An Update on the World’s Most Endangered Turtle
by¬†Rick Hudson¬† Gerald Kuchling returned from China recently with news that was not good but not unexpected. The male Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei)¬†at the Suzhou Zoo is not getting the job done. With hundreds of eggs laid since 2008 by the Changsha Zoo female, but without hatching or even¬†signs of fertility, frustration has […]
Largest Tortoise Confiscation in Madagascar’s History
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† On the evening of June 2, Air Madagascar Flight MD 151 from Hahaya Airport returned 968 tortoises to Madagascar, after they were confiscated in the Comoros Islands. The group was comprised of all Radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata), with the exception of one Ploughshare tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora). All of them are juveniles and the […]
Construction Continues at the TSC
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† Dirt continues to fly at the Turtle Survival Center (TSC), with a multitude of new construction projects and renovations happening concurrently. The veterinary clinic at the Center received a full face-lift recently, knocking out walls and reconfiguring the space to make it much more usable and accessible. The lab has been enlarged and […]
TSA Commends China and Pakistan on Repatriation
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† On Monday, August 18, 2014, authorities of the People’s Republic of China handed over 204 Black Pond Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii) to the authorities of Pakistan. The animals, mostly adults, had been confiscated on 15 June 2014 in the Tajik Autonomous County of Taxkorgan, in northwest China’s Xinjian Uygur Autonomous Region, which borders Pakistan. […]
New River Terrapin Joins the Colony in Bangladesh
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† In one of the TSA’s most grassroots (and successful!) programs, team member Rupali Ghosh regularly visits fishing villages throughout southern Bangladesh, scouring markets and private ponds for any remnant individuals of the Critically Endangered Sundarbans River Terrain (Batagur baska). Through her hard work and determination, a breeding colony with fourteen males and six […]
Meet the Team
by Heather Lowe Carol Alvarez – Veterinary Care Manager and Operations Specialist Carol was born with a love for animals and has always gravitated to the “underdogs.” She was given her first pet turtle at age 7 and by age 9 she was training domestic animals, followed by exotics, and then working with wildlife. She […]
Community Support Grows for the TSC
by¬†Heather Lowe We have been welcomed with open arms by the community in the South Carolina low-country since opening the Turtle Survival Center (TSC) in 2013. The generosity of our neighbors, both individual and corporate, has been very much appreciated. Some of the donations received at the TSC just this summer are listed here. ‚Ä¢ […]
Assurance Colonies Grow in South Carolina
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† Amidst a flurry of construction and renovation that has been taking place at the Turtle Survival Center (TSC) this summer, animal care and husbandry has remained a top priority. The steadily growing collection at the TSC is now comprised of 421 animals, representing 32 species. A recent spate of hatchlings has been very […]
Repatriated Turtles Released in Pakistan
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† The Turtle Survival Alliance¬†recently commended¬†the countries of China and Pakistan on the repatriation of¬†204 Black Pond Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii) that had been confiscated on 15 June 2014 in northwest China. We are pleased to announce that¬†WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with the Sindh Wildlife Department, has since successfully released the turtles into their natural habitat. […]
NAFTRG Conducts Sampling Sessions in Florida
by: Nicole Salvatico Recently, the North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group (NAFTRG) held its October sampling in the Florida springs of Manatee, Fanning, and Ichetuknee. Over the course of the week, members Roxanne Losey, Dan and Eleanor Barrett, Jessy Wayles, and Nicole Salvatico were joined by students from the University of Central Florida and members […]
South Carolina Governor Signs Bill to Protect Wild Turtles From Poaching, Trade
For Immediate Release, October 21, 2020 Contacts: Elise Bennett, Center for Biological Diversity, (727) 755-6950, ebennett@biologicaldiversity.org Rick Hudson, Turtle Survival Alliance, (817) 343-7380, rhudson@fortworthzoo.org Craig Stanford, (213) 740-1918, IUCN SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, stanford@usc.edu Paul Gibbons, (503) 250-2197, pmgibbons@gmail.com COLUMBIA, S.C.‚Äî Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill today that bans the commercial […]
*UPDATE* Houston’s Alligator Snapping Turtles NEED YOUR HELP! *comment period extended!*
The Alligator Snapping Turtles of Houston, Texas, and their habitat, Buffalo Bayou, NEED YOUR HELP! A proposed project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) to reduce the impacts of flooding in the Greater Houston metropolitan area would not only significantly change the natural qualities of Buffalo […]
