Turtle Survival
A PUBLICATION OF THE TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE
2016
In the "full court press" world of TSA and the
steady demand to move forward with new
programs and facilities, or respond to new crises,
there is rarely time to reflect on our past. But re-
cently I was flipping through our 2006 magazine
and what struck me was how far we have come as
an organization, and with some of our signature
programs, in just ten years.
In 2006 we were coming off of Year 1 of our
first major conservation grant from the Batchelor
Foundation - $100,000 in 2005 that really al-
lowed TSA to begin investing in a diverse portfolio
of range country programs that included Thai-
land, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Mexico, India,
China and Vietnam.
We hit the ground running in India where,
based on recommendations from a 2005 stra-
tegic planning workshop that set conservation
priorities for India's diverse turtle fauna, the
TSA started working on the iconic Red-crowned
Roofed Turtle, designated as the flagship species
for our India program. The National Chambal
Sanctuary (NCS) is the last stronghold for this
critically endangered river turtle, but there was a
high incidence of nest loss due to jackal predation.
In 2006 the TSA launched a program in the NCS
and established protected riverine hatcheries
where hundreds of clutches of river terrapin eggs
were moved for incubation. This highly success-
ful program is now in its tenth year, and tens of
thousands of river terrapin hatchlings, that would
otherwise have been lost to predation, have been
released in the Chambal. In 2010 we expanded
into four additional ecoregions in India, each
with its own suite of target species and unique
challenges. Today the TSA manages three turtle
conservation and outreach centers, is actively
engaged with riverine communities to reduce
pressures on limited freshwater resources, and is
rapidly becoming integrated into state govern-
ment species conservation plans; being called
upon regularly to assist with confiscations and
rescues. I remember well my first trip to India in
2003 that was the impetus for this program, and
look back with pride at how far we have come.
In terms of impact, our Myanmar program
is certainly the most dynamic of TSA's field pro-
grams and due to a strong partnership with WCS,
has rapidly become a model for turtle conserva-
tion in Asia. In 2006 we were just getting involved
with the Yadanabon Zoo (YZ) in Mandalay, help-
ing them develop new facilities for both Burmese
Star Tortoise and Burmese Roofed Turtles. Both
of these endemic species were dangerously close
to extinction in the wild, but small populations of
star tortoises were held in government run facili-
ties. A small captive group of adult roofed turtles
were living in a small pond at YZ, and the first
cohort of wild hatchlings had just arrived from the
Chindwin. Today, both of these programs are in
What a difference ten years can make
full on recovery mode, with nearly ten thousand
star tortoises held in three renovated breeding
facilities and over 450 reintroduced to the wild.
Nearly 700 roofed turtle hatchlings have been col-
lected from protected nests, 60 were reintroduced
in 2015 and close to 100 have hatched at the TSA-
built breeding center at the YZ. These incredible
milestones are largely attributable to the dynamo
husband and wife team of Steve (WCS) and Kalyar
Platt (TSA) who seem to be everywhere at once,
capable of managing a mind boggling amount of
work, from both a big picture, programmatic view
down to the tiniest minutiae.
Back in 2006 we were casting about in Mexico,
looking for a partner to help us find solutions to
address the dramatic declines in populations of the
Central American River Turtle. It would take four
years before we identified the ideal partner, the
Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental
Education (BFREE) and went to work, first sup-
porting field surveys then holding a workshop that
led to a Hicatee conservation monitoring network
in Belize. In 2011 we launched the Hicatee Conser-
vation Research Center at BFREE to help answer
questions about the reproductive biology of this
challenging and enigmatic species. Today we are
well on our way to building self-sustaining captive
populations, and have produced twelve hatchlings
from our breeding colony in just the first two years.
There are now 54 adults in our colony, including
20 reproductive females, so this group will grow
rapidly and soon provide us with options for taking
pressures off of wild populations.
Finally, back in 2006 the Turtle Survival
Center (TSC) was not even on our radar, though
we were starting to realize that if we were going
to make good on our promise of zero turtle extinc-
tions, it would require a dedicated facility. In 2013
the TSC became a reality and today is a bustling
hub of activity with over 700 turtles and five
full time employees in the lowcountry of South
Carolina. Our vision for having a centralized base
of operations for TSA, and establishing successful
breeding colonies for those species having little
chance for survival in the wild, has been realized
far faster than any of us could have predicted. This
is due to generous donor support of course, but
moreover this vision would not be what it is today
without the hard work of our dedicated staff . And
so to you Cris Hagen, Nathan Haislip, Sheena
Koeth, Carol Amell and Clint Doak the 2016
Turtle Survival magazine is dedicated.
R I C K H U D S O N
FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
PHOTO CREDIT: KALYAR PLATT
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 01 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES
PARTNER NEWS
EXCLUSIVES, NEWS AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
Inside Cover | From the President's Desk
2 | Meet the Staff
12 | Animal Update
17 | Significant Breedings
18 | Outreach
19 | Capital Campaign
10 | Veterinary Update
11 | Donated Goods
12 | Capital Campaign
51 | Conservation Hero Award
52 | Bellinger River Turtle Crisis
54 | Bowling for Batagur Turtles
3 | Partners
5 | Turtle Conservation Fund
6 | TSA Europe
7 | In Memoriam
8 | NAFTRG
55 | Brewery Partnerships
56 | We are the TSA
60 | Behler Award
64 | Donor Recognition
20 | Madagascar
26 | Bangladesh
29 | India
34 | Myanmar
40 | Indonesia
42 | China
44 | Belize
43 | Cambodia
46 | Colombia
48 | Palawan Forest Turtles
ABOUT THE COVER: In early November 2016, just as the TSA magazine was in the final stages before going to press, we were notified of a confiscation of over 800 Big-headed turtles
(Platysternon megacephalum) in Tachileik, Burma. While not on the scale of last year's Palawan Forest Turtle rescue, this still represents one of our worst nightmare scenarios. Kalyar
Platt, Director of TSA's Myanmar Turtle Conservation Program, sounded a cry for help and the situation indeed looked desperate. Responding to crises such as this is one of TSA's
strengths and we quickly began mobilizing resources. The turtles were moved to the TSA's Turtle Rescue Center in May Myo and the grim task of triage began. Big-headed turtles are
a difficult to manage species in captivity due to their aggressive nature, need for cool swift-flowing streams, and their ability to climb. As this amazing cover photo well illustrates, these
turtles are able to scale vertical rock walls, making their husbandry and management much more challenging. Fortunately the cool montane climate at May Myo is favorable to this
species, but there is simply no way to be prepared for individually housing this many turtles. Compounding the situation was the condition of the turtles; most had suffered long-term
neglect and were succumbing to starvation and infections. Despite the best efforts of our dedicated and experienced teams of responders, we are down to ~120 turtles at the time of
this writing. We are especially grateful to Wildlife Reserves Singapore for sending in the first veterinary and husbandry team, followed by staff from TSA's Turtle Survival Center and the
Wildlife Conservation Society. We also pay special tribute to the many donors too numerous to list here - that generously supported this extraordinary rescue effort. If there is a bright
side to this tragedy, it is that we will be better prepared next time. PHOTO BY KALYAR PLATT.
TURTLE SURVIVAL
ALLIANCE
Board Members
James Breheny
Andre Daneault
William Dennler
Susie Ellis, PhD
Michael Fouraker
Rick Hudson, President
John Iverson, PhD
Patricia Koval, Chair
Dwight Lawson, PhD
Lonnie McCaskill
John Mitchell
Russ Mittermeier, PhD
Colin Poole
Hugh Quinn, PhD
Anders Rhodin, MD
Walter Sedgwick, Treasurer
Frank Slavens
Andrew Walde, Executive Director
Robert Weise, PhD
Director of Development
Ilze Astad
Administrative Staff
Chris Clark
Howard Goldstein
David Hedrick
Turtle Survival Center Staff
Carol Armell, RMA, NCPT
Clinton Doak
Cris Hagen
Nathan Haislip, MS
Sheena Koeth, RVT, CVT
Range Country Program Leaders
German Forero-Medina, PhD
Kalyar Platt, PhD
Herilala Radriamahazos, PhD
Shailendra Singh, PhD
Contents of this publication should be cited as: Author. (2015) Article Title. Turtle Survival, pp. xxxx.
Turtle Survival Alliance 2016
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december 2016 02 turtle survival
The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) was created
in 2001 in response to the rampant and un-
sustainable harvest of Asian turtles to supply
Chinese markets, a situation that came to
be known as "The Asian Turtle Crisis." For
its first seven years, the TSA worked under
the umbrella of the World Conservation
Union (IUCN). In 2005, it was registered as
an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, based
in Fort Worth, Texas and a dedicated Board
of Directors was selected in January 2009.
From the day it was founded until today, the
TSA has remained focused on a single goal:
zero turtle extinctions.
The TSA is an action oriented global
partnership focusing on species that are
at high risk of extinction in turtle diversity
hotspots around the world. We develop
culturally sensitive conservation programs
that utilize a combination of educational out-
reach, conservation in the wild, assurance
colony management in range countries, and
ex situ (out of range) captive management.
Through our working collaborations with
zoos, aquariums, universities, private turtle
enthusiasts, veterinarians, government agen-
cies, and conservation organizations, the
TSA is widely recognized as a catalyst for
turtle conservation with a reputation
for swift and decisive action. The TSA has
grown into a global force for turtle con-
servation and currently supports projects
or programs in Belize, Colombia, Europe,
Madagascar, United States, and throughout
Asia. The opening of the Turtle Survival
Center in South Carolina in 2013 has greatly
enhanced our ability to protect the most vul-
nerable species through ex situ assurance
colony management and captive breeding.
About the Turtle Survival Alliance
Meet the Staff
DAVID HEDRICK
David joined the team as the Turtle Survival
Alliance Social Media Manager this year. A
native of Tennessee, David has worked in Zoo
Herpetology for fifteen years. He is the Lead
Ectotherm Keeper at the Chattanooga Zoo, a
TSA supporting institution. David keeps fans of
Chelonian conservation informed on the work of
the TSA by giving our followers unique news and
views into our work as it happens via Facebook,
Instagram, and Twitter!
