News & Events

TSA Members Raise Funds for Madagascar

TSA members are beginning to come up with innovative ways to generate funds for TSA’s Madagascar program.

Lisa Weiss is offering some of here 2009-hatched Furrowed wood turtles (Rhinoclemmys areolata) for sale to TSA members, with the majority of proceeds going to support TSA’s Madagascar tortoise program. The turtles are priced at $250.00 each, $150.00 of which will be donated to the TSA.

Knoxville Zoo is offering captive hatched Spider tortoises (Pyxis a. arachnoids) to TSA members in exchange for a $200 donation to the TSA. The tortoises are on long-term loan from the TSA and are considered surplus to the Population Management Plan (PMP) for this species. To date, this program has generated $4,000 for Spider tortoise conservation in Madagascar.

Roy Young of Nature’s Own continues to support our efforts in Madagascar by providing free shipments of carved onyx tortoises of various sizes. TSA member Sheena Koeth (see member profile) has been exceptionally generous with her time and has sold thousands of dollars worth of these tortoises at special events and fundraisers. The sculptures sold well at the TSA conference in 2008 so look for them again in St. Louis. These are also available to zoo gift shops, with free shipping, providing they track the sales and return a designated portion to the TSA. The Fort Worth Zoo is the only institution to partner with us on this offer to date.

– Rick Hudson