1
TurTle Survival alliance
An IUCN Partnership Network for Sustainable Captive Management of Freshwater Turtles & Tortoises www.TurtleSurvival.org
auGuST 2008
A
Giant YanGtze SoftShell turtle, Rafetus swinhoei (See article p. 4)
MITCh kAlMANSoN
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August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 Lawson
Co-Chairs, Turtle Survival Alliance
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In This Issue
f e a t u r e S
4
cover Story
8
Membership
10
animal Management and husbandry
12
Significant Breedings
16
Short husbandry articles
18
Behler chelonian conservation center
20
Maintaining Giant asian Softshells in captivity
22
tSa europe
r a n G e c o u n t r Y p r o G r a M S
26
india
36
Madagascar
43
cambodia
44
Vietnam
46
Mauritis
48
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 thai
52
1st tSa training Scholarship program
53
Disney wildlife conservation fund hero award
55
British chelonia Group
56
the turtle conservation fund
59
nature's own
60
Donor recognition
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
TURTLE SURVIVAL
ALLIANCE BOARD
rick Hudson
Co-Chair Executive Committee
TSA US Co-Chair
Dwight lawson
Co-Chair Executive Committee
TSA US Co-Chair
Kevin Buley
Executive Committee
TSA Europe Vice-Chair
Hans Dieter Philippen
Executive Committee
TSA Europe Vice-Chair
Hank Zwartepoorte
Executive Committee
TSA Europe Chair
anders rhodin
Ex-officio Executive Committee
IUCN TFTSG Chair
u.S. Steering committee
Sheri Ashley
Sandra Binns
Don Boyer
Kurt Buhlmann
Andy Daneault
Scott Davis
Orlando Diaz-Figueroa
Ray Farrell
Greg Fleming
Greg George
Cris Hagen
Brian Horne
Heather Lowe
Lonnie McCaskill
Bill Ninesling
Hugh Quinn
Sam Rivera
Chuck Schaffer
Paul vander Schouw
Darrell Senneke
Brett Stearns
Chris Tabaka
Bill Zeigler
DeSIgN & lAyoUT: JohN BINNS www.IRCF.oRg
INTeRNATIoNAl RePTIle CoNSeRvATIoN FoUNDATIoN
A U g UST 2008 TSA N ew S le TT e R 2008 TSA
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
48
BRIAN D. hoRNe
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August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 leftboth 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 anotherand 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 todayhe 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:
geRAlD kUChlINgfemale Rafetus basking comfortably at theSuzhou zoo, china.
5
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
MITCh kAlMANSoNMITCh kAlMANSoNScott Davis inspects the female in her specially
designed transport box, built by Kadoorie farm and
Botanic Garden.
6
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 33C. 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.
geRAlD kUChlINgfemale Rafetus begins exploratory test digging at the nest site.
geRAlD kUChlINgthe clutch as it first appeared after uncovering.
geRAlD kUChlINg
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turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
geRAlD kUChlINggeRAlD kUChlINggeRAlD kUChlINgVice Director Yan xiahui (chnagsha zoo) marking eggs.
recovering the first clutch of 45 eggs laid at the
Suzhou zoo.
Gerald Kuchling
email: kuchling@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
chelonia enterpriSeS
154 Bagot road, Subiaco,
wa 6008, australia
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August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 Shapiro
Hometown: 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.

9
turtle survivAl AlliAnce 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 Rapley
Hometown: 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.

Joe FlANAgANQuestions about membership? contact:
heather lowe, Membership coordinator
817/239-8981 hlowe@turtlesurvival.org
10
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 Daneault
Assistant Curator of Ectotherms
Disney'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.
ANDy DANeAUlT
11
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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 Farrell
farrell31@aol.com
31 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 10 C in January.
By late February - early March, temperatures
begin rising to a high above 15 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 -13 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 25 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 Daneault
Disney's Animal Kingdom
andre.j.daneault@disney.com

12
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
Significant Breedings
MIke RAPleyMike 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.
RICk hUDSoNgReg CoSeNTINoThe 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.
13
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
BRAD MoxleyRon 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.
lIeS NIeSSeNRoN De BRUIN
14
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
Significant Breeding - continued
RIChARD STRUIJkRIChARD STRUIJkRichard 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 29-30 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 25-27 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.
RIChARD STUIJk
15
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
MARk wANNeRThe 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.
MARk wANNeRturtle Survival alliance transforming passion for turtles into conservation action
16
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
Short Husbandry articles
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
18C and then incubated at 30C. 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
30C. 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.