David is a member of the AZA Lizard Advi-
sory Group Steering Committee, oversees Chat-
tanooga Zoo's Hellbender Project, and works
with the International Iguana Foundation.
CHRIS CLARK
Chris Clark is the newest member of the Tur-
tle Survival Alliance, and proud to be onboard as
the new Chief Administrative Officer. In addition
to his lifelong love of reptiles, he brings with him
a wealth of experience in nonprofits, business,
and administration. After nearly a decade in
education, teaching everything from marching
band to freshman biology, he pivoted to nonprofit
work. He earned a Master's Degree in Public Ad-
ministration from the University of New Orleans,
and was fortunate enough to support the work
of dozens of nonprofits still working to improve
South Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina.
When asked about his goals, Chris said, "My
goal as CAO is to make sure the TSA operates
as smoothly and efficiently as possible. We will
continue to grow to meet the needs of turtle con-
servation worldwide. As we do, I will make sure
we maintain compliance, keep administrative
costs low, communicate program updates, and,
most importantly, provide anticipatory service
for all of our members and supporters. My hope
is for future generations to make memories
encountering turtles in the wild and grow to
appreciate these wonderful creatures as much as
you and I do."
HOWARD GOLDSTEIN
Howard joined the Turtle Survival Alliance
in May as the new Communications Coordinator.
He is passionate about reptiles, especially turtles,
and is delighted to be part of their conservation
with TSA. Howard began working with TSA two
years ago in Belize on the Hicatee Project. He has
an M.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, and has
written for newspapers, nature magazines, and
wildlife conservation nonprofits. When asked
why he wanted to work for TSA, Howard replied,
"TSA is quite simply the most effective boots on
the ground freshwater turtle and tortoise conser-
vation organization, and as a lifelong turtle lover,
it is an extraordinary opportunity to help save
the animals I care about so deeply."
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 03 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
PA R T N E R S
Our name says it all. The TSA is first and foremost an Alliance. We are an
alliance of partners who share in a common goal zero turtle extinctions. Since
forming in 2001, our success has depended on building partnerships. The
organizations listed here provide a range of services supporting our mission,
including: guidance, networking, strategic planning, funding, turtle care and
rescue facilities, animal management, marketing and public relations, field
research, logistical and technical support, salaried positions, and a host of other
resources. Some of these partners are new, while others have been with us from
the start. However, all are integral to our success. On behalf of the Board of
Directors of the TSA, we salute this remarkable group of dedicated partners.
Partners are the Key to Our Success
december 2016 04 turtle survival
B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
Changes to the TSA Board of Directors
The TSA is pleased to welcome Andy Daneault
as their newest Board member. Andy has a long-
standing interest with reptiles and amphibians
and has worked with them professionally in
zoologically managed settings for over 20 years.
Andy is currently Animal Operations Manager/
Curator of Ectotherms at Disney's Animal King-
dom where he focuses his efforts on managing
the living collection, staff, and conservation
initiatives. He also serves as a steering com-
mittee member for the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA), Chelonian Taxon Advisory
Group, and is the Species Survival Plan (SSP) co-
ordinator for African Pancake tortoises and Co-
chair for the Radiated Tortoise SSP. In addition,
Andy participates with several non`governmental
and governmental organizations dealing with a
wide range of conservation projects for various
species.
Renowned artist Tom Tischler's second sculpture
in his Tischler Art for Conservation (TAFC) project
is a Galapagos Tortoise dedicated to the Turtle
Survival Alliance. The TAFC project was created
to provide impact beyond what Tom's life-sized
sculptures, seen in more than 100 zoos, museums,
and private collections around the world, have
had on their viewers. 40% of the purchase price
of each sculpture is donated to a conservation
organization selected by Tischler, to support
programs in the field so that the subjects of his
wildlife sculptures can live on for future generations.
The Galapagos Tortoise measures approximately
six inches long (tail to nose) by four inches wide
and weighs about 4 pounds. The sculpture is cast
in bronze with a hand applied and rubbed patina
that makes each individual a unique creation. 40%
of the purchase price supports TSA conservation
programs and includes shipping in the U.S.
Shipment confirmation and tracking information
will be provided by TAFC. Please visit the online
store at www.turtlesurvival.org to purchase
your limited edition bronze today.
Tischler Art for Conservation
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 05 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
The Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) was founded
in 2002 as a strategic funding partnership of the
IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist
Group, the Turtle Survival Alliance, and Conser-
vation International; and has grown gradually
into an expanding coalition of several key part-
ners, supporting organizations, and individuals.
These have included: the European Association
of Zoos and Aquaria's Shellshock Campaign,
George Meyer and Maria Semple, Humane So-
ciety International of Australia, Frankel Family
Foundation, Turtle Conservancy, Matthew Fran-
kel, Robert Steinwurtzel, Chelonian Research
Foundation, as well as Wildlife Conservation
Society and Chelonian Research Institute.
This past year we also welcomed new major
organizational support from Global Wildlife Con-
servation, whose commitment to turtle conserva-
tion has also been reflected in their support of the
Behler Award as well as numerous other turtle
conservation projects. We thank Wes Sechrest and
Don Church for their enthusiastic support of our
efforts. In addition, we are working increasingly
in concert with the Mohamed bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund (MBZ) to help strategically and
collaboratively fund the most urgently needed and
compelling chelonian conservation projects (see
our article on MBZ in the 2014 TSA Magazine).
This organizational synergy has helped to focus
increasing resources on the world's endangered
turtles and tortoises, with MBZ and TCF disburs-
ing a total of about US $160,000 combined in turtle-
focused grants over the last year.
As of August 2016, the TCF granted over US
$954,000 in total support to 217 conservation
projects focused on the world's most endan-
gered turtles and tortoises. A total of 626 grant
proposals were received by TCF since 2003, of
which 35% were funded, with requests total-
ing US $3,303,000, of which 29% was granted.
The average award was US $4,397. Grants were
awarded to projects conducted in 53 nations, with
support ranging from US $1,000 to $10,000. All
of the Turtle Conservation Coalition's "Turtles in
Trouble: The World's Top 25+ Most Endangered
Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles 2011," projects
representing 25 species, were funded. Of TCF's
62 Priority Species (February 2014 list), projects
representing 50 (81%) were supported. Of the 29
taxa currently listed by IUCN as Critically Endan-
gered, TCF has supported projects for 27 (93%).
Through the ongoing efforts of TCF and
its growing coalition of partner organizations
and dedicated individuals, including the TSA,
we continue to pursue our mission: conserving
the world's tortoises and freshwater turtles to
ensure that no more species become extinct in our
time. We greatly value the support of the turtle
Growing the Coalition
Anders G.J. Rhodin and Hugh R. Quinn, Co-Chairs
T S A PA R T N E R N E W S
TURTLE CONSERVATION FUND
This TCF-supported project by Agyekumhene and Allman also benefited from support by both MBZ and the TSA,
an exemplary collaborative conservation effort. Here, the Paramount Chief in central Ghana leads a day-long durbar
(festival) to celebrate the value of Kinixys tortoises in Ghanaian culture and to proclaim full protection for them within
his region. PHOTO CREDIT: PETER CRANSWICK.
Over the past year, the TCF has supported 15
projects for a total disbursement of US $44,245
split over two funding cycles. We have supported the
following projects:
Brian Folt for surveys of Kinosternon
angustipons in Costa Rica
Anbal Soto for restoring habitat for Dermate-
mys mawii in Mexico
Sulemana Bawa for surveys of Cyclanorbis
elegans in Ghana
Ross Kiester and Tanya Berger-Wolf for
biometric methodology for identifying wild
Psammobates geometricus in South Africa

John-James Wilson for environmental DNA
studies on Batagur affinis in Malaysia
Andrews Agyekumhene and Phil Allman for
community education and expansion of tradi-
tional protection for Kinixys species in Ghana
Gerardo Leynaud for commercial use and
population studies of Chelonoidis chilensis in
Argentina
Caesar Rahman for his EcoGuardian Program
of turtle hunting mitigation in the Chittagong
Hills of Bangladesh
Fabio Petrozzi for surveys of Centrochelys
sulcata in Mali and Niger
Sabine Schoppe and Charles Innis for patho-
logic evaluation of Siebenrockiella leytensis
confiscated in the Philippines
Omar Hernandez for a course on ecology
and conservation of freshwater turtles in
Venezuela
Carla Eisemberg for nesting management
and environmental protection for Podocne-
mis expansa at the Rio-Trombetas Biological
Reserve in Brazil
Sneha Dharwadkar and Shailendra Singh for
distribution mapping and threat assessment
of Nilssonia leithii in Karnataka, India
Richard Vogt for work on migration and habi-
tat use of headstarted hatchling Podocnemis
expansa in Rio Trombetas, Brazil

Jacob Marlin to help support a film to raise
conservation awareness for Dermatemys
mawii in Belize
conservation community in these efforts and are
honored to be able to provide as much support
as we do for so many of the critically important
frontline and on the ground efforts on behalf of
global turtle conservation.
december 2016 06 turtle survival
In August 2015, four former Rotterdam Zoo
employees formally established and registered
the ReHerp Foundation as the first serious step
toward the establishment of a breeding center for
endangered reptile and amphibian species.
The ReHerp Foundation seeks to support
TSA's Zero Extinction Goal by linking the ex situ
reproduction of endangered species strongly
with the in situ conservation component. The
Foundation recognizes that the in situ recovery
of species and habitats is vital to conservation
and the ultimate goal of preserving wildlife.
It is anticipated that the ReHerp Foundation
will be able to blend in situ and ex situ initia-
tives into comprehensive species conservation
plans via the efforts of EAZA zoo people, ready
access to ESF studbooks, and the cooperation of
private NGO's.
SPECIES CHOSEN AND A BREEDING
SITE OFFERED
With ReHerp now well organized under a
clear mission statement, a selection of species
and the establishment of a breeding center re-
mained to be accomplished.
