Saving Turtles and a Culture, One Thread at a Time
By Arpita Dutta and Jordan Gray The Brahmaputra Floodplain of Northeast India represents one of the most important regions for turtle diversity on Earth. Here, waters originating from the Tibetan Himalayas flow through various ecoregions, bringing vital nutrients, and carving a path that shapes the environment and its inhabitants, both animal and human. As unique […]
190 Radiated Tortoises Rescued!
Busted! 190 Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) have been saved thanks to quick action by TSA-Madagascar Law Enforcement Officer Sylvain Mahazotahy, the Chef Cantonnement of Forestry of Antanimora Sud, and officers of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD). On Wednesday evening, Mahazotahy and the Chef Cantonnement of Forestry were in the Jafaro Commune […]
190 Rescued Radiated Tortoises Arrive at TCC!
**Update – 190 Radiated Tortoises Safely Arrive at the Tortoise Conservation Centre** We are happy to announce that the 190 Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) saved from illegal meat market trafficking have arrived safely at our Tortoise Conservation Centre, and are doing well! The 165 adult and 35 juvenile tortoises were rescued in a tense bust […]
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve’s Field Director H Rajamohan Proposes Study on Aquatic Biodiversity
The study will cover migratory birds, aquatic animals, especially turtles, and the wetlands. Explaining the need for an integrated research programme on aquatic diversity, India Program Director of Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), a US-based NGO, Shailendra Singh said, “Wetlands are the basic means of survival for not only aquatic creatures, but also migratory birds. These […]
COLOMBIA’S FIRST-EVER RESERVE FOR A TURTLE HAS BEEN SECURED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Turtle Survival Alliance partnered with Rainforest Trust and the Wildlife Conservation Society to secure 120 hectares (296 acres) of land to protect a population of the critically endangered Dahl’s Toad-headed Turtle (Mesoclemmys dahli) and develop a genetic rescue program to mitigate the effects of habitat loss. Charleston, South Carolina ‚Äì The […]
Radiated Tortoises Returned to the Spiny Forests of Madagascar
by¬†Andrea Currylow Since 2011, the TSA has been working with the southern Madagascar community of Ampotoka to create a safe reserve for the Radiated Tortoise. Ampotoka’s forests include some relatively untouched forested habitat that the community considers ancestral sacred ground. It is in those forests where the Radiated Tortoises were recently very numerous due to […]
Making More Friends at the TSC
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† The TSC recently hosted a number of special visitors. Consulting veterinarian Dr. Terry Norton of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was joined by Dr. Sam Rivera, Associate Veterinarian at Zoo Atlanta. The vets teamed up to perform endoscopic sexing on a group of Spider Tortoises (Pyxis a.brygooi). The doctors were assisted by Christi […]
NAFTRG Celebrates 16 Years of Sampling in Florida
by¬†Eric Munscher¬† The North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group (NAFTRG) kicked off its sixteenth year of sampling in Florida at Ichetucknee Springs on March 21-22. The NAFTRG had members from Pennsylvania, Washington, and Georgia (Jekyll Island) join forces once again with a devoted team of researchers from Santa Fe College lead by Dr. Jerry Johnston […]
Spring has Sprung at the TSC
by Heather Lowe The TSA recently welcomed an important addition to the Turtle Survival Center (TSC). Hatched in May 2014, the one year old Southern Vietnam Box Turtle (Cuora picturata) was acquired from a private breeder in the United States. The captive bred individual represents an important step in building a first generation population which […]
Commentary: South Carolina Must Tighten State Laws to Protect Turtles
BY ELISE BENNETT (Center for Biological Diversity) and JORDAN GRAY (Turtle Survival Alliance) Each year, tens of thousands of live turtles are stolen from America’s woodlands and waterways and shipped overseas as pets or for meat. And with lax laws against harvest, South Carolina is a haven for turtle snatchers. State wildlife officials recently saved […]
The Extinction Clock is Ticking
by Heather Lowe  In May, the conservation community took a historic step to save the Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle from extinction.  The last known female of the species was artificially inseminated after years of laying clutch after clutch of infertile eggs.  As the conservation community holds its collective breath, the extinction clock is ticking.
More Spotted Pond Turtles Rescued
by¬†Heather Lowe¬† In June, 63 Spotted Pond Turtles (Geoclemyshamiltonii) were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in India. In coordination with Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra Forest Department, the TSA-India Team transferred the turtles to the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center (KGTRC) in Lucknow. The previous month, the TSA-India team had participated in the¬†repatriation of […]
