossing the roads in the late afternoon – they use to magically appear about 4:30 PM as if someone had thrown a switch – they are now conspicuous in their absence.
From Faux Cap we drove to Cap Sainte Marie, currently the only protected area within the range of the southern spider tortoise. This small, 1750-hectare reserve lies at the southernmost tip of Madagascar, and the windblown landscape gives it an “otherworldly” feeling. A robust population of A. radiata, probably the densest in Madagascar, thrives in this remote enclave, protected by the inaccessibility of the steep coastline. Reportedly, a sizeable population of oblonga occurs here as well; however we found only 1.1 in several hours of searching.
cap St Marie is a barren, harsh and wind swept environment, and tortoises seek cover during the heat of the day under any bush they can find.
During the IUCN meeting, we met Ryan Walker, a conservation biologist from the UK who had done field work with a population of common spider tortoises (Pyxis a. arachnoides) near Anakao. This small fishing village south of Toliara already has a number of high-end resort hotels and appears to be on the verge of further development for tourism. Time will tell how this might affect Pyxis populations in the area. Using GPS coordinates, we located Ryan’s old study site to check on the health of the population. Fearing the worst, we were pleasantly surprised at how well the population appeared to be doing. In the same amount of time we spent looking for two southern spiders, we found 5.5.6 common spiders. The next morning, we drove south of Anakao to another fishing village - Beheloka - a spot Rick had camped in the early 1990s. Although the villagers said all the tortoises had been removed many years ago, we found 2.2
a hatchling Spider tortoise was found active late in the afternoon.
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in less than one hour of searching, but far less than the densities observed in 1991. Sadly there was no sign of radiated tortoises which had been abundant then. On the 40km road between the two villages, we located another 1.2. Road cruising later that day, this time heading north of Anakao toward Soalara, we had our best find yet. On a 12 km stretch of road, we found and processed 9.8 in two and half hours.
The last area we visited in the south was the town of Ifaty. This is the southernmost area where the northern spider tortoise (P. a. brygooi) can be found. From our observations, it appears that more work is needed to determine the extent of the zone of intergradation, as some of the tortoises had a fairly flexible anterior hinge, a key characteristic in differentiating arachnoides from brygooi. Interviews with locals indicated
typical Spider tortoise habitat at faux cap is coastal scrub dune studded with euphorbias.
that Pyxis could no longer be found around Ifaty, and they advised us we would have to search further north. It appeared they were right, as much of the habitat in the area has been severely altered for agriculture, and long drives revealed no suitable areas to search for Pyxis. It was not until our last day in the field that, quite by surprise, we found the last subspecies. Surrounding our hotel was a small isolated 22 ha private reserve with intact dry forest habitat. As luck would have it, this tiny forest enclave supports a fairly robust and reproductively active Pyxis population. Leaving the hotel and reserve early in the morning, we found 3.8.6 in less than 30 minutes.
In addition to collecting basic morphometric data on each tortoise, we recorded the time and the ambient temperature to establish a general activity pattern. Due to the
Michael ogle weighs a Spider tortoise.
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in Madagascar. Also, we hope to be able to correlate Pyxis distribution with habitat disturbance, forest cover, and proximity to urban centers, roads, and rivers. Given the rapidly changing landscape in southern Madagascar and the vulnerability of Pyxis populations to habitat disturbance and over-collection, we envision this project as playing an important role in their survival. In light of the recent recommendation to elevate all Pyxis to IUCN Critically Endangered status, we advocate strongly for a renewed emphasis on studbook management of ex situ captive populations and the expansion of range state assurance colonies such as the Village des Tortues at Ifaty.
the habitat occupancy “on the ground.” There are gaps in this distribution due to habitat loss and collection for the pet trade. The dry spiny forests of southern Madagascar are under intense pressure due to charcoal and agricultural conversion and represent one of the most rapidly disappearing ecosystems in Madagascar. As a follow up to the workshop in Madagascar, Rick Hudson and the GIS unit at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth are beginning a project to develop a “real time” map of spider tortoise (including all three subspecies) distribution along the southern coast using GPS data. This map will grow into what we hope will provide us with a more accurate assessment of where Pyxis actually occur and where they don’t. To date, we have accumulated GPS data from seven sources, and the database will continue to expand as additional old data are incorporated and new data become available. Using this information and map, we will be able to pinpoint hotspots of distribution as well as gaps that need to be surveyed. Working with Conservation International, we hope to include some of these hotspots in the soon-to-be-expanded protected areas system
harsh environmental conditions in the arid southwest, Pyxis is generally crepuscular, being active between 6:30 – 9:00 A.M. and 4:30 – 7:00 P.M., at temperatures ranging from 30 – 34° C. GPS data were recorded for incorporation into a broader GIS mapping project of Pyxis habitat and distribution.
Current range maps of Madagascar show Pyxis distribution as an unbroken narrow band along the coast of southwestern Madagascar. However, this is not an accurate reflection of
a particularly brightly patterned Spider tortoise.
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ranGe countrY: cambodia
Behavioral ecology of the impressed tortoise in the wild of cambodia
Chey Koulang
The Impressed Tortoise, Manouria impressa, inhabits the evergreen forests
of montane parts of Southeast Asia in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Lao PDR, Malaysia, and Southern China. It lives in high elevations about 800 meters or over, and its behavior and status in the wild are little known. It eats mostly mushrooms and is also reported to eat bamboo shoots. They are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List and listed in Appendix II of CITES.
Due to difficulties in maintaining and breeding M. impressa in captivity, husbandry trials are underway to assess problems with adapting to a captive environment and possible disease infection. However, information on their natural ecology should be collected through research on wild populations. This may help improve the success with captive animals.
In 2007, research on the behavioral ecology of M. impressa got underway in the Central Cardamom Protected Forest (CCPF), located in Southwest Cambodia, as a thesis for an MSc on conservation biodiversity at Royal University of Phnom Penh. Radio telemetry was used in the study and research was directed
at determining the various forest habitats, micro-habitats, temperature, humidity, home range, and food types. Twelve tortoises were attached with the radio transmitters in the study, four females and eight males.
Habitats
The study site in the Cardamom Mountains, known as Impressed Tortoise Mountain, consists of evergreen and bamboo forest. The forests are wet with rain nearly every day in the rainy season and less so in the dry season. Mostly the tortoises hide under logs, bamboo tubes, tree roots, or leaf litter, or in holes. The habitat is generally covered with full canopy to semi canopy, or on rare occasions, completely open. If the canopy is full, M. impressa stays under tree roots or leaf litter, or around tree stumps; however they are more visible and exposed than in the semi- and open canopy. They remain completely hidden in open areas.
The temperature recorded during the study was 150 C minimum at 4 AM and 270 C maximum at 1:30 PM. The temperature of the micro-habitat is cooler than compared to the ambient temperature. Micro-habitat
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temperature was recorded at 180 to 210 C. Humidity was very high, ranging from 70% to 96%, being higher at night. Humidity at micro habitats was 78% to 98%, but rarely would drop lower, to 66% at the lowest, in the afternoons. On no occasion did we find M. impressa basking or soaking in water. Soaking activity is seen in captivity, and observed by the local people only at high temperatures.
Food Types
We found that M. impressa primarily eats many kinds of mushrooms and two plant species. There are reports indicating that bamboo shoots are also eaten, however this study could not confirm that. The plant and mushrooms species are not yet identified because there are no scientists that are familiar with these groups of Cambodia. We hope they will be identified soon.