Foundation experts ultimately selected three
species for which a strong in situ conservation
program already existed or was in progress: the
Crocodile Tailed Lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilu-
rus), the Egyptian Tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni),
and the Vietnamese Freshwater Turtle (Maure-
mys annamensis). All were determined to be good
candidates for both in situ and ex situ recovery.
In Spring 2016, the privately managed Serpo
Zoo in the Netherlands offered a facility for
breeding our three selected species. A specially
designed and insulated section of 75 M2 was
divided into both warm and cool rooms to accom-
modate the varied needs of the species. The warm
room contains 35 terrariums for the breeding and
rearing of the Egyptian Tortoise, while the cool
room has 30 tanks and smaller rearing terrariums
available for the two other species. In addition, 60
small terrariums are available for hatchlings.
T S A E U R O P E
The ReHerp Foundation: A new
European Conservation Initiative
Henk ZwartePoorte
The plan for the breeding center calls for it to
be fully operational by January 2017.
The program currently boasts three wild
caught and 22 captive born Vietnamese Freshwa-
ter Turtles in quarantine, along with 55 Egyptian
Tortoises. Eleven of the tortoises are wild born
and originate in Libya. The Shinisaurus collec-
tion will contain 10 captive born animals.
A FUTURE PLAN TO GO GLOBAL
Looking forward, the ReHerp Foundation has
set a high priority on veterinary screening and
DNA sampling of all the animals. Long term plans
include working with zoos worldwide as well as
strongly supporting the Turtle Survival Alliance.
With two Dutch zoos already on board,
there are good, cooperative initiatives under
development regarding breeding efforts for the
Egyptian Tortoises and the Crocodile Lizards.
The Cologne Zoo is seeking to participate in DNA
sampling of the lizards with in situ partners in
both Vietnam and China. The ESF Shinisaurus
studbook keeper, Michael Zollweg, continues
to play a key role in fostering this important
relationship.
While this first breeding center will initially
focus on these three species, the future will
determine whether other centers are feasible
in the ongoing effort to create successful in situ
recovery programs.
The ReHerp breeding center is nearing completion and should be fully operational by January 2017. (c) ReHerp
PHOTO CREDIT: TSA EUROPE
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 07 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
HANS DIETER PHILIPPEN
The loss was unexpected and came as a great shock to the turtle conser-
vation community. On May 9, 2016, Turtle Survival Alliance Europe Vice
Chairman, Hans Dieter Phillippen, suddenly passed away, at the age of 58,
peacefully in his sleep. On May 13th, his remains were cremated, and on the
21st of May, his ashes were given
back to the earth at the Bergerbos
cemetery in the Netherlands.
TSA Europe has lost a Vice
Chair, and the turtle conservation
community a dedicated and well-
loved conservationist. Preferring
to live close to the Dutch border,
Hans Dieter was often affection-
ately referred to by Dutch turtle
keepers as "an almost Dutch-
man."
We met, for the first time,
at the Rotterdam Zoo, during a
meeting of the Dutch Turtle and
Tortoise Society in October of
1984. That meeting saw the beginning of a personal friendship that would
last 32 years and up to his death. During the 1980's, Hans Dieter introduced
us to an expanding network of German, Austrian, and Swiss turtle keepers
and breeders. We enjoyed numerous visits to zoos, and he was always a very
welcome guest at the Rotterdam. The reptile and amphibian keepers com-
munity know they have lost a truly great icon of chelonian conservation.
Hans Dieter had a rare, innate ability to bring and bind people together
with his easy, natural charm. This gift, coupled with an immense knowl-
edge of flora and fauna, enabled him to capably fulfill the roles of advisor for
the European Association for Zoos and Aquariums, advisor to the European
Studbook Foundation, and, since 2002, TSA Europe's Vice Chairman.
In addition to these activities, Hans Dieter built a large reference library
of books, magazines and periodicals. Always friendly and cooperative, he
never refused when anyone requested access to his extensive collection.
On his memory card was written:
There are people in the world,
Having the gift,
To find friends everywhere;
And
The best thing a person can leave behind,
is a smile on the face of those who remember him.
His name will forever be connected to all those who share his great love
for animals. When we remember him, it will be with a smile. He will never
be forgotten.
Our condolences are given to his wife Elke Grnwald and his family. We
wish them strength.
On behalf of the TSA Europe board
Henk Zwartepoorte, TSA Europe Chair
HENK ZWARTEPOORTE
As this issue of Turtle Survival was about to go to press, word reached
us of the untimely passing of Henk Zwartepoorte on 28 October, at the age
of 67 years. Henk passed away, peacefully in his sleep, soon after arriving in
Australia for a holiday with his partner, MaryVriens.
Henk was a giant within the turtle conservation community. He led the
way, envisioning an innovative, collaborative approach in which zoos and
private collectors could work together to help safeguard species in captivity,
begin repatriation of captive bred animals to bolster depleted populations,
and develop the means for reintroducing a species where it had disap-
peared from the wild. His ability to assemble and work with a team of field
researchers, zoo people, hobbyists, and volunteers was always inspirational
and incredibly effective.
His many influential roles included co-Chairing TSA Europe, oversee-
ing the European Studbook Foundation, and leading the Dutch Turtle &
Tortoise Society. He also maintained a devoted involvement in the Turtle
Conservation Fund, the EAZA Shellshock campaign, and many other insti-
tutions and initiatives.
Henk will be sorely missed by all those people around the world dedicat-
ed to saving freshwater turtles, tortoises and other species. He is especially
missed by those who had the great good fortune to work with him.
Our deepest sympathies are extended to Mary and all who loved him.
Peter Paul van Dijk, Co-Chair
IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Specialist Group
I
n
M e m o r
i
a m
The TSA family, and indeed the entire chelonian
conservation community, is deeply saddened by
the untimely passing of two of Europe's most
impassioned turtle conservationists, Hans Dieter
Philippen and Henk Zwartepoorte. Europe's TSA
leadership team has been sorely affected, as they
are now without a Chair (Henk) and one of their
Co-Chairs (Hans Dieter).
Both men were giants in the European turtle
community. Their passing leaves a huge void in
our ability to manage global populations of en-
dangered chelonians, and to respond effectively
to turtle crises around the globe. I have known
Henk and Hans Dieter since the founding days of
the TSA and always knew I could count on both
of them for guidance and information. They were
flowing fountains of knowledge regarding turtle
biology, history in captivity, and husbandry, and I
will dearly miss their wise and informed counsel.
Rick Hudson
TSA President/CEO
december 2016 08 turtle survival
Within our turtle nation, the word "collabora-
tion" has a profound impact on the success of
conservation efforts. The results of this impor-
tant research would not be possible without the
collaborative endeavors of our volunteers within
the North American Freshwater Turtle Research
Group (NAFTRG), the work of other leading
scientists that share a passion for chelonians, the
colleges and universities that support student
research, along with eager citizen scientists. The
PA R T N E R N E W S
NORTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER TURTLE RESEARCH GROUP
Collaborations Key to Success
for TSA's North American
Freshwater Turtle Research Group
Eric Munscher, Jessica Munscher, and Jordan Gr ay
breadth of our turtle research and conserva-
tion efforts makes these types of collaborations
invaluable.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF NAFTRG
Seventeen years ago, the NAFTRG started as
a field excursion. A young adventurous profes-
sor (think Indiana Jones with a twist of the
Crocodile Hunter) and a few inquisitive students
willing to follow their teacher, unquestion-
ingly, into alligator infested waters traveled
from Pennsylvania to Florida's crystal clear
Wekiwa Springs in search of turtles. At the time,
the group didn't have a name, but this young
professor, Dr. J. Brian Hauge, turned a passionate
hunt for turtles into an undergraduate class for
students at Penn State University first offered in
the Spring of 1999.
The course offering was so popular that stu-
dents in subsequent semesters had to go through
Comal Springs sampling crew February 2016. Eric Munscher, Carl Franklin, Jordan Gray, Kellie Atkins, Chris Havel, and others in attendance. PHOTO CREDIT: NAFTRG
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 09 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
NAFTRG volunteers Melissa Smith and Rachel Atkinson pit
tagging a Suwannee River cooter. PHOTO CREDIT: DR. BETH WALTON
december 2016 10 turtle survival
an extensive application process to be admitted.
One was so enthusiastic he later returned to the
course as a Teaching Assistant. Later, when he
couldn't tag along as a student or TA, and the
course was discontinued at Penn State due to Dr.
Hauge's departure to another university, that
student convinced his college sweetheart and
several friends to keep coming back to Wekiwa
Springs, season after season. He had maintained
the permits and data collection and continued
the study as a hobby.
This young man eventually made connections
at other universities, at his place of employment,
SWCA Environmental Consultants, and through
local turtle interest and conservation groups,
such as the Turtle Survival Alliance. When TSA
board members realized he was seriously com-
mitted, they invited his group to become part of
their mission.
Today, Eric Munscher is the director of TSA-
NAFTRG, and continues giving students the
gift which he found invaluable as an undergrad:
offering them the opportunity of working with
other passionate individuals and finding mentors
in the turtle world, making connections, and
growing individually as they continue to dedicate
time and effort to making a difference for turtle
conservation.
NAFTRG VOLUNTEERS
As our turtle work has continued over the
seventeen years since the group's inception,
we've made lasting friendships with a vast net-
work of volunteers.
These citizen scientists initially signed up
with nothing more than a love of turtles in com-
mon. After camping for a week in humid, hun-
dred degree heat, swimming in lagoons chasing
turtles and avoiding gators, and then spending
hours processing the animals in the hot sun, they
found that they shared a new bond of camarade-
rie as deep as their passion for chelonians.
Our volunteers return, year after year, bring-
ing new volunteers with them. Some even branch
off to perform other turtle work, inspired by
their experiences with NAFTRG. This collabora-
tive effort is what makes our work special, while
enabling our continual growth as we expand into
other states with new sites.
UNIVERSITY SUPPORT
The word research goes hand-in-hand with
university support, and NAFTRG would not be as
productive had we not had the consistent support
of universities.
