FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Turtle Survival Alliance Canada Launches to Protect Endangered Species
CONTACT: Suzanne MacDonald, Turtle Survival Alliance Canada, (416) 540-4606, turtlesurvivalalliancecanada@gmail.com
Toronto, ON — November 21, 2025 — A new Canadian charity, Turtle Survival Alliance Canada (TSAC), has been established to secure a future for some of the world’s most threatened turtles. Governed by an independent Canadian Board of Directors, TSAC offers a dedicated means for Canadian donors to support turtle conservation worldwide, working in collaboration with respected conservation partners, including the global nonprofit Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA).
TSAC’s charitable purpose is to protect the environment for the benefit of the public by conserving and restoring ecosystems and saving, supporting, protecting, and assisting at-risk and endangered turtles and their habitats—both in the wild (“in situ”) and in specialized facilities (“ex situ”). “At its heart, TSAC is about connecting Canadian generosity with effective turtle conservation projects around the world,” said Dr. Suzanne MacDonald, Board Chair, Turtle Survival Alliance Canada.
Currently, TSAC’s primary focus is on overseas conservation programs guided by science and informed by resources such as the IUCN SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to identify and support turtle species at most significant risk. Initial funding priorities include projects such as:
- Protecting critically endangered Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) in Madagascar from illegal trade through rescue, rehabilitation, secure housing, and eventual release into protected areas;
- Supporting recovery of the Central American River Turtle (Dermatemys mawii), also known as “hicatee,” in Belize by enhancing veterinary care, nutrition, and habitat management at the Hicatee Conservation and Research Center;
- Advancing conservation of Southeast Asian freshwater turtles, including work on Southern River Terrapins (Batagur affinis) and Southeast Asian Box Turtles (Cuora couro), through genetics, reproductive research, and improved breeding programs to strengthen wild reintroduction efforts;
- Helping maintain assurance colonies of highly endangered turtle species at specialized facilities such as the Turtle Survival Center in South Carolina.
For more information or to support Turtle Survival Alliance Canada, please visit turtlesurvival.ca.