ToMMy oweNSToMMy oweNSThomas C. Owens and Brandon Scott
17
turtle survivAl AlliAnce 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.

ChARlIe INNISLast 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.
DwIghT lAwSoNDwIghT lAwSoNDwIghT lAwSoNDwIghT lAwSoN
18
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 AlliAnce
John l. Behler chelonian conservation center
Behler chelonian center 20072008
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
speciesRadiated
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.
Koulang chey
lUkASz PogoRzelSkIMyleS TRAPhAgeNGroup photo Madagascar (from left) richard lewis,
eric Goode, anders rhodin, russell Mittermeier,
Gerald Kuchling, peter paul van Dijk, Maurice
rodrigues, Malagasy Guide.
19
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
flat-tailed tortoise, Pyxis planicauda
forsten'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
PeTeR PRASChANgPeTeR PRASChANgPeTeR PRASChANgMIye MCCUlloUghlUkASz PogoRzelSkI
20
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoN
21
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
ramp leading to the basking and nesting area.
RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoN
22
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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
heNk zwARTePooRT
23
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
heNk zwARTePooRTheNk zwARTePooRT
24
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
AleSSANDRo FoRNeTTIAleSSANDRo FoRNeTTIBIoPARCo - RoMA
25
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
elMAR MeIeRheNk zwARTePooRTMorphological 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
heNk zwARTePooRTheNk zwARTePooRT
26
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 headstartingrearing
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.
BRIAN D. hoRNeBRIAN D. hoRNe
27
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
RAvI BAhADURBRIAN D. hoRNeShAIleNDRA SINgh
28
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
AShUToSh TRIPAThIBRIAN D. hoRNeJohN ThoRBJARNARSoN
29
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
BRIAN D. hoRNeBRIAN D. hoRNe
30
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
31
turtle survivAl AlliAnce 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
2008funded 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 riverstwo historical, well known
habitats of B. baska in Orissawe 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.
S.M.A. RAShIDS.M.A. RAShIDPeTeR PRASChAg
32
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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 Singh, Brain D. Horne, and Bhasker M. Dixit
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. petersiwere 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
ShAIleNDRA SINghShAIleNDRA SINgha 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
33
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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
BhASkeR M. DIxITafter 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
BhASkeR M. DIxIT
34
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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
ShAIleNDRA SINghwildlife 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.
35
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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
BhASkeR M. DIxIT Shailendra Singh, center for herpetology/ Madras crocodile Bank trust, tn, india
shailendra_mcbt@yahoo.com
Brain D. horne, conservation and research for endangered Species,
San Diego zoo, ca, uSa bhorne@sandiegozoo.org
Bhasker M. Dixit,terai environmental Group, uttar pradesh, india
bdixit_63@hotmail.com
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 AlliAnce
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.
MAURICe RoDRIgUeS
37
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
PeTeR PAUl vAN DIJkMAURICe RoDRIgUeS
38
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoN
39
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.

RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoNTurTle Survival alliance
40
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
RICk hUDSoNMIChAel ogle
41
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoN
42
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
RICk hUDSoN
43
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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
Chey koUlANgtemperature 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.

44
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
DUC lUoNgAwareness 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.
TIM MCCoRMACk
45
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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 program
to additional schools in and around
confirmed Mauremys habitat.
Carry out additional village-level
meetings 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.
TIM MCCoRMACkCuora 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).
NgUyeN ANh DUNgUyeN ANh DU
46
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
ranGe countrY: Mauritius
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 domeshelled
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
47
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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 Rserve 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 AlliAnce
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.
RICk hUDSoN
49
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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
numbermore 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.
DAve MANSeRRICk hUDSoN
50
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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.
RICk hUDSoN
51
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoNBRIAN D. hoRNe
52
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
TurTle Survival alliance
A 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 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
53
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
wIlleM RooSeNBURg
54
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
TurTle Survival alliance
A 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
55
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
RICk hUDSoNRICk hUDSoN
56
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
TurTle Survival alliance
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
57
turtle survivAl AlliAnce August 2008
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.
C heN PelF Nyok
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August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
(=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 DoublehQ@aol.com
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 rhodincrf@aol.com

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.
MITCh kAlMANSoNRICk hUDSoNTurTle Survival alliance
59
turtle survivAl AlliAnce 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.
60
August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
TSA
TurTle 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.
61
turtle survivAl AlliAnce 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
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August 2008 turtle survivAl AlliAnce
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