To date, we've worked with Penn State Uni-
versity, Freed-Hardeman University, Peninsula
College, University of North Florida, University
of South Florida, University of Central Florida,
University of Florida, Western Washington Uni-
versity, Texas State University, University of St.
Thomas, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and
Duquesne University, just to name a few!
These institutions of higher learning have
provided student researchers, funding, a plat-
form to spread the importance of the research,
and helped make turtle conservation a global pri-
ority. Several students have also received credit
for research collaborations done with NAFTRG.
CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
Unified by a great love of turtles, NAFTRG
has become a family.
When we think of collaboration, we think
of family. Research trips are typically centered
around family, both figuratively and literally.
Moreover, interacting with families has become
a critical part of our work. We dedicate count-
less hours to educating the public that gathers at
reserarch sites to witness our turtle processing
methods. And many young children may begin
down the road to becoming conservationists
when they ask a NAFTRG volunteer: "what you
are doing to the turtles?"
Volunteers often recruit friends or family to
help in the research effort; some of these "non
turtle people" have turned into key contributors.
From turtle catching, to canoeing, to processing
we have many tasks requiring a diverse set of
skills, and there's always something for "new-
bies" to do and they're always welcome.
NAFTRG also conducts yearly public forums
at Wekiwa Springs State Park. Over the past three
years, more than 350 people, including families on
vacation, locals, and peers in other fields of biol-
ogy, have come out to attend these events to learn
about turtles and why they are important.
FUTURE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
A project of this size and longevity can only
be sustained through continued student involve-
ment and collaboration. Our group is open to al-
lowing use of data for graduate student projects.
It's our hope the NAFTRG can elicit increasing
interest from potential Master's Degree and
Ph.D. students.
The group maintains healthy relationships
with the Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and Pennsyl-
Dr. Beth Walton and Ayla Ross with their capture, a Yellow-bellied Slider at Peacock Springs State Park.
PHOTO CREDIT: JESSICA MUNSCHER
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 11 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
vania permitting departments. These relation-
ships allow greater ease in gaining permits for
additional study sites and side projects to exist-
ing permits.
NAFTRG also has funding and equipment to
facilitate the starting of new research projects.
Students with an interest in current NAFTRG
research, or in adding projects to the NAFTRG
project framework, should contact NAFTRG and
TSA personnel to start discussions and find out
what opportunities exist.
STANDING AND FUTURE COLLABORATIONS
NAFTRG actively seeks out collaborations.
We currently maintain several ongoing partner-
ships, with others in the works.
We have been collaborating with Dr. Jerry
Johnson at Ichetucknee Springs since 2014. That
partnership has allowed this huge site to be
studied in comparison to previous work done by
Dr. Peter Meylan in 2007, and it now exists as a
long term monitoring project. We're also joining
with the Turtle Room and Dr. Josiah Townsend
from Indiana University of Pennsylvania to work
on a wood turtle population monitoring project
in Pennsylvania starting in March 2017. The re-
search group could also potentially be partnering
with Dr. John Iverson on a research study he has
been conducting for over 30 years in Indiana.
We're also actively looking for grants and
funding for all research projects. NAFTRG was
recently awarded a significant grant to conduct
home range and movement studies on two River
Cooter species, Pseudemys peninsularis and P.
nelsoni, at Wekiwa Springs State Park. Over the
past few years we've observed significant move-
ment events regarding these two Pseudemys spe-
cies. We plan on conducting at least a year long
home range and movement study to ascertain
where these animals are traveling within the
larger Wekiwa Springs area. The research group
could certainly use student involvement for this
project, and would welcome inquiries.
NAFTRG has grown from a single study site
in Florida in 1999 to eight study sites in Florida,
two in Texas, one in Tennessee, and one in Penn-
sylvania, as of late 2016. It is our hope that with
continued collaboration and volunteer involve-
ment we can expand to new study sites, new side
projects, and new species.
We live by a simple motto, We Are Turtle
Rich, and we would like you to be, as well. Please
come join us.
Contacts: Eric Munscher, emunscher@turtlesurvival.org
Acknowledgments:
Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
Disney VoluntEARS grant
The Turtle Room
Sante Fe College
High school student Madeleine Morrison learning how to correctly hold an Eastern Snapping Turtle. PHOTO CREDIT: RACHEL ATKINSON
december 2016 12 turtle survival
Entering only its third year of operation, the
Turtle Survival Center (TSC) continues to grow
at a rapid rate, exceeding expectations and bring-
ing our vision for a world class turtle conserva-
tion center into clearer focus. New facilities are
coming on line, new species are reproducing and
visitors are now experiencing the TSC first-
hand through our outreach program. All these
changes are made possible because of stability
at the staffing level, with a cohesive group of five
dedicated individuals, each with their special
skills and abilities.
COLLECTION GROWTH
As the enclosures and facilities mature,
and the turtles acclimate to their naturalistic
surroundings, we continue to observe natural be-
haviors not previously seen here. Settling in and
adapting to the coastal South Carolina "lowcoun-
Turtle Survival
Center experiencing
rapid growth phase
Cris Hagen, Sheena Koeth, Nathan Haislip
A N I M A L M A N A G E M E N T
TURTLE SURVIVAL CENTER
Completed July 2016, the new Quarantine Building at the TSC is designed to withstand hurricane force winds and is essential for managing a large living collection.
PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 13 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
The TSC clinic has a new digital microscope that allows documenting
and sharing of images like this one of Cuora galbinifrons blood cells.
december 2016 14 turtle survival
try" environment has had a significant impact on
reproductive success. During the 2016 breeding
season, 16 species of chelonians produced fertile
eggs more than double the number from 2015.
Of the 73 hatchlings produced (representing 13
species), six are significant species 'firsts' for the
center. With a living collection now numbering
700 individuals, the TSC can anticipate further
success and growth, which means that we will be
building new enclosures well into the foreseeable
future to accommodate that growth.
NEW RESIDENTS, NEW CONSTRUCTION
In October 2015, the TSA received a donation
of 105 turtles from a private individual in Hong
Kong comprised primarily of Cuora galbinfrons,
Cuora bourreti, and Cuora picturata. All these
species are ranked as Critically Endangered on
the IUCN Red List.
The turtles acclimated well at the TSC, and
even produced eggs during the 2016 breeding
season. Their growing numbers precipitated a very
generous donation from the Barbara B. Bonner
Thanks to a generous donation from the Barbara B. Bonner Charitable Fund, 90 new enclosures are underway in October 2016 to provide habitats for a number of Cuora species,
including a large group of Cuora galbinifrons that were donated to the TSC in 2015. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
Charitable Fund to support the construction of a
second Cuora Complex, which got underway in
October 2016. The complex will provide 90 new,
secure and naturalistic enclosures for raising and
breeding both terrestrial and aquatic Cuora species.
In July 2016, the TSC finally achieved one of
our long-term goals with the completion of the
new Quarantine Building. The 9m x 12m block
building is equipped with four animal rooms, a
general muck room, a necropsy room with a sepa-
rate entrance, and a dual storage and disinfection
area. The new building allows staff to properly
quarantine both new arrivals and small-scale
confiscations. It also provides a place for breeding
groups considered subclinical carriers of pathogens
potentially harmful to other animals. The new
building allows for the maintenance of potentially
contagious groups of turtles to remain part of our
breeding program, but safely out of proximity to the
rest of the collection. We believe that these turtles
can thrive under specialized care and potentially
contribute offspring to future breeding programs,
pending further testing and research of course.
The first residents moved into the new Quarantine
Building in late summer. Anecdotally, it appears
that at least some turtles that are carrying patho-
gens of concern can produce offspring that test
negative for those same pathogens.
The building is as energy efficient and secure
as we could make it. It rests on a 61 cm solid
concrete footer and was engineered to with-
stand both hurricane force winds and flooding.
Designed as a wet lab, all surfaces, including ceil-
ings and walls, can be hosed down and disinfect-
ed. Additionally, each animal room is equipped
with separate heating and cooling units to allow
individual temperature control and prevent air-
borne pathogens contaminating other rooms.
The quarantine building could not have been
completed without the generosity of our friends
and supporters. We owe a debt of gratitude to Will
McGuire, for serving as the general contractor
on this project. Special thanks to Jay Allen and
Derrek Beavor for their valuable time, materials,
and expertise, and Jay Epting for the donation of
the HVAC systems. The quarantine building was
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 15 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
The vegetation growth at the TSC from summer 2015
to summer 2016 provides shade and security for turtle
residents in their lush enclosures. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
december 2016 16 turtle survival
made possible, in large part, by a grant from the
Arthur L. and Elaine V. Johnson Foundation.
VETERINARY PROGRAM EXPANDS OUTREACH
The veterinary program at the TSC continues
to grow as we collaborate with two consulting
veterinarians, Dr. Shane Boylan of the South
Carolina Aquarium, and Dr. Terry Norton, Direc-
tor of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Both of
these valuable contributors serve our veterinary
medical efforts by making 'as needed' house calls
to the TSC, being available for case discussions
and mentoring, providing expert opinion, shar-
ing both staff and equipment when needed, and
procuring essential equipment donations.
This year alone, our associated vets have facili-
tated the donation of an endoscope and a high qual-
ity necropsy table for the new necropsy suite in the
Quarantine Building. In turn, the TSC staff and col-
lection provide learning opportunities for staff and
veterinary student externs from the South Carolina
Aquarium and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. The
invaluable experience gained by working with many
of the species at the TSC, combined with the shared
expertise of the TSC staff, presents a unique learning
Indochinese Box Turtles (Cuora galbinifrons), part of a donated group from Hong Kong in 2015, are acclimated and thriving in their outdoor habitats at the TSC. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
opportunity that works for everyone involved.
Our most exciting donation was a much needed
microscope upgrade in the TSC laboratory. Thanks
to a grant from the Levelers Foundation and spear-
headed by Peter Miller of Woodland Park Zoo, we
acquired a brand new digital microscope that can be
transported easily for use in the field. The new scope
allows Sheena Koeth, the TSC's Veterinary Care
Manager, to take high quality photos and video of
microscopic findings. The photos and video facilitate
the teaching of students, both in person and via
Internet sharing, enabling them to watch a live video
monitor rather than take turns at the microscope.