Behavior
The Impressed tortoise spends the majority of its time hiding, more so than any other activity. Sometimes they remain hidden in one place for up to two weeks, especially when in a hole; also the first time after being released with a transmitter they remain hidden for long periods of time. A tortoise can travel about 200m or more in one day, even a small tortoise about 0.5 kg. The body size of the tortoise was not found to be related to the home range. A study on activity patterns will be conducted later when we have suitable equipment for this type of research.
We wish to acknowledge the following for supporting our field research on M. impressa, including equipment and technical training: David Emmett (CI-Cambodia), Craig Stanford, the Turtle Survival Alliance via the Batchelor Foundation, Ron Tremper, and Chuck Landrey. The Cambodian Forestry Administration helped support this project in the CCPF.
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ranGe countrY: vietnam
the Vietnamese pond turtle project develops in central Vietnam Tim McCormack, Doug Hendrie, Nguyen Duc Luong, and Nguyen Xuan Thuan
In November 2006 a wild specimen of the critically endangered Vietnamese pond
turtle was found in in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam that led to the development of the Mauremys annamensis Project (MAP) in September 2007. A full time research and conservation team was located in the commune where the species was confirmed and has been working throughout local districts. A primary objective has been to increase the profile and visibility of efforts to protect the species at the initial site while conducting additional interview and trapping surveys.
Interviews in Quang Nam province have seen several turtle species in local trade including five M. annamensis. The turtles were observed in the possession of a single trader in Vinh Dien town of Dien Ban district close to the commune in which the MAP team is situated. While one animal had been caught in the same commune where the MAP is based, three others were caught in a neighbouring commune. Information from this and other traders indicated the species is becoming increasingly rare. This is further supported by the fact that all five animals observed were sub-adults or juveniles, ranging from 280g down to just 85g. The fact such small animals are being hunted and traded is particularly alarming.
Resulting from information collected on the trade by the MAP team, a number of confiscations have been made in Quang Nam and neighbouring provinces. Most notably this resulted in the confiscation of six Cuora bourreti, two Cuora mouhotii and a single Pelochelys cantorii from one trader. But it remains apparent that continued trade of turtles within central Vietnam is the major threat facing most species.
In addition to interview surveys additional trapping has also been conducted. Whilst no additional M. annamensis have been caught, an Ocadia sinensis and Pelodiscus sinensis have.
a Mauremys annamensis seen in the trade in Quang ngai province at a potential new site for the spe-cies.
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Awareness activities have also been initiated with village level community meetings and school education programs focused on turtle conservation being held in the focus district.
During May and June 2008 interview surveys were also conducted throughout six low lying coastal districts in Quang Ngai province, located to the south of Quang Nam province where the MAP team has been focused. Interviews around slow moving rivers and wetlands observed six M. annamensis in the local trade. All were reportedly from the same district, Binh Son, with two animals apparently caught in the same pond. These
this busy fishing village illustrates the pressure that aquatic organisms face in Vietnam.
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findings have provided a second commune location in which the species is likely to still occur in low numbers, and where the MAP team hopes to undertake additional surveys in the near future.
MAP will continue to develop the following activities throughout 2008 including:
awareness: Continue to carry out local and provincial level awareness activities.
• Expansion of the school programto additional schools in and around confirmed Mauremys habitat.
• Carry out additional village-levelmeetings to raise awareness about the importance of the species in stakeholder communities. In particular this will focus on addressing harmful fishing practises currently utilised such as electro-fishing.
Site-based Monitoring: Continue to monitor sites in Quang Nam province and additional new localities in Quang Ngai province.
enforcement: Work closely with Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) and their Wildlife Crime Unit to strategically reduce local trade of the species, and mobilize more effective enforcement on behalf of provincial wildlife protection officers.
additional surveys: Conduct additional interview and field surveys upriver in the Thu Bon River of Quang Nam province. Also more focus surveys in Binh Son district in Quang Ngai and new surveys further south into Binh Dinh Provinces.
Protected area: Establish a Mauremys Conservation Area in Quang Nam or Quang Ngai province to help ensure the long term survival of the species. This endeavour would involve identifying a suitable wetland area where the species is believed to still occur in the wild, or has occurred until recently, that will be designated as a species conservation zone. At present no protected areas provide suitable wetland habitat for the species, or a secure area where the species can recover.
captive holding and dispersal site: Establish a small captive holding and breeding facility for the species with adjacent riparian wetlands or in suitable habitat for the species within its native range. Adult founder stock will be
maintained at the facility and encouraged to breed, with juveniles being allowed to disperse into the wild from the captive facility. Adult turtles will be sourced from local trade confiscations or from some of the more than 140 M. annamensis currently maintained at the Turtle Conservation Center (TCC) at Cuc Phuong National Park. Most of these turtles were hatched at the TCC to adults confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. Proper health screening and genetic evaluation will apply to all animals involved in this program.
reintroduction: Another possible course of action for the MAP will be a planned reintroduction and monitored release of M. annamensis into the wild at a suitable site within the species’ range where they might be afforded some level of local protection. This project component requires considerable planning including a full assessment of potential release sites. If carried out, the release would strictly adhere to IUCN guidelines for translocation and release of wildlife, and could potentially be used as a model in Vietnam for fulfilling such requirements.
repatriation: Another pending activity under MAP is the potential repatriation of more than 100 M. annamensis currently held in captivity in the US. Planned for 2009, these turtles would almost certainly be transferred to the TCC at Cuc Phuong National Park. In 2006, the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden of Hong Kong returned 32 M. annamensis to Vietnam in a highly celebrated example of cooperation between governments that also brought considerable attention to the plight of the species. The Asian Turtle Program (ATP) values the potential return of the U.S. turtles as an opportunity to bring additional attention to the species and bolster efforts to protect M. annamensis in the wild. Eventually the turtles could be evaluated for release or be used as founders in the local breeding program. research: Continue to collect information through interviews, observation, monitoring, and trapping to learn more about the species, its habitat, and ecological requirements. Through the ATP tortoise and freshwater turtle field skill training course, Da Nang University (near Quang Nam province) has already expressed an interest in having students involved in research projects, potentially including M. annamensis.
The survival of Mauremys annamensis in the wild depends upon urgent and timely action to prioritize local protection of the species within its range
The MAP is currently supported by Conservation International (CI), Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) with surveys being conducted by the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) in cooperation with the Forest Protection Department (FPD) of Quang Ngai and Quang Nam Province.
intensive fishing in most low lying wetlands and ponds is a major threat for remaining Mauremys annamensis.
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Cuora bourreti in the trade.
Pelochelys cantorii with nguyen Duc luong, the Map field officer, shortly before the animal was confiscated by Quang nam province forest protection Department (fpD).
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ranGe countrY: Maurit ius
the wrong tortoises in the right place: ecosystem restoration in Mauritius using proxy alien species
Christine Griffiths
The Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, Reunion, and Rodrigues), lying east of
Madagascar, were once home to a diverse radiation of endemic giant tortoises in the genus Cylindraspis. All of these insular forms were driven to extinction by human exploitation and alien species introductions from 1600 to 1800. Mauritius had two endemic tortoises (a larger and smaller form): Cylindraspis inepta and C. triserrata. Like the famous dodo, these species disappeared from the main island of Mauritius soon after human settlement in the late seventeenth century, but apparently giant tortoises persisted on Round Island until 1844. Survival there may have been due to the difficult landing conditions and rugged volcanic topography of this relatively small island (215ha) located 22 km off the northern coast of Mauritius. Even with the tortoises now absent, Round Island has retained a suite of unique endemic reptiles and remnants of the native palm-rich forest ecosystem that was once widespread on Mauritius.