Images and videos from the microscope can also be
used when diagnostic samples require additional
opinions, for publication in professional journals,
and for use during professional presentations.
HORTICULTURE
One of the most noticeable changes around
the Center is the number of cultivated plants. The
staff at the center has procured, mostly through
donations, more than 100 species of edible and or-
namental plant and tree species to enhance the aes-
thetics of the center, as well as provide food for its
residents. Horticulture at the TSC got a significant
boost when Facilities Manager/Lead Keeper Na-
than Haislip joined the staff in the summer of 2014.
His knowledge and dedication has transformed the
TSC into a botanically lush turtle haven.
NEEDS FOR THE FUTURE
For the immediate future, the primary need for
the TSC is a facility for intern housing. With full
time staff capped at five for the foreseeable future,
and with the collection growing rapidly, we must
develop an internship program that will allow us
to continue to deliver high quality animal care. We
frequently receive inquiries for students interested
in volunteering, but are currently limited by the lack
of on-site housing. Our goal is to install a modular
home directly across from the Center that would not
only support an intern program but training oppor-
tunities as well. Our goal is to develop curriculum
for a turtle conservation course that can be offered
at the TSC, and to expand opportunities for training
our international colleagues that visit the Center in
conjunction with the annual conference.
Contacts: CHagen@turtlesurvival.org
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 17 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
Significant Breedings
S I G N I F I C A N T B R E E D I N G S
Cris Hagen
The 2016 breeding season brought a significant
increase to the number of species successfully
reproducing at the Turtle Survival Center. First
breeding events this year for the TSC include
the Forest Hinge-back Tortoise (Kinixys erosa),
Home's Hinge-back Tortoise (Kinixys homeana),
Sulawesi Tortoise (Indotestudo forstenii), Indo-
chinese Box Turtle (Cuora galbinifrons), Keeled
Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii mouhotii), and
Ryukyu Black-breasted Leaf Turtle (Geoemyda
japonica). Also, for a second year in a row, the
expert staff at the TSC continued to facilitate
reproduction of Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon
megacephalum), a species generally known to
be difficult to reproduce in captivity. This year
a total of eight hatchlings from two different
bloodlines were produced.
The Forest Hinge-back Tortoise (Kinixys erosa) is a species uncommonly bred in
captivity. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
With 11 hatchlings produced, it was an explosive first year of successfully breeding
Home's Hinge-back Tortoises (Kinixys homeana) at the TSC. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
The continued success of Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) reproduc-
tion at the TSC is an incredible beginning for the future population management of this
species in captivity. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
The Keeled Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii mouhotii) is one of six species of Cuora to
hatch at the TSC in 2016. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
This Indochinese Box Turtle (Cuora galbinifrons) is the first offspring to hatch from a rescued
group of adults that were donated to the TSC in October 2015. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
Seven Sulawesi Tortoises (Indotestudo forstenii) from three separate bloodlines were
hatched at the TSC in 2016. PHOTO CREDIT: CRIS HAGEN
december 2016 18 turtle survival
The staff at the Turtle Survival Center recognizes the importance of community involvement, encouraging our neighbors to learn about biodiversity and con-
servation through participation in outreach events, group presentations and school field trips. These opportunities not only afford encounters with some of
the world's rarest turtle species, but also educate the public about the conservation efforts underway to preserve them.
A N I M A L M A N A G E M E N T
Making Connections
Ilze Astad
"My dream is to become an exotic animal vet so I was very interested in the TSA and the work they do in turtle and
tortoise conservation. In my time volunteering with them I've learned not only the incredible way they impact turtle
populations worldwide but also the incredible way they impact people with dreams, like me." Abigail Oldfield (13),
Buist Academy. PHOTO CREDIT: STACY OLDFIELD
Through up-close animal encounters, children are awed
by the thrill of touching a baby turtle. PHOTO CREDIT: ILZE
ASTAD
Sheena Koeth, Veterinary Care Manager at the Turtle
Survival Center, speaks to the participants of the Middle
School Vet Camp at the Charleston Animal Society. PHOTO
CREDIT: ILZE ASTAD
Contact
To schedule a tour of the
Turtle Survival Center,
please contact Ilze Astad,
Director of Development,
ilze.astad@turtlesurvival.org.
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 19 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
In 2011 we had a dream of establishing a centralized base of operations
where the TSA could develop a dedicated conservation/breeding center for
critically endangered chelonians. The vision for the Turtle Survival Center
was to provide us with the much needed ability to manage our assurance
colonies from a single location and to build healthy, self-sustaining cap-
tive populations for many turtle and tortoise species that have little or no
chance for survival in the wild. In other words, the Turtle Survival Center
was central to our mission of achieving zero turtle extinctions.
In 2012 we launched a $1.6 million capital campaign with a goal to purchase
property in South Carolina, and to renovate and operate the Turtle Survival
Center through 2016. Thanks to the investment of generous donors, we
exceeded our campaign goal, raising $2.03 million. With donor support, in
just three years after opening the Center, our collection has grown to nearly
750 animals, we have added 15,620 sq. ft. of space in new facilities and
enclosures, and have already hatched over 50% of our target species. Much
of the construction has been done in house by a very dedicated staff of five
incredibly hard working individuals. Doing so has allowed the TSA to gen-
erate huge savings while serving as mindful stewards of your investment
and giving your donation the greatest efficacy possible. Simply put, we are
much further along at this point than where we thought we would be. We
hope that you will join us in Charleston in 2017 for our annual conference,
and take this opportunity to visit the Turtle Survival Center.
Thank you for putting your trust in and supporting us on this important
journey. We thank each and every one you for your continued support
in making the Turtle Survival Center into a world class conservation
center that we can all be proud of.
C A P I TA L C A M PA I G N
Capital Campaign
Rick Hudson and Ilze Astad
We wish to acknowledge the individuals
and organizations who donated during
the capital campaign (2012-2016).
$500,000 +
Alan & Patricia Koval Foundation
$200,000 to $499,999
Fagus Foundation
$100,000 to $199,000
San Diego Zoo
$50,000 to $99,999
Clarence "Ab" Abercrombie
The Arthur L. and
Elaine V. Johnson Foundation
Barbara Brewster Bonner
Charitable Fund
Detroit Zoological Institute
Wildlife Conservation Society
$25,000 to $49,999
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
Dallas Zoo
Dennler Family Fund II of the Toledo
Community Foundation
Disney Conservation Fund
Nature's Own/Roy Young
Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Saint Louis Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
David Shapiro
Virginia Zoo
$10,000 to $24,999
Andrew Sabin Family Foundation
Aquarium Innovations
Brian Bolton
Dennis Coules
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
The Frankel Family Foundation
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
John Iverson
The Michele & Agnese
Cestone Foundation
Moody Gardens
Bob Olsen
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
Walter Sedgwick
Brett & Nancy Stearns
Steve Gott Memorial Fund
Turtle Conservation Fund
Walde Research &
Environmental Consulting
Zoo Atlanta
$5,000 to $9,999
A Taste of Thai/ Charles Landrey
Audubon Zoo
BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo
Chelonian Research Foundation
Chevron Matching Funds
Desert Tortoise Council
Dickerson Park Zoo
Houston Zoo
Phoenix Zoo
Tennessee Aquarium
National Zoological Park
Virginia Aquarium &
Marine Science Center
Bruce Weber
$1,000 to $4,999
AAZK - Henry Doorly Zoo
AAZK - Puget Sound
Akron Zoo
AZFA Clark Waldram Fund
Beardsley Zoo
Bergen County Zoo
Berkeley Electric Trust
Brevard Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Kurt Buhlmann & Tracey Tuberville
Coastal Community Foundation
of South Carolina
Dallas World Aquarium
Diamondback Terrapin Working Group
Ed Neil Charitable Fund
Ellen Trout Zoo
Faith Connelly
The Florida Aquarium
Fort Worth Zoo
Whit Gibbons
Gregory Family Charitable Fund
Henry Vilas Zoo
Jenkinson's Aquarium
The Joanna Foundation
Kansas City Zoo
Knoxville Zoo
Robert Krause
Jeffrey Lang
Dwight Lawson
Lee Richardson Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo
Hersh Markusfeld
George Meyer
National Aquarium
Noble Creek Biological Consulting
North Carolina Zoological Park
Robert Ortiz-Dietz
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
David Simon
Steve J. Miller Foundation
James & Barbara Stewart
Frank & Kate Slavens
Toronto Zoo
Ron Tremper
Wildlife World Zoo
Woodland Park
Please contact Ilze Astad, Director of Development, at (843) 790-4483 or ilze.astad@turtlesurvival.org
to learn about major initiatives at the Turtle Survival Center and how you can support them.
While space limits us from listing all of our donors, we are grateful for every gift that makes our work possible. We gratefully acknowledge our donors for their support and generosity.
Every effort has been made to accurately recognize our donors. If any errors have occurred, please accept our sincere apology and contact our office at (843) 790-4483 with any corrections.
december 2016 20 turtle survival
THE SURGE IN TORTOISE POACHING activity that
began in 2015 continued, seemingly unabated,
throughout 2016, and reached crisis proportions.
A highly organized poaching network exists
in Madagascar involving high ranking govern-
ment officials and gendarmes. Despite this, our
anti-poaching unit continues to work with local
communities, informants and enforcement of-
ficers to arrest and bring poachers to justice.
These activities resulted in the seizure of
thousands of tortoises, many of which found
their way into one of five TSA managed rescue
centers. At the time of this writing, the TSA is
managing close to 6,000 Radiated Tortoises (As-
trochelys radiata), a number that stresses avail-
able resources and far exceeds our anticipated
capacity.
LAUNCHING THE TORTOISE
CONSERVATION CENTER
The ultimate goal of the Tortoise Conserva-
tion Center (TCC) is to provide recovery options
for the Radiated Tortoise. First conceptualized in
2012 as the lynchpin in TSA's Confiscation to Re-
introduction Strategy, the TCC is finally a reality,
and not a moment too soon given the burgeoning
number of tortoises under our care.