In 2007, tortoises were returned to Round Island after an absence of more than 160 years. The initial ecosystem restoration effort involves 12 Aldabra giant tortoises, Aldabrachelys gigantea, and 12 Madagascar radiated tortoises, Astrochelys radiata. So why would we want to introduce these alien tortoises to an island that still retains high endemism and conservation value? Similar to Aldabra, the Cylindraspis giant tortoises were the predominant large native herbivores until their extinction. Given their long evolutionary association with Mauritius and the vast populations reported by early explorers, these herbivores were likely to have exerted strong selective pressures on the native plant communities. Despite little being known about their feeding and behavioral ecology, we can assume that they were important grazers, browsers, and seed dispersers, like extant giant tortoises elsewhere.
There is ample evidence to suggest that their
the tortoises journey to round island.
extinction has left a legacy of ecosystem dysfunction threatening the remnants of native biota. For example, following the eradication of introduced mammalian herbivores (goats and rabbits) in the 1970s and 1980s from Round Island, many native grassland species declined and some disappeared. This decline coincided with a rapid increase in the distribution and abundance of faster-growing alien grasses and herbs, which are now ubiquitous. It is anticipated that the introduction of substitute (proxy) tortoises may help to restore “natural” grazing pressure potentially benefiting the native grassland community.
Grazing is not the only function giant tortoises would have performed. Many Mauritian trees produce large fruits, whose seeds may once have been dispersed by the island’s endemic large-bodied vertebrates, of which almost all are now extinct. Tortoises were likely key seed dispersers, as fruits represent an important part of many extant tortoises’ diet. Limited seed dispersal and poor seedling recruitment are widespread problems in Mauritian habitats and hampers natural regeneration.
Today Round Island harbors the last remnants of open palm-rich forest, which is where the extinct tortoises are thought to have occurred at greatest densities. Management of Round Island’s biota has failed to compensate for the loss of tortoises, which were clearly an important component in this forest. So it would appear that long-term restoration can be achieved only by re-instating the functional processes performed by the extinct tortoises.
The lack of selective grazing and seed dispersal functions has important implications for the conservation and restoration of native biota. To solve these problems, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, a local NGO, and the Government of Mauritius are using ecological substitutes to restore lost ecosystem functions. Aldabra and Madagascar tortoises belonging
to the same family as the extinct species (Testudinidae) were chosen as potential proxies, because both species are selective grazers, capable of consuming and dispersing large-seeded fruit, and locally available. The Aldabra tortoises most closely resemble the morphology of the extinct dome–shelled Mauritian species, while the Madagascar species might be better adapted to the dry conditions of Round Island.
After rigorous disease screening and quarantining procedures, the tortoises were transported by helicopter to Round Island in June 2007. To prevent breeding, only male radiated tortoises and sub-adult Aldabran tortoises were used. Two tortoises of the same species were assigned to 8 m x 8 m enclosures so their impact on the ecosystem could be closely studied. The aim of this PhD study is to determine whether Aldabra giant tortoises and Madagascar radiated tortoises will be suitable surrogates for the extinct species and will assist in the restoration and preservation of Round Island’s biota. To date, ten months of data have been collected on the impact
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of tortoises on the plant, invertebrate, and reptile communities. These data will provide an indication of the effect tortoises have on the whole ecosystem. Preliminary results suggest that both tortoise species preferentially graze the faster-growing exotic grasses and herbs, which should thereby benefit the native grassland community. Both species also readily consume the fruits of the endemic critically endangered Latania loddigesii and Pandanus vandermeerschii, two tree species in the palm savannah habitat, which are seed-dispersal limited.
In May 2008, the tortoises were released from their enclosures and allowed to range freely over the island. They are being radio-tracked to monitor how they interact with the Round Island ecosystems and whether their long-term introduction would benefit the island. Macro- and micro-habitat use, diet, and range data will be collected to ascertain how both species use the various habitats and whether they can cope with the harsh climatic conditions and terrain. This trial is important since it will help inform decisions about introducing tortoises to other islands. Tortoises are ideal surrogates, as they present no apparent risks: They can easily be monitored, controlled and removed, if necessary. It is hoped that introducing tortoises will provide a relatively easy, simple, and cost-effective way to restore lost dynamics, such as grazing and seed dispersal, and manage invasive weeds in far larger areas than is possible by humans.
A special thanks to Owen Griffiths and the staff of La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes for the donation of tortoises to the project, and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and the National Parks and Conservation Services for their support and assistance.
aldabran giant tortoises grazing on round island.
a male radiated tortoise with radio transmitter, after release on round island.
one of the aldabran enclosures before tortoises were introduced, left, and then after four months later, right.
48 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
ranGe countrY: Myanmar
tSa — wcS Myanmar turtle conservation program
Rick Hudson, Khin Maung Myint, Ye Myint, Khin Myo Myo, Win Ko Ko and Kalyar
With 27 species, including seven that are endemic, Myanmar (formerly Burma)
is a turtle diversity hotspot and ranks just behind China as the second most important country in Asia for turtle conservation. But Myanmar’s turtles are under increasing pressure, and with porous borders with China in the north, as well as four other countries, many thousands are being harvested for transport to food markets. Recent market surveys in Guangzhou, China revealed that the majority of the wild caught turtles for sale were of Myanmar origin.
Since 2003, the TSA has maintained a presence in Myanmar, working in close collaboration with our partner organization, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)-Myanmar, based in Yangon. WCS co-funds many of the activities, and through the local office in Yangon provides logistical and technical assistance to facilitate our various projects and visits. Without their support the TSA would be unable to work in this country. The joint WCS/TSA program is best described as an integrative approach, focusing largely on critically endangered endemics and combining the development of captive assurance colonies with efforts to save the species in nature.
Burmese roofed turtle
The TSA’s initial focus was the Burmese roofed turtle, Batagur (Kachuga) trivittata, a critically endangered endemic river turtle rediscovered in 2002 by Gerald Kuchling. Efforts to save this rare turtle have focused on studying and protecting the remnant wild population on the Upper Chindwin River and establishing a captive breeding population at the Yadanabon Zoo in Mandalay. The Upper Chindwin is restricted to foreigners, so all conservation and research work is carried out by the WCS-Myanmar turtle team of Khin Myo Myo, U Win Ko Ko, and Kyaw Moe, in collaboration with the staff of the Htamanthi Wildlife Sancturay. This group of
remarkably dedicated individuals performs a broad range of conservation activities aimed at gaining a clearer understanding of the status and threats facing this highly at risk species. River surveys to locate new nesting individuals and populations, coupled with extensive interviews with local villagers and fishermen, have helped pinpoint riverbanks that are consistently used for nesting. Once nests are identified, they are guarded or moved to safer areas for incubation. This technique has been quite successful, and since 2006, a total of 163 hatchlings have been taken to the Yadanabon Zoo for headstarting, including 68 in 2008.
The remaining wild population is highly vulnerable to extinction, with a small number of nesting females each year laying clutches with a high incidence of infertility. Chronic, long-term collection of eggs from freshly laid nests decimated the population, and current threats include drowning in fishing nets, illegal
fishing practices (dynamite) and collection for Chinese food markets. However, the single most important threat currently is a proposed hydroelectric dam that will inundate all known nesting beaches for this species and impound the river where they are known to persist. When this dam will become a reality is open to speculation, but we must be prepared for that eventuality. In order to draft a Species Recovery Plan (SRP) that will ensure the survival of the Burmese roofed turtle, a workshop was planned in 2007. But it continues to be postponed for a variety of reasons--some political, and some natural, like the recent cyclone that devastated much of southern Myanmar. Once completed, the SRP will provide a blueprint to guide management decisions for both the captive and wild population. Fortunately most of the pieces are in place to implement an SRP, and both the field and captive programs are working in tandem to support one another. This is underscored by the fact
this young male Burmese roof turtle is ready to be introduced to the adult breeding group.
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that the growing captive population is being subsidized by the wild population (hatchlings from natural nests that would have otherwise been destroyed), which we hope will some day be augmented through reintroductions from the headstarting program. Ideally this is how an integrated conservation program should function. The field aspect of the trivittata conservation program has received funding from WCS, the Turtle Conservation Fund, and the Batchelor Foundation.
The captive program is making significant progress, and the new breeding and management facility that opened in December 2006 (see 2007 TSA newsletter) is running effectively, thanks to an August 2007 visit by TSA member Dave Manser (Ponds and Plants). Working with WCS and Yadanabon Zoo staff, Dave oversaw a basic re-tooling of the headstarting ponds, adding increased water flow with improved aeration and filtration, and new basking platforms – all of which have contributed to greatly improved husbandry for the rapidly growing juveniles. Meanwhile, husbandry changes were made to the large pond that houses the captive nucleus of 3.3 adults to make conditions more conducive to breeding. Two truckloads of sand were added to the nesting area (all unloaded by women with baskets), making it deeper and more visible from the water. Trees were removed to permit better sun exposure.
A floating wooden platform was anchored in the center of the pond to encourage basking. Though this group has not yet laid eggs, we are confident that it’s just a matter of time and proper husbandry for this group to acclimate and start reproducing.
The Yadanabon Zoo captive program offers a safety net for this highly endangered species and is an excellent example of a range country
assurance colony that provides opportunities for the recovery of the wild population. Using this species as a model, we intend to develop other programs with similar potential and that will offer new hope for Myanmar’s threatened chelonians. Funding for construction of the captive management facility was sponsored by a grant from the Batchelor Foundation to the TSA with support from the British Chelonia Group. Husbandry modifications were carried out with generous donation from the Taronga Zoo
Burmese star tortoise
Another critically endangered endemic, Geochelone platynota, is threatened throughout its range by collection for the high-end
black market pet trade. Now extremely rare in nature, the Burmese star tortoise can be described as conservation dependent and owes its existence to captive breeding populations. Fortunately there are four star tortoise breeding facilities in government-run Forestry Stations and zoos in Myanmar. These include Yadanobon Zoo in Mandalay, Minsontaung Wildlife Sanctuary, Shwesettaw WS, and Lawkananda Park near Bagan. All four facilities have successful breeding groups, with Lawkananda holding the largest number—more than 400 tortoises. With black market prices remaining high over the
improvements were made to the Burmese roof turtle breeding pond including an anchored basking platform and expanded nesting beach.
this new facility for Burmese star tortoises at the Yadanabon zoo provides improved husbandry and breeding conditions, as well as good security.
Modifications to the Burmese roof turtle “grow out” facility included improved water flow and filtration, basking opportunities, and the ability to provide warm water during winter months. these changes were a joint project of the Yadanabon zoo maintenance staff woking with Dave Manser (ponds and plants).
the hatchling rearing units are predator proof and offer good sunlight exposure as well as protection from rain.
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years, nearly all wild individuals are collected when encountered. Captive groups are not safe either, and thefts have plagued at least one captive facility, so security issues are a major consideration that must be addressed in facility design and management.
The TSA has focused its attention on improvements to two of these facilities, Minsontaung and Yadanabon Zoo. Though the tortoise breeding and rearing enclosures at Minsontaung were adequate and hatching success improved every year since starting in 2003, security had become a major concern. With support from the EAZA Shellshock campaign and the Batchelor Foundation, and working under the aegis of WCS-Myanmar, the TSA directed more than $16,000 US toward construction of a new and vastly expanded breeding facility. With Minsontaung situated within the historical range of Burmese star tortoises, this facility will likely become an important pre-release holding site for tortoises destined for reintroduction.
At Yadanabon Zoo, another successful Star tortoise breeding program is underway, though compounded by a range of husbandry issues ranging from inadequate nesting substrate to improper juvenile diet, husbandry, and growth. An architect was hired to design a new facility on a hillside adjacent to the old one that would remedy these husbandry problems and provide
adequate security. Foremost, special juvenile rearing units are included, with a total cost of $10,000 US. Funds for this facility were provided by the Batchelor Foundation and a generous donation from Kate and Frank Slavens in 2007.
Burmese star tortoises reproduce well in captivity, especially in their natural range, and the number in captivity is expanding rapidly, to the point where the government is now encouraging the release of captive bred stock. In order to get a handle on this growing population, and to be able to track and monitor both captive and released wild tortoises, TSA wants to set up a system to inventory all star tortoises in captivity in Myanmar. This will start with implanting microchip implants (PIT tags) in all tortoises, which will require a major grant to fund.
asian mountain tortoises
In what can best be described as one of TSA’s finest hours, a team consisting of Dr. Bonnie Raphael (WCS), Kalyar Platt (WCS), Lonnie McCaskill (Disney), Dave Manser (Ponds and Plants), Brian Horne (San Diego Zoo CRES) and Rick Hudson (Fort Worth Zoo) arrived in Mandalay in August 2007 to work at the Yadanabon Zoo on a variety of projects. Hosted by Win Ko Ko (WCS-Myanmar turtle team), Ye Myint, (Warden of Mandalay Zoo), and Tint Lwin (Yadanabon Zoo head veterinarian), the team expected to process
a small group of Manouria emys that had been seized from the illegal trade. Instead, they found a group of 76 adult phayrei and three M. impressa, a pleasant surprise but one that greatly compounded the work load. However, most were in relatively good shape, though somewhat dehydrated, so the first order was to dig a pond where they could soak and drink. Lonnie took charge of husbandry and soon had even the most reluctant tortoises feeding on melons and bananas. Daily trips to the morning market assured an ample supply of fresh produce. Shade structures were built for retreats, and the enclosure was subdivided so that groups could be separated according to size, sex, and husbandry needs. By the third day, an assembly line had been set up to process the tortoises, collect data, and implant microchip IDs. Assisted by WCS-Myanmar turtle team member Khin Myo Myo and her University of Mandalay colleagues, all tortoises were weighed and measured with the assistance of Brian Horne. Dr. Bonnie Raphael, working with local zoo vets Tint Lwin and Thaw Thaw Lin, performed health exams and treated minor ailments and parasites. By the time the TSA team was ready to depart, we were confident that the tortoises were stabilized and could survive until they can be moved to a new home. Much of this rescue work was funded from a generous gift from Andy Sabin to WCS.
The majority of the Manouria are destined to move to a facility situated within their natural range. The Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range at Gwa, in the western Rakhine State, has a turtle facility at the Forestry Station. Expansion of this facility will accommodate a large group of Manouria emys so a reproducing and self-sustaining assurance colony can be established. M. e. phayrei have become extremely rare in Myanmar due to over-hunting. Being able to
the new star tortoise breeding facility at the Minsontaung wildlife Sanctuary was funded by the tSa/Batchelor foundation and the eaza Shellshock campaign.increased security was one of the primary goals for the new facility.
Dr. Bonnie raphael (wcS) works with Yadanobon zoo veterinarians Drs. tint lwin and thaw thaw lin on collecting samples, implanting pit tags and doing health evaluations.
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establish a breeding colony is an opportunity that cannot be passed up. Though the phayrei race is well represented in Thailand and in U.S. collections, the genetics of the northern range populations (India and Myanmar) are extremely rare in captivity. The climatic conditions at Gwa are much more conducive to the long-term health and survival of Manouria than those at Mandalay, which gets extremely hot and dry. A final surprise was in store for the TSA team on the last day: While we were sorting through another large group of confiscated turtles, primarily yellow tortoises, Indotestudo elongata, three Arakan forest turtles, Heosemys depressa, were discovered. This is another critically endangered turtle endemic to Myanmar, and a small captive group is currently maintained at Gwa. Plans are to move these three to that facility as well, which lies within the natural range of the species.
We are especially grateful to Kalyar Platt whose translation services helped immeasurably with getting things done. We could not communicate effectively or hope to achieve what we did without her.
Trade workshop status
In response to the growing number of chelonian confiscations in Myanmar, and the need to handle them properly and in a way that will confer some conservation benefit to the species, a three-day trade workshop has been proposed and approved. Titled Developing an integrative strategy for handling turtle confiscations in Myanmar, this TSA/WCS organized workshop will bring together Myanmar government officials and the frontline Forestry Department staff who deal with trade seizures to work with external biologists familiar with Burmese chelonians and their habitats, as well as handling confiscated wildlife and building assurance colonies. An important topic will be species identification. Hence, individual species accounts with photos and diagrams illustrating the diagnostic characteristics are being produced by Peter Paul van Dijk. We envision a basic flow chart on how to handle various species, providing options ranging from release to the wild to incorporation into assurance colonies. Appropriate release sites for each species will be identified and priority species targeted that should be given special attention.
This workshop has the potential to produce
a blueprint for handling trade confiscations that can be utilized throughout the region and applied in other countries. For the recommendations to be effective, there must be existing infrastructure to process confiscations, house sick or injured chelonians, and develop captive breeding programs. Unfortunately, and all too often, trade seizures end up at the Yadanabon Zoo in Mandalay, which lies close to a major trade route to China. Facilities there are full and resources stretched thin; other options must be identified. Fortunately in Myanmar there is a series of four government-run chelonian facilities, located at various Wildlife Sanctuaries and Forestry Stations. Most focus on star tortoises, but the one at Gwa offers climatic conditions favorable to species inhabiting cool and moist mountain habitats. Following the workshop, the team will visit each of these facilities and conduct a basic needs assessment, determining which species are best suited there and what levels
of infrastructure expansion and staff increases are needed. The ultimate goal is to invest in these facilities, improving them so they can become turtle conservation centers capable of managing assurance colonies of key endemic and threatened species or effectively processing trade seizures.
Funding for this important workshop has been provided by grants from the Batchelor Foundation, the Turtle Conservation Fund, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and the Detroit Zoological Society.
Editors note: The TSA’s program in Myanmar has received substantial support from the zoo and donor community but one donation stands our in particular. When we were struggling financially to meet our commitments in 2007, Frank and Kate Slavens quietly handed me a check for $10,000 that allowed us to keep moving forward. On a personal level, this contribution means more to me than any other. R. Hudson
lonnie Mccaskill, Yadanobon zoo veterinarian Dr. tint lwin and Kalyar platt (wcS, center) discuss husbandry options on special needs tortoises.
Some of the Manouria appeared so stressed from their previous ordeal that they would often fall asleep spontaneously.
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TurTle Survival allianceTSA EXCLUSIVES, NEWS, & ANNOUNCEMENTS
a taste of thai funds impressed tortoise research
Charles Landrey
In Cambodia, research on the behavioral ecology of the impressed tortoise, Manouria impressa, continues with funding from A Taste
of Thai, www.atasteofthai.com. Chey Koulang, a conservation biology student at Phnom Penh’s Royal University, has spent months in the field gathering data on this little understood Southeast Asian species.
To help Koulang prepare for his next field season, A Taste of Thai funded a four-month visit to the United States. His stay began with a week-long tour of New England’s chelonians, hosted by Chuck Landrey of the Turtle Conservation Project. In Massachusetts, Koulang met with Dr. Charlie Innnis, M. impressa TMG coordinator for the TSA. They discussed the species’ temperature and humidity needs, plus M. impressa’s dietary preference for mushrooms. Koulang shared his many photos of the tortoises in their mountain habitat.
Koulang’s next stop was the Wetlands Institute in Cape May, New Jersey. His three months there, plus a full week at the Chelonian Research Institute in Florida, will provide him with a much-enhanced skill set to bring back to Cambodia.
He will also return to his country with much-needed equipment, provided by A Taste of Thai. A new GPS unit, transmitters, receiver, microchips with scanner, and temperature data loggers will make time in the field far more productive for Koulang and his team.
For more information and photos on Chey Koulang’s M. impressa research, visit www.atasteofthai.com.
in cambodia, a radio transmitter is attached to a M. impressa.
On 3 June 2008, two very tired and weary travelers from Myanmar (formerly Burma) arrived at Baltimore Washington
airport, after a long flight from Yangon to New York. Khin Myo Myo and Kyaw Moe are the first participants in the TSA’s Training Scholarship Program (TSP). Both work for WCS Myanmar’s Turtle Conservation Program which works hand in hand with TSA in this hotspot of chelonian diversity. The WCS/TSA Turtle Team is an active and hard working group, focusing their efforts primarily on conservation and research of the critically endangered Burmese roof turtle, Batagur (Kachuga) trivittata. Other priorities are breeding programs for Myanmar endemic species including Burmese star tortoise and the Arakan forest turtles, and handling confiscations of priority species such as Asian mountain tortoises. Kyaw Moe is stationed primarily on the remote upper Chindwin River working on the B. trivittata recovery project, while Myo Myo is based in WCS’s Yangon office and handles multiple responsibilities. She has received several grants from the Turtle Conservation Fund in recent years to survey for new wild populations of B. trivittata, and participated in TSA’s second chelonian husbandry training workshop in Hong Kong in 2005.
Khin Myo Myo and Kyaw Moe will be in the U.S. for 3 ½ months, wrapping up at the TSA annual conference in Tucson in September. The core of their training experience will be two months under Dr Willem Roosenburg, starting at the Patuxent River Diamondback Terrapin Project and then spending time at other sites in Maryland and Ohio. They will undergo a rigorous training program designed to make them better turtle research biologists with the ability and confidence to study turtles in their home country. They will learn basic survey skills to study turtles in three different systems as well as radio telemetry, blood sampling, tissue sampling, and database management. Then beginning in August they will spend two weeks with Dr. Peter Pritchard at the Chelonian Research Institute in Oviedo Florida, then on to Dr. Ray Ashton’s for gopher tortoise experience. Other training opportunities will be offered in Florida, New York and possibly California. They will complete their experience in late September by attending the TSA conference in Tucson Arizona where many of you will have the opportunity to meet these delightful and dedicated turtle conservationists.
The goal of the TSA Training Scholarship Program (TSP) is to provide a wide range of relevant training experiences to students that are directly working on TSA related programs in range countries. Our goal is to prepare them to return as better field biologists and researchers, and with a renewed sense of passion for tackling the many difficult obstacles they encounter while pursuing turtle conservation. By offering them a broader perspective
tSa’s 1st training Scholarship program underway
Rick Hudson
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on turtle biology, we feel these students will be better prepared to critically evaluate situations and make better informed decisions. We believe the TSP is crucial to our goal of empowering young range state biologists to become effective advocates for turtle conservation in their home countries.
The 2008 TSP was funded by a grant from the Batchelor Foundation. The 2009 program, though currently unfunded, will target students from India and China. Please help support this worthwhile endeavor. Together we can make a difference.
Kyaw Moe (left) and Khin Myo Myo (wcS Myanmar) are the first participants in the tSa's new training Scholarship program. they are shown here shortly after their arrival in June 2008, near patuxent Maryland, holding Diamondback terrapins.
continued: tsa’s 1st training scholarship...
The DWCF just announced that Shailendra Singh, the TSA - Madras Crocodile Bank Trust - Zoological Society of San
Diego Indian Turtle Conservation Program coordinator, was one of 11 recipients of the 2008 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund Hero Awards. The following is taken from the MCBT press release:
tSa indian turtle conservation program coordinator wins 2008 Disney wildlife conservation fund hero
award
Working tirelessly under harsh conditions in the rugged Chambal River valley, Shailendra “Shai” Singh, a soft-spoken Indian graduate student that exudes confidence and passion for wildlife, has found his niche in protecting India’s freshwater turtles and tortoises. Currently he is spearheading the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust/Turtle Survival Alliance’s (MCBT/TSA) Freshwater Turtle Conservation Programme, which aims to ensure the region’s turtles will survive well into the future.
Shai, a promising young herpetologist (person who studies reptiles and amphibians) hails from the small village of Jarwal Road near Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. At nine yeas of age, he acquired two Indian Tent turtles “Tom and Tinky”. His early observations of his pets fuelled his interest to observe turtles in their natural environment. These early field studies at times incurred his mother’s wrath, especially when he cut up his new mosquito net to fish for turtles!!
After completing both a Bachelor and Masters of Science from University of Lucknow in biology and environmental science (respectively), he volunteered with local non-governmental groups as well as the Kukrail Turtle and Gharial Breeding Centre in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Yet, Shai’s decision to pursue a career in wildlife conservation at times met with opposition from his parents, as he turned down a lucrative officer’s appointment with the Indian Border Security Force. Instead, he followed the inspiration Romulus Whitaker (founder of the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust/Centre for Herpetology) and encouragement of the distinguished naturalist Mr. Dhruvjyoti Basu and accepted the position as project scientist for MCBT/TSA turtle conservation programme. This project aims to increase the population of the critically endangered Red-Crowned Roof Turtle, Batagur kachuga, in its last stronghold, the National Chambal Sanctuary. The only river sanctuary in India, these approximately 400 kilometers of protected habitat maintain the last 400-500 adult B. kachuga known to science.
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TurTle Survival allianceTSA EXCLUSIVES, NEWS, & ANNOUNCEMENTS
continued: 2008 Disney wildlife Conservation fund hero award...
In four short years, he has accomplished a great deal. Notably, Shai has helped develop a modest turtle headstarting facility, the Garhaita Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, near the city of Etawah in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In addition, he has overseen the renovations of a defunct gharial enclosure into a second headstarting facility at the Deori Ecocentre near Gwailor, Madhya Pradesh. He has also been instrumental in the creation of several in-situ riverside hatcheries within the National Chambal Sanctuary. In hopes of increasing the capacity of these facilities, Shai is actively fundraising to complete his vision of a model “green” turtle conservation project with bio-filtration and solar/wind driven pumping systems that maximize energy and water use.
Active in both community environmental education and reforestation programmes within the National Chambal Sanctuary, Shai at times, has used personal funds to conduct workshops for school children on the importance of conserving biodiversity within the sanctuary. These small workshops have now blossomed into thousands of school children visiting the Garhaita Turtle Rehabilitation Centre annually.
He has also conducted surveys across northern Indian on the impacts and scale of India’s turtle trade. These activities have culminated in his collaboration with Kalpana Subramanian on the production of an international award winning documentary film with support from the British High Commission, on the perilous plight of Indian turtles and the urgent need for greater conservation measures to ensure their survival.
These accomplishments are surely just the start of a long and illustrious career, as Shai’s commitment to conservation is unwavering and an inspiration to us all.
editor’s note: the following comments were excerpted from Brian Horne’s nomination letter for Shai with comments by Rick Hudson
To place his nomination in context it must noted that India, with its burgeoning population and increased levels of poverty amongst its disenfranchised population, is facing monumental obstacles in protecting its wealth of biodiversity. Increasing levels of bureaucracy and decreased levels of funding are but some of the root problems that conservationists face in their effort to counter the rapid declines of some of India’s most charismatic fauna, such as the Bengal Tiger and Asian Elephant. Yet, one young man, Shailendra Singh, a soft-spoken Indian graduate student that exudes confidence and passion for wildlife, has found his niche in protecting India’s freshwater turtles and tortoises. I see great things to come for Shailendra Singh, and I believe his words to me “The conservation of Indian wildlife needs leaders and I am willing to lead” will become quite prophetic. B. Horne
The single thing that strikes me most about this young man is his drive and passion. He possesses that remarkable ability to analyze problems, determine a solution and then chart a course of action. His approach to conservation is fundamental and sound, and seems to come to him instinctively. Above all he makes good decisions. Such qualities are generally not seen in a person of his age. He requires little encouragement or nudging, and what impresses me most is how I feel when I listen to him describe new projects he wants to take on. In the back of my mind all I can think is “how can I find him the funding to do this?” In a time of constant wildlife crisis and sad news about the loss of the natural world, I find inspiration in Shai. He give me hope for the future and I reserve that comment for very few. Honestly, I think he is the future of turtle conservation in India. R. Hudson
Shailendra “Shai” Singh
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British chelonia Group provides ongoing support to tSa programs
We announced earlier this year that the British Chelonia Group (BCG) intended to include
a $10,000 component in their annual fund-raising drive for the TSA. Five thousand would support construction of two new headatarting facilities in India for the critically endangered Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle, Batagur (Kachuga) kachuga, that will alleviate crowding and allow turtles to be raised to at least 1000 grams prior to release. The remaining $5,000 would be earmarked for new facility construction for a group of confiscated Asian mountain tortoises, Manouria emys phayrei, within their former natural range, at the Yoma Elephant Range in Rakhine State. The climatic conditions here in Myanmar will be much more conducive to their health and long term survival than where they are currently being held, the Yadanabon Zoo in Mandalay. We also plan to develop new facilities for a group of confiscated Arakan forest turtles, Heosemys depressa, a critically endangered endemic that is also found in Rakhine State.
The goal of these facilities is to create range country assurance colonies that will help ensure their long term survival in these troubled countries. We have been informed that their funding appeal was successful and that TSA will receive $10,000 for their India and Myanmar (Burma) turtle conservation programs. The BCG is a previous supporter of TSA programs in both India and Myanmar, having funded facilities for B. kachuga at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and for B. trivittata at Mandalay’s Yadanabon Zoo. Recently the BCG “stepped up” again when funds were low, and agreed to
Rick Hudson
cover the cost of purchasing and shipping incubators to China for the Rafetus project. We are deeply appreciative of our strong relationship with that remarkably dedicated group of turtle people. They embody a very can-do attitude towards turtle conservation and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with them.
three incubators for the rafetus breeding project at Suzhou zoo were purchased by the BcG.
these captive hatched red crowned roof turtles were raised in new facilities built at the Madras crocodile Bank trust in 2004 with BcG funding.
lonnie Mccaskill oversees a large group of confiscated Manouria e. phayrei at the Yadanobon zoo in august 2007. new facilities for this group will be built with BcG support.
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TSA EXCLUSIVES, NEWS, & ANNOUNCEMENTS
the turtle conservation fund
Hugh Quinn1 and Anders Rhodin2
The mission of the Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) is to ensure that no tortoise or freshwater turtle species becomes extinct and
that sustainable populations of all species persist in the wild. To make sure this happens, TCF has focused its conservation efforts on the most critically imperiled turtles, those that are teetering on the brink of extinction.
A good example of TCF enacting its mission involves the ongoing support for conservation programs involving the Yangtze giant softshell, Rafetus swinhoei. Only four living specimens of this turtle are known, making it one of the world’s most critically endangered species. One individual is in Vietnam’s famous Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, another is in the wild in a lake east of Hanoi, and a pair now resides at the Suzhou Zoo in China’s Jiangsu province.
Taking a two-pronged approach to conserve this species, TCF supported both field and captive programs. Surveys to locate wild populations focused in northern Vietnam and southeastern China, where continued existence of this softshell seemed most likely. In June 2004 TCF supported field surveys in Vietnam, an effort spearheaded by Doug Hendrie, partnering with Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Hanoi National University, and Education for Nature – Vietnam. This effort eventually led to the location of the only known living wild specimen, which resides in a wetland east of Hanoi. Worldwide fanfare accompanied the announcement of this truly monumental discovery, and efforts to locate additional specimens continue in this area. Searches are also underway in China’s Yunnan Province by Lu Shunqing of WCS-China. Following leads that populations may still persist in the Honghe River (Red River) and its tributaries in Yunnan, TCF is also supporting surveys by Wen Cheng (Peking University), Wang Jian (Southwest Forestry Institute), and Zhang Li (Conservation International China). These surveys will hopefully result in the discovery of remnant wild populations in China. Additionally, a much needed examination of the genetic variability of this species was also supported by TCF and undertaken by Minh Duc Le of the American Museum of Natural History and Peter Pritchard of the Chelonian Research Institute. A quick glance at the names and affiliations of the people working to save the Yangtze giant softshell clearly indicates that conservation work is a team effort requiring partnerships that unselfishly and cooperatively contribute to the overriding goal of salvaging this species from the very brink of extinction.
Also emphasizing the importance of forming effective partnerships in conducting conservation programs is the captive aspect of this initiative. This effort brought together the two remaining captive animals in China, a male and a female. Partner organizations that
banded together to help fund this union included TCF, WCS, TSA (thanks to funding support from the Batchelor Foundation, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Ocean Park Hong Kong, Walter Sedgwick, and David Shapiro). Through the Herculean efforts of Gerald Kuchling (University of Western Australia and Chelonia Enterprises) and Lu Shunquing (WCS-China), coupled with expertise and support from Rick Hudson and Scott Davis (Turtle Survival Alliance), Mitch Kalmanson (Lester Kalmanson Agency, Inc.), and Paul Calle (WCS), the female from the Changsha Zoo in Hunan Province was united with the male at the Suzhou Zoo. Hopefully this will eventually result in a dramatic increase in the number of Yangtze giant softshell turtles.
Another good example of the TCF focusing its conservation efforts on the most critically imperiled turtles is the continued support provided to conservation efforts of the river terrapin, Batagur baska. This large Asian species has suffered dramatically due to over-collection of turtles and eggs for food. TCF has supported six conservation projects regarding this species. These have ranged from surveys and protection of the last known wild populations in Cambodia to headstarting and educational initiatives in Malaysia. Educational initiatives in the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh were also supported, as were surveys along the eastern coast of India. Funding these projects has resulted in a better understanding and protection of the fragile Cambodian populations, a scientifically monitored release program in Malaysia, and heightened awareness in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Bangladesh regarding the conservation needs of this Critically Endangered species. Taxonomic issues regarding the river terrapin were also clarified by the TCF-supported work of Peter Praschag and colleagues, and it is now recognized as two species, Batagur baska of northeastern India and Bangladesh and B. affinis of the southern Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. The taxonomic allocation of the extant and extirpated populations in the northern Malay Peninsula, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam remains unclear. Dr. Praschag’s work makes it clear that Batagur baska, restricted to a few fragile and relatively unstudied populations from India and Bangladesh, is also teetering on the brink of extinction, and emphasizes the critical need for conservation measures to be taken immediately if this species is to persist.
In Mexico and Central America, the Critically Endangered Central American river turtle, Dermatemys mawi, has been a focus of TCF support. Its numbers have declined due to overharvest of turtles and eggs for food. Projects involving the distribution, ecology, genetics, management, and recovery of this species have been funded by TCF. Through these efforts, we now have a better understanding of the distribution, abundance, and habits of the Central American river
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continued: the turtle Conservation fund...
turtle in Guatemala. Additionally, facilities at a turtle farm in Mexico were enhanced to better care for the turtles there, and the farm staff benefitted from capacity building and training. Genetic analysis of tissues taken from animals of Mexican and Guatemalan origin helped shed light on the variation within this species.
These are only a few examples to illustrate the impact TCF has had on turtle conservation as it strives to meet its mission. Initiatives involving a host of other Endangered and Critically Endangered species from around the globe have received TCF support. A total of 142 grant proposals have been received by TCF from 2003 to March 2008, of which 56 (39 percent) were funded. Total requests were $823,039, with $242,584 (30 percent) awards granted. Support ranged from $1,000 - $10,000 per project, with the average award $4,332. Grants were given to projects in 32 nations (Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, and Vietnam). Such a broad geographic distribution of funds reflects TCF’s mounting impact on international turtle conservation.
To help provide focus to TCF’s efforts, a list of target species was prepared (Top 25 Turtles on Death Row). To date, projects representing 12 (48 percent) have been funded. An intense proposal solicitation effort will continue for target species, especially those in extreme peril. The world’s Top 25 most endangered turtle and tortoise species as currently defined by the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/trouble/) are (bold print indicates TCF support): Astrochelys yniphora, Batagur baska, Batagur borneoensis, Batagur trivittata, Chelodina mccordi, Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni, Chitra chitra, Chitra indica, Cuora aurocapitata, Cuora trifasciata, Cuora yunnanensis, Dermatemys mawii, Elusor macrurus, Erymnochelys madagascariensis, Geochelone platynota, Heosemys depressa, Leucocephalon yuwonoi, Mauremys annamensis, Psammobates geometricus, Pseudemydura umbrina, Pyxis planicauda, Rafetus swinhoei, Siebenrockiella leytensis, Terepene coahuila, and Testudo kleinmanii.
Of the 23 turtle taxa listed by IUCN as Critically Endangered (CR), TCF has supported projects specifically involving 9 (39percent), and of the 43 taxa listed as Endangered (EN), TCF has supported specific projects for 9 (21 percent). Of the 66 taxa in these two threat categories, TCF has supported projects specifically involving 18 (27 percent). The Critically Endangered (CR) and Endangered (EN) species impacted have been Batagur baska (CR), Batagur
Dr. eng heng chan of the university Malaysia terengganu, is joined by a group of elementary school children in releasing headstart river terrapins, Batagur affinis.
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(=Kachuga) dhongoka (EN), Batagur (=Kachuga) kachuga (CR), Batagur (=Kachuga) trivittata (EN), Chelodina mccordi (CR), Cuora mccordi (CR), Dermatemys mawii (CR), Geochelone platynota (CR), Indotestudo forstenii (EN), Pelochelys cantorii (EN), Podocnemis lewyana (EN), Psammobates geometricus (EN), Pyxis planicauda (EN), Rafetus euphraticus (EN), Rafetus swinhoei (CR), Siebenrockiella leytensis (CR), Testudo kleinmanni (CR), and Trachemys taylori (EN).
TCF has also supported projects involving species listed by IUCN as Extinct (EX) (but since rediscovered) (Cuora yunnanensis), and as Extinct in the Wild (EW) (Aspideretes nigricans) (though now known to also exist in the wild). In addition, TCF has provided support for facilities or broad projects that impact additional CR and EN target species. Examples include Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center, Allwetter Zoo, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Parque Nacional de Brazil, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado, Madagascar Turtle Workshop, Myanmar Turtle Confiscation Workshop, Turtle Conservation Initiative in Pakistan, and Guangdong Province Survey, China. TCF will continue to target its support for Critically Endangered and Endangered species as we strive to pull them back from the brink of extinction.
TSA EXCLUSIVES, NEWS, & ANNOUNCEMENTS
continued: the turtle Conservation fund...
contact information 1 tcf co-chair, 8200 red Deer road, rapid city, South Dakota 57702 uSa [email protected]
2 tcf co-chair; Director, chelonian research foundation; editor, chelonian conservation and Biology; chair, iucn/SSc tortoise and freshwater turtle Specialist Group; 168 Goodrich Street lunenburg, Ma 01462 uSa [email protected]
www.chelonian.org
the critically endangered Batagur baska is currently known only from the Sundarbans region of northeastern india and Bangladesh.
Drs. Scott Davis and Gerald Kuchling carry the only female captive Yangtze giant softshell, Rafetus swinhoei, to join a male at the Suzhou zoo.
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59turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
nature’s own — Putting tortoise sculptures to work for conservation.
Rick Hudson
A gift from Roy Young and Rosa Venezia from Nature’s Own in Boulder, Colorado will provide $30,000 toward programs in Madagascar and India. The TSA’s India program is growing rapidly and our coordinator Shailendra Singh continues to present us with exciting and compelling new conservation initiatives that he wants to pursue. We want to encourage this enthusiasm and are constantly seeking new sources of funds to allow this program to grow. India is a big country and our network is expanding along with our capacity to tackle challenging conservation issues. We urgently need to hire another full time biologist to work in India, and the Nature’s Own grant of $15,000 will help that to become a reality soon. We are seeking a match for this grant in order to maximize the impact
The remaining $15,000 will be directed to Madagascar, a hotspot of chelonian endemism and a country where TSA needs to develop a stronger presence. With seven endemic taxa (6 tortoises and 1 freshwater turtle), all now either ranked Critically Endangered or proposed as such, there is no shortage of work to be done. While the threats to some species have been somewhat abated in recent years (curbing commercial collection for the pet trade for example), they are mounting for others. Radiated tortoises are being slaughtered at an alarming rate in the south. Increasingly, poached ploughshare tortoises turn up illegally in Asian markets.
To develop a strategy to save Madagascar’s chelonians, an IUCN workshop was held January 2008 that evaluated threats and recommend conservation and research actions designed to safeguard these species. This grant will be administered in accordance with priorities identified in that workshop and will be used to implement conservation actions for both the ploughshare tortoise or angonoka, Geochelone yniphora, and the spider tortoise, Pyxis arachnoides. Specifically funds will be directed towards the Durrell-managed captive breeding program for angonoka at Amphijora, and the Village des Tortues in Ifaty that manages large population of both P. arachnoides (all three subspecies) and radiated tortoises, Astrochelys radiata. Both facilities are excellent examples of range state assurance colonies, offering refuge and safe haven for these imperiled species. These funds match $15,000 contained in the recent Batchelor Foundation grant and will position the TSA to emerge as a strong supporter of turtle conservation in Madagascar.
The Nature’s Own donation was provided by the sale of stone tortoise sculptures in their stores in Boulder Colorado, and as offered for sale on the TSA web site. Hand carved in Pakistan and made from travertine onyx, these beautiful sculptures are an excellent way to support the TSA and acquire a nice display piece or gift in the process.
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TSATurTle Survival alliance
Thank you for your support!
The TSa gratefully acknowledges the following supporters for their generous contributions of $200 or more during the July 2007 to July 2008 time frame:
Allesandro Fornetti, Amy Clark, Barbara Graves, Batchelor Foundation, Beneficia Foundation, Brian Bolton, California Turtle and Tortoise Society (CTTC) – Too Slo Chapter, Cleveland Metroparks Cans for Conservation Program, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo AAZK Chapter, Cleveland Zoological Society, Columbus Zoo, Dallas Zoo, David Shapiro, Dawn Richards, Denver Zoo, Detroit Zoo AAZK Chapter, Detroit Zoological Society, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Emily Rhine, Eric Goode, Fort Worth Zoo, Frank and Kate Slavens, Jack Cato, Jason Jeffries, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Karrie Chen, Knoxville Zoo, Nancy and Brett Stearns, Nature’s own, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Orlando Diaz-Figueroa, Patricia Kim, San Francisco Zoo AAZK Chapter, Scott Davis, Sedgwick County Zoo, Sheena Koeth, Tami Smith, Taronga Zoo Foundation, Thomas Murawski, Tim McLaughlin, Turtle and Tortoise Club of Florida, Woodland Park Zoo, Zoo Med, Inc., and Zoological Society of San Diego
2008 Symposium Support
The TSA sponsored joint annual Turtle and Tortoise Symposium continues to grow and evolve. We strongly believe in the power of networking, and the synergy and enthusiasm that is generated by this conference is both inspiring and catalytic. Now widely recognized as THE turtle meeting to attend, the symposium has taken on a distinctly international flavor, attracting biologists from a growing number of countries each year. The demands on those of us involved with conference planning and execution have grown as well, and we are always grateful to the handful of energetic individuals that dedicate so much to making this event a memorable, stimulating and productive one. This year in Tucson was particularly challenging because, for the first year, we did not have a local conference host to handle many of the logistics and details.
As he has done for the past six years, Lonnie McCaskill (Conference chairman) rose to the occasion and forged a working relationship with Brook Sauer of the Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau (MTCVB). Brooke expertly handled the situation, and opened the city to us, setting up hotel and venue tours, and basically welcomed the TSA with open arms. She assured us that Tucson was where we needed to be, and backed that up with a nice MTCVB contribution to our icebreaker. Don Boyer (Conference Program chairman) did a superb job of pulling the program together for us this year, with assistance from a number of session chairs. And thanks in advance go to Heather Lowe (TSA Membership Coordinator) and Rose Tremblay and her team from Disney for all the hard work that we have grown to expect from them at conference time - handling registration, merchandising, annual auction and hospitality suite. Without these services, the TSA conference would certainly not meet your expectations. One of our biggest expenses is speaker travel, especially the excellent group of international presenters that will be with us this year. For contributions that help offset speaker travel costs and student speaker awards, we are grateful to Sheena Koeth, Conservation International, Brett and Nancy Stearns, Chelonian Research Foundation, and Zoo Atlanta. As they have in the past, Reptiles Magazine is again helping to sponsor our opening icebreaker. And, in what is becoming an annual tradition, we owe a exceptional debt of gratitude to the BBQ Boys – Greg and Lisette George, Dave Manser (Ponds and Plants) and Jay Allen (Aquarium Innovations) – for a substantial donation to help offset catering costs at our Friday and Saturday night events. Finally, we are most grateful for the financial support of our title sponsor, ZooMed, Inc., and we urge you to support them by buying their products.
2008 TSa Steering committee Meeting
In February 2008 we were graciously hosted in New York City by Eric Goode and Maurice Rodrigues at the Maritime Hotel, where we were afforded free accommodations. We met back-to-back with the TCF, and a spectacular joint dinner was served at the Maritime’s famous Japanese restaurant Matsuri. This was a productive meeting and a very special time together. We are genuinely appreciative of the remarkable hospitality extended to us by Eric and Maurice and their staff.
61turtle survivAl All iAnce August 2008
international reptile conSerVation founDation, inc. 3010 MaGnuM DriVe, San JoSe, ca 95135 tel 877-472-3674
MeMBerShip four iSSueS/Year. DueS: DoMeStic $25 international $55
an indispensable herpetological reference: articles, features,
husbandry, historical perspectives, natural history, & more. published quarterly. the journal is available with your membership. Join today and help support our mission to conserve reptiles and the natural habitats and ecosystems that support them.
www.ircf.org /memberships.php
62 August 2008 turtle survivAl All iAnce
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