The TCC provides a centralized base of
operations for tortoise conservation work in the
South, supporting and encouraging local com-
munities to join forces to combat tortoise poach-
ers. The TCC also helps government officials and
local people to clearly visualize and understand
Opening of Tortoise Conservation
Center Offers Ray of Hope
Amidst a Brutal Year of
Intensive Poaching Activity
Rick Hudson, Herilala R andriamahazo, Christina Castellano and Riana R akotondr ainy
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
MADAGASCAR
Madagascar's Minister of Environment, Madame Johanita Ndahimananjara (center) is flanked by Rick Hudson (TSA) and Christina Castellano (Hogle Zoo) during the ribbon cutting
ceremony for the opening of the Tortoise Conservation Center in October. PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 21 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
One of the newly installed pools at the tortoise rescue center at Ambovombe. PHOTO CREDIT: SHEENA KOETH
Opening ceremony delegation gathered at the front gate of the Tortoise Conservation Center. PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS SCARFFE
the intensity of confiscations by seeing the huge
number of tortoises in its care.
Situated at the core of the remaining Radiated
Tortoise's range, the TCC will ultimately provide
safe sanctuary for the thousands of "refugee
tortoises" seized from the trade, allowing them
to recover and readjust to a natural habitat. This
sanctuary allows us some needed time while
plans are made to responsibly reintroduce the
animals to community protected areas and
restore wild populations once (and if) the threats
are abated.
In October 2014, four communities within the
Nikoly and Marovato Commune agreed to give
the TSA access to a 227-hectare parcel of largely
intact spiny forest for tortoise conservation. A
year later, this offering became official when a
traditional zebu ceremony welcomed the TSA as
a member of these communities.
The four communities Bereny, Anosiala,
Besakoa and Ambazoa are collectively recog-
nized as the Ala Mahavelo Association. A legal
agreement was subsequently endorsed by the
Tandroy Regional Forest Department giving the
TSA management authority of the Ala Mahavelo
Forest.
In return, the TSA agreed to help provide
benefits to the four communities through jobs
and other opportunities. A total of four per-
manent local staff members along with some
construction workers are currently employed
by the TCC, and we also purchase tortoise food
from the communities weekly. The Ala Mahavelo
Association has agreed to help with forest resto-
ration work and have already planted 12 Baobab
trees at the Center.
With start-up funding from the Helmsley
Foundation, work at the TCC got underway in
2015 with site preparation and infrastructure
improvements. We hired Denis Andrianarisoa
as Construction Coordinator to coordinate and
oversee development of the TCC. We also pur-
chased access to the central water line that runs
along the main road in the South, and installed
a water storage cistern and tower to allow water
to gravity-feed throughout the center. Water is
always in critically short supply in the arid South
and very few villages can afford access to this
pipeline. Now we have a steady supply and the
bonus ability to provide a weekly ration of water
to each of the four communities.
Other modest, but necessary, improvements
completed at the TCC include: the construction
of an office and staff housing, construction of
restroom and shower facilities, and establish-
ment of limited solar power. Two large primary
december 2016 22 turtle survival
tortoise enclosures were erected then subdi-
vided into four size classes. The enclosures are
set within a natural forest habitat and provide
optimal security and protection from predators,
such as dogs.
Thanks to funding from the Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), 2016 also saw the
construction of a perimeter fence and gates that
surround nearly eight hectares of forest that will
become the core of the TCC. Two gardens were
planted to grow fresh tortoise food, and a mas-
sive effort was made to rid the Center of invasive
prickly pear cactus.
By the end of 2016, a tortoise diet prep/
kitchen area will be completed, and construc-
tion will be underway for a tortoise hospital and
quarantine area. These are necessary additions,
as tortoise numbers at the TCC have already
swelled beyond expected capacity; in just the
first full year of operation we are now caring for
~3,600 tortoises at this facility.
TCC goals for 2017 include: improving phone
service and power (both solar and via generator),
constructing an education pavilion and meeting
center, building cabanas for visiting research-
ers and veterinarians, and adding staff housing.
New staff will include a TCC manager, additional
tortoise keepers, and security guards.
The TCC was officially opened with a launch-
ing ceremony on 7 October and attended by a
delegation of both local and national politicians
led by the Minister of the Environment, Ecology
and Forestry (MEEF), Madame Johanita Ndahi-
mananjara, who presided over the ribbon cutting
ceremony. Amid lively traditional dancing and
celebration, hundreds of members of the local
communities and high ranking officials from the
Tandroy region listened to speeches about the
importance of the Center in helping preserve the
tortoises as a vital part of the cultural heritage of
southern Madagascar.
We were honored by the participation of the
MEEF, and the minister's presence underscored
the gravity with which the government now re-
gards the ongoing tortoise poaching crisis. After
touring the TCC, Madame Johanita's speech
gave high praise for the TSA's sustained col-
laboration in the South, and expressed hope that
these conservation activities will bring develop-
ment opportunities to the region. Following the
ceremony, the delegation returned to the TCC for
a cocktail reception and meal. Prepared by the
staff, it was the first affair to be hosted there.
A TORTOISE REFUGEE CRISIS
Despite a tightening of the enforcement
network, poachers continue to remove tens of
thousands of tortoises from their dwindling
spiny forest habitat for transport to shipment
points in Tulear and Antananarivo.
The vast majority of tortoises placed with
the TSA are seized from the Ivato International
Airport in Antananarivo, where the tortoises
are packed into boxes and suitcases destined for
Asian pet markets. TSA's rescue center in Anta-
nanarivo handles the brunt of these seizures, ne-
cessitating the movement of tortoises to facilities
in the South in order to accommodate the next
group of confiscated tortoises.
MEET OUR NEW STAFF
The TSA Madagascar program has three new senior staff positions. Riana Rakotondrainy
was hired in 2016 as Research Coordinator and Head of Community Outreach, although
much of her first year was devoted to overseeing development of the TCC, managing tortoise
husbandry and training new staff. This position is supported by Utah's Hogle Zoo. Denis
Andrianariosoa is the new Construction Coordinator for the TCC and is responsible for
implementing design plans, acquiring construction materials and managing workers. NyAina
Tiana Rakotoarisoa is the TCC's first full time veterinarian and oversees the health care
and medical management of all tortoises at its various centers. With approximately 6,000
tortoises under her supervision, she's a very busy woman.
The Minister of Environment and her delegation meet one
of the residents of the TCC. PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 23 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
TCC keeper Tsitohaina Rehoahy with one of the adult
Radiated Tortoises fortunate enough to have been
spared and brought to the Center for care. Hopefully
one day this tortoise will be able to be returned to the
wild in a protected area. PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
december 2016 24 turtle survival
Rick Hudson inspects a newly arrived group of
confiscated Radiated Tortoises at one of TSA's rescue
centers at Ambovombe. PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
Sheena Koeth (TSA) traveled to Madagascar in August to work with NyAina Tiana Rakotoarisoa (TSA Madagascar
veterinarian) and lend assistance with the large numbers of confiscated tortoises. PHOTO CREDIT RIANA RAKOTONDRAINY
The TCC facilities are situated in good quality spiny forest habitat so tortoises are able to acclimate quickly amid
natural surroundings. PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
In the rural South, however, tortoise confisca-
tions are more complicated and catching poach-
ers requires more effort. The TSA has developed
an effective anti-poaching unit, headed up by our
Enforcement Coordinator, Sylvain Mahazotahy,
an exceptional individual with a passion and
tenacity for bringing wildlife criminals to justice.
Mahazotay occupies a multifaceted posi-
tion that is always challenging and sometimes
dangerous. He serves as the nexus linking all
the various individuals, agencies and authori-
ties involved in making a case against tortoise
poaching. Sylvain coordinates a complex
process that includes instructing and support-
ing law enforcement in the performance of their
duties, explaining the proper but often compli-
cated application of the local enforcement (dina)
process, documenting illegal tortoise activity,
and ensuring the proper collection of evidence
so that cases can be effectively prosecuted. The
TSA supports the informant network and wit-
nesses by providing transport, lodging and per
diem allowances for travel when making court
appearances.
In order to be successful, enforcement must
occur at two levels. Community enforcement oc-
curs through the application of the dina process,
and nationally through the arrest and conviction
of poachers. Following the historic adoption
of the Lilintane de Tandroy in 2012, which is
strongly linked to the Tandroy tradition, or fady,
of not harming tortoises, Sylvain works with
local communities to help them enforce the dina.
Many are proud to do so and cooperate willingly.
The whole process is dependent on a network of
informants in the five communes where tortoises
are still abundant. Using cell phones to com-
municate tortoise crimes effectively, 63 dina ap-
plications have been performed from 20142016,
saving 4,315 tortoises from the illegal trade. Most
were released into the field but 1,085 were turned
over to the TSA.
This process comes at a heavy cost to the of-
fending community, in that they must purchase a
zebu for sacrifice (~$700 US), providing a serious
deterrent.
However, one village, Soamanitra, continues
to poach, despite five dina applications. They've
also gained the unwanted attention of regional
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 25 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
authorities. Due to the proximity of this village
to Cap Sainte-Marie the location of the most
abundant and important tortoise population in
Madagascar and due to the repeated violations
there, the TSA convened a workshop in July 2016
where a collective decision was made to deal
with the problem.
Regional authorities have now implemented
regular community checkpoints along the road
to detect tortoises in vehicles. One checkpoint,
in particular, installed two years ago but never
operated in Tsihombe, a well known poaching
hotspot, is finally being used thanks to the new
head of the Gendarmes. As a result, poachers
are starting to move tortoises at night to avoid
detection.
The TSA's poaching action unit works in con-
junction with authorities in the Tandroy regional
capital of Ambovombe, including the Forestry
and Justice Departments, and with the support
of the Head Prefecture of the Region. This brings
increased clout to the process. One informant call
resulted in the seizure of 643 tortoises collected in
the Tandroy region and headed to Tulear on the
west coast. Local gendarmes and Forestry Depart-
ment officials made the arrest and returned the
tortoises and the poachers to Ambovombe, where
chances of prosecution are higher. Those tortoises
now safely reside at the TCC.
A NEW TORTOISE RESCUE CENTER
IN THE WEST
To date, most of the TSA's tortoise work has
focused in the Tandroy region, in the core of the
species' range, east of the Menarandra River. In
our first expansion into the western part of the
Radiated Tortoise range, we built a new rescue
center in Itampolo. This center is in response to
that community's desire to see tortoise confisca-
tions remain within the region. With support
from Disney's Rapid Response Fund, the TSA
built a 100 x 100 meter enclosure in forest habi-
tat, and the facility is prepared for the next trade
seizure.
Contacts: Rhudson@fortworthzoo.org
Acknowledgements: The TSA recognizes the following
organizations and individuals for their generosity and
commitment to our mission in Madagascar: Harry and
Leona Helmsley Charitable Trust, Utah's Hogle Zoo,
the AZA's Conservation Grant Fund, Disney's Rapid
Response Fund, Nature's Own, Owen Griffin/Francois
Leguat Ltd., British Chelonia Group and Conservation
International.
Rescued Radiated Tortoises feeding on grated goard
while the delegation attending the opening ceremony is
toured through the TCC. PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS SCARFFE
Madagascar's Iconic Tortoise
Benefits from Growing Partnership
Rick Hudson
The TSA is pleased to highlight a growing partnership with Utah's Hogle Zoo (UHZ) based
on a joint, organizational commitment to halt the rapid decline of Madagascar's iconic Radi-
ated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata).
UHZ's Vice President and Chief Science Officer, Christina Castellano, has been working
closely with TSA's Madagascar Program since 2011. Both Ms. Castellano and TSA
President, Rick Hudson, developed their passion for Malagasy tortoises under the
mentorship of the late John Behler (WCS) back in the 1990's, and they both remain
united in a strong commitment to conserve these unique chelonians in their native habitat.
The partnership has carefully laid the foundation for a program designed to curb the
tortoise poaching crisis in southern Madagascar through community education and aware-
ness, building enforcement capacity at multiple levels, and dealing with the resulting flood
of tortoises seized from poachers.
In recent years, UHZ directed significant funding support to the TSA's Madagascar tortoise
program. The conservation strategy of Utah's Hogle Zoo, known as the "Big Six", allows
the Zoo to focus resources on six key species in a core program that includes the Radiated
Tortoise. The additional revenue from UHZ has propelled the TSA program in the past year
and culminated in the recent official opening of the Tortoise Conservation Center (TCC).
The TCC is the result of a shared vision to have a base of operations for tortoise conserva-
tion work with a visible presence in the heart of the Radiated Tortoise's range in southern
Madagascar. The Center also provides a safe refuge for the thousands of tortoises confis-
cated from the illegal trade until reintroductions can be responsibly planned. To date, UHZ
funding has supported new employee positions, the purchase of a truck, and new equip-
ment and specialized facilities at the TCC.
The TSA/UHZ partnership has catalyzed an enormous amount of momentum. The TCC
is emblematic of this dynamic impetus, having gone from concept to reality in just three
short years. We have much left to do if we are to save the Radiated Tortoise, but we have
confidence that our efforts are having an impact on poaching. At the very least, we are pre-
serving the ability for wild populations to recover once the poaching threat is brought under
control. This partnership is in it for the long haul.
december 2016 26 turtle survival
In a country encumbered with one of the highest
human population densities the world has ever
seen, conservation success stories are a welcome
rarity. The Creative Conservation Alliance
(CCA), with the support of the Turtle Survival
Alliance and several other organizations, is
proud to be creating several such stories by lead-
ing a widespread effort in the remote Chittagong
Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh harbors more turtle species, per
unit area, than any other country in the world.
This startling fact is easily understood when one
remembers this country includes a wide variety
of suitable habitat with a massive flood plain
and impressive tracts of forests in the hill regions
to the northeast and southeast where our
programs are focused.
CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS PROGRAM
The Chittagong Hill Tracts are located in
the remote southeast corner of Bangladesh, and
remain the least explored area in the country.
Exploratory biological research within these
rugged hills occurred mostly during the colonial
era, but since the departure of the British 70
years ago, the area has become politically com-
plex and virtually inaccessible to outsiders. Large
tracts of old growth forest have been removed
by illegal logging and by shifting agricultural
practices.
Despite many challenges, the fauna that
persists here is remarkable. The CHT is home to
at least 26 globally threatened species, including
a spectacular assemblage of large mammals and
birds. The Clouded Leopard, Chinese Pangolin,
Asian Elephant, Asiatic Black Bear, Sun Bear,
Dhole, Great Hornbill, Gaur, and Tiger, have all
been captured on camera traps.
This hilly terrain extends north into the
Himalayas, so any ecological win or lose scenario
here will be felt across the greater cross bound-
ary region.
The Chittagong Hills Tract: New Turtle
Conservation Hotspot in Bangladesh
Scott Tr ageser
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E S
BANGLADESH
Two parabiologists from the Mro tribe set up a camera trap in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. By carrying all the provided field gear, the parabiologists stand out and quickly become
celebrities in their villages. PHOTO CREDIT: SCOTT TRAGESER/NATURESTILLS PHOTOGRAPHY
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 27 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
BUILDING LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS
LEADS TO SUCCESS
Due to the region's political complexity and
remote nature, the CHT remains a dangerous
place for biologists like CCA co-founder and
CEO, Caesar Rahman, to work.
Caesar has explored the most remote reaches
of the CHT and gained the trust of locals over the
past five years; building up an understanding of
their society and receiving valuable insights for
designing conservation solutions.
One of those solutions included the building
of four primary schools in exchange for hunting
and logging moratoriums on 15 threatened spe-
cies, including seven species of freshwater turtles
and tortoises: the Asian Giant Tortoise (Ma-
nouria emys), Arakan Forest Turtle (Heosemys
depressa), Keeled Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii),
Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), and
Sylhet Roofed Turtle (Pangshura sylhetensis).
Further, hunters from the local Mro tribe were
trained as conservation ambassadors to carry out
basic research tasks. Currently, four former hunt-
ers, known as parabiologists, have been employed
to set up camera traps, recover and repatriate
captured animals, maintain a secure presence in
their areas, and manage local programs.
During the first year of the project in 2015,
the parabiologists repatriated more than 50
turtles. In the second year, at least 20 turtles
were rescued, while our data shows an over 80%
reduction in turtle hunting in study areas. While
the hunting mitigation program has proven suc-
cessful, it's not enough to ensure long-term forest
preservation. Many other villages in the area
require similar, immediate intervention.
CRAFT FOR CONSERVATION
CREATING NEW LIVELIHOODS
The CCA continues to work holistically,
striving for harmonic balance between bottom-
up and top-down conservation approaches that
include alternative livelihood programs imple-
mented within local indigenous communities
to reduce dependency on forest resources. Our
pilot program, Craft for Conservation, has shown
tremendous potential to develop into a successful
social business model.
Craft for Conservation partners with other
organizations to combat transboundary poaching.
Working in conjunction with the Wildlife Con-
servation Society, we hope to establish SMART
patrolling, utilizing ex-hunters to combat illegal
logging and poaching. Through the employment
of local hunters, we now monitor and access the
wildlife trade in the region unfeasible until now.
With these projects underway, CCA contin-
ues to advocate for policy changes necessary
for permanent forest preservation. At a series of
important and successful meetings in June we
discussed conservation action with the Prime
Minister's Office. That session resulted in a
promised site visit by the Director General.
EXPANDED NORTHEAST PROGRAM
The CCA, best known for the Bangladesh
Python Project, this year expanded its agenda in
the forests of northeast Bangladesh.
Established, multi-year telemetry studies
of the Burmese Python (Python bivitattus) and
Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) gath-
ered significant movement data and behavioral
observations, while also achieving public out-
reach and student trainings. Elongated Tortoise
telemetry data from seven individuals is being
prepared for publication in the coming months,
while data from the tracking of relocated
conflict pythons was used to inform the Forest
Department on best conservation practices for
the species.
BANGLADESH TURTLE CONSERVATION CENTER
Several captive Arakan Forest Turtles,
Keeled Box Turtles, Elongated Tortoises, and
even Asian Forest Tortoises were discovered
inside local households within the Chittagong
Hill Tracts. The identified households were con-
vinced to willingly donate the animals to CCA for
conservation breeding purposes.
To house these and other animals, we're
engaged in talks with government officials about
the creation of a state of the art turtle conserva-
tion center, a facility to be operated in collabora-
tion with the Forest Department of Bangladesh
and the TSA. Once formalities are concluded, the
CHT specimens will be transported to Dhaka to
establish new assurance colonies for some of the
rarest chelonians in the region.
Contacts: Creative Conservation Alliance, 9/7, Block
C, Tajmahal Road, Mohammadpur, Dhaka 1207, info@
conservationalliance.org
Acknowledgements Mohamed bin Zayed Species Con-
servation Fund and Turtle Conservation Fund
An Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) crossing a small forest stream. Among threatened turtle species in Bangladesh,
Elongated Tortoises fare the best in disturbed habitats. PHOTO CREDIT: SCOTT TRAGESER/NATURESTILLS PHOTOGRAPHY
december 2016 28 turtle survival
Last year's successful opening of the second
breeding facility for the Northern River Terrapin
(Batagur baska), in Karamjal, in the South of
Bangladesh, couldn't have been more timely. The
facility quickly demonstrated its valuable role in
the overall husbandry and management of this
critically endangered river terrapin when several
juveniles in the main breeding facility in Bhawal
National Park developed bacterial and fungal
infections that quickly spread to other juveniles.
Karamjal staff, Drs. Peter Praschag and
Shannon DiRuzzo, DVM, immediately rushed
to Bangladesh to diagnose and treat the infected
turtles. As the juveniles' health improved, up to
100 individuals were moved to the new station in
Karamjal where the brackish water of the south
aided in quickly curing the infections.
RENOVATIONS AT BHAWAL TO SUPPORT
NESTING ADULTS
Renovations to support breeding adults were
realized at the main breeding facility in Bhawal
with the support of the Zoological Society for the
Conservation of Species and Populations (ZGAP),
and Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Herpetologie und
Terrarienkunde (DGHT). Work was completed
on hatchling tanks and sand beaches along with
the installation of a new water filtration pump.
Fortunately, the previously mentioned out-
break did not affect the adult breeding group and
50 eggs were found during the nesting season.
Despite optimal weather, and after the usual
period of 60-70 days, however, no hatchlings had
emerged. Eventually, some eggs were opened and
small holes were found at the bottom. Undetected
by monitoring from above, the eggs had been
attacked by ants and the empty shells filled with
sand. Unfortunately, all eggs were lost to ant pre-
dation, including several well developed embryos.
Due to this unprecedented incident, the building
of ant secure incubation boxes is now part of the
plan for the upcoming breeding season.
REINTRODUCTION EFFORTS CONTINUE
In addition to captive breeding, a sustain-
able reintroduction of B. baska requires locating
suitable habitat and nesting beaches. With funds
from the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation,
Hong Kong, four field surveys and several com-
munity education programs were conducted in
2016 to fulfill this important part of our mission.
The survey team covered a large area in
the Bangladesh Sundarbans, both before and
during the monsoon season. Although unable to
observe breeding individuals, the team's project
manager, Rupali Ghosh, did find some unidenti-
fied eggshells. The shells were later analyzed
by geneticists Ccilia Spitzweg and Uwe Fritz
from the Senkenberg Institute in Germany, and
determined to originate from the Olive Ridley
Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The team also
located several suitable nesting beaches as poten-
tial sites for future reintroduction of captive bred
terrapins.
Contacts: Anton Weissenbacher and Doris Preininger,
Vienna Zoo, Maxingstrae 13b, 1130, Vienna, Austria,
d.preininger@zoovienna.at; a.weissenbacher@zoovi-
enna.at. ABM Sarowar Alam, International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN),
Banani, Dhaka 1213, sarowar.alam@iucn.org. Rupali
Ghosh, Shant Kamal Kunj, 1, Shakti Colony, Rajkot
360001, Gujarat, India, rghosh@turtle-island.at. Peter
Praschag, Turtle Island, Am Katzelbach 98, 8054 Graz,
Austria, ppraschag@turtle-island.at.
Acknowledgements: We wish to recognize the following
organizations for their generous support: Ocean Park
Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK), Vienna
Zoo, IUCN Bangladesh, and the Columbus Zoo, Ohio,
USA.
A Challenging Year for
the Northern River Terrapin
Doris Preininger, A.B.M. Sarowar Alam,
Anton Weissenbacher,Rupali Ghosh and Peter Pr aschag
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E S
BANGLADESH
Rupali Ghosh helps perform health exams on juvenile terrapins at Karamjal in southern Bangladesh.
PHOTO CREDIT: DORIS PREININGER
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 29 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
India, fabled land of the tiger, is known for the
spectacular wildlife that makes it one of the
globe's premier biodiversity hotspots. Her unique
chelonians are a good example of this natural
bounty, as India has no fewer than 28 species
of tortoises and freshwater turtles. Among the
world's most dense turtle diversity hotspots,
India is ranked in the top five Asian countries ac-
cording to importance for turtle conservation.
Unfortunately, India's turtles and tortoises
are not exempt from the grave challenges facing
wildlife around the world. A continually expand-
ing human population, coupled with increasing
exploitation of the country's watersheds poses a
significant threat to all species of Indian riverine
turtles. Over 40% of Indian turtles are currently
listed as either Endangered or Critically Endan-
gered on the IUCN Red List.
In response to the Indian Turtle Crisis, the
TSAAI Indian Turtle Conservation Program
(ITCP) was initiated in 2005 and remains the
longest running turtle conservation program in
the country. Two important turtle conservation
workshops were held in India, in that first year of
2005, and later in 2010. Recommendations from
these workshops have formed the nucleus for a
comprehensive program targeting eight species and
four Turtle Priority Areas (TPAs) to be addressed
through six projects. The project goals emphasize
population monitoring, recovery efforts through
nest protection and headstarting, survival and
dispersal studies, and new community outreach
programs to minimize threats to key populations.
Another Successful Year for
India's Turtle Conservation
Programs in 2016
Shailendr a Singh, Bhasker Dixit, Sneha Dharwadkar, Arunima Singh, R achna Tiwari, Neer aj Pal, Nilandri Dasgupta
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
INDIA
Schools childern participating at Kukrail Guided Nature Tour and learning about turtles. PHOTO CREDIT: SHAILENDRA SINGH
december 2016 30 turtle survival
NORTHERN RIVER TERRAPIN RECOVERY
PROJECT IN SUNDERBANS
The Sunderbans of India are world famous
for its tigers, yet a far more endangered creature
roams the sloughs and mangrove swamps of
this wild landscape. The Northern River Ter-
rapin (Batagur baska) is one of the world's most
endangered turtle species with an estimated
wild population of less than 50 adults in three
countries. If not for the efforts of the TSA, begin-
ning in 2005, the species would most likely be an
extinction statistic by now. It is no exaggeration
to state that the Northern River Terrapin conser-
vation program has been incredibly successful in
pulling this turtle back from the brink.
In a close partnership with the West Bengal
Forest Department, we're working with 12 adult
terrapins as the nucleus for a captive breeding
program. Reproduction has been successful in
building up the numbers for this species and
in May 2016, 95 hatchlings emerged from four
nests, bringing the total to 240 since this pro-
gram got underway in 2012.
During the second week of January 2016, a
survey for potential locations suitable for soft
release was conducted near the entrance of the
core zone of the Sunderbans National Park. 'Soft
release' sites are areas in which animals are
enclosed and acclimated prior to release. Ultra-
sonic transmitters with temperature sensors
and a 48 months long life span were attached to
ten headstarted juvenile and sub-adult B. baska.
The turtles were placed in a soft release pen and
spent just one month in the enclosure before a
major storm caused a breach and allowed them to
escape before scheduled release. These animals
have not yet been accounted for despite three
active search and tracking efforts between Feb-
ruary and June.
We carefully prepared the temporary nesting
enclosure this year before shifting all four gravid
adult females there in late February. During
the second week of March, we encountered
the first nest and found the remaining three
within a week. All four nest sites were regularly
monitored for temperature and the enclosure
was covered with agro-net and leaves to avoid
any harm to the incubating eggs from extreme
temperatures. The hatchlings emerged from all
nests during the evening of 18 May 2016. A record
hatch rate of 96 percent was recorded resulting
in 96 hatchlings.
PROTECTING THE RED-CROWNED ROOFED
TURTLE ON THE CHAMBAL RIVER
The National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS) con-
tains the last known wild population of the Criti-
cally Endangered Red-crowned Roofed Turtle
(B. kachuga). With fewer than 250 adult females
remaining in the Chambal system, the program
for their conservation has proven essential for
the survival of this beautiful river turtle.
The program currently maintains several
captive assurance colonies, headstarts juve-
niles for release, translocates threatened nests,
and provides ex-situ protection after release. A
critical part of these efforts include developing
alternative means of livelihood for the ripar-
ian villages whose traditional activities, such as
indiscriminate fishing and livestock grazing on
shorelines and in the gallery forest, have had se-
vere detrimental effects on the Chambal River's
wildlife ecology.
The hatchery program continues with three
established riverside 'nurseries' for the protec-
tion and incubation of eggs. We initiated the
nest protection program in partnership with
50 Forest Department rangers trained in turtle
identification, nest translocation, illegal fishing
net removal, and documentation of potential
Project team and Sunderban officials ready to release Batagur in soft release enclosure. PHOTO CREDIT: SAURAV GAWAN
The Community Resource Center in Tarai was finished with solar panels, water systems and signage, and is ready to
host outreach programs. PHOTO CREDIT: BHASKER DIXIT
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 31 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
threats along turtle nesting banks. Patrols
detected 17 active or defunct illegal fishing nets
in the Chambal. The nets were removed after 52
turtles belonging to five species were rescued
and released.
A total of over 598 vulnerable Batagur nests,
containing 11,529 eggs were protected and
translocated between mid- February and early
April, 2016. One hundred and fifteen B. kachuga
nests were protected, with the remaining nests
in the count identified as belonging to the Three
Striped Roofed Turtle (B. dhongoka).
All of the nests hatched out in May recorded
an overall 83% success rate with the majority of
hatchlings later released close to the site of their
original nests. A total of 482 B. kachuga and 2,934
B. dhongoka hatchlings were produced on the
lower Chambal, while 1,327 B. kachuga and 4,879
B. dhongoka hatched out on the upper and middle
Chambal.
A subset of 160 hatchlings was translocated
to the Deori Eco-Centre and the Garhaita Turtle
Facility for the rear and release program. The
cumulative impact of this TSA program is
impressive over its ten year span from 2006 to
2016: 20,111 B. kachuga and 80,678 B. dhongoka
have been successfully hatched and released in
the NCS.
To determine survival and dispersal patterns,
we continued tracking sonic telemetered sub-
adults released from our nursery in March 2013.
We were only able to locate four individuals,
possibly due to weak batteries on the telemeters.
We suspended the operation based on technical
issues, but still consider this a successful year
considering the large number of eggs protected
and hatched along the Chambal River.
TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECT IN THE
TARAI THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS
The spreading arc of foothills that reach
across northern India is known as the Tarai
region and is home to 13 species of turtles. It is
currently designated as one of India's Turtle
Priority Areas (TPAs).
Our regular monitoring program, conducted
from January to March, resulted in a total of 130
individuals captured at three separate locations.
Concurrent with these efforts, an experiment
in artificial oviposition was conducted with the
Crowned River Turtle (Hardella thurjii), a spe-
cies commonly believed to nest underwater. We
captured 26 females and radiographed them to
detect the presence of calcified oviduccal eggs.
The females were temporarily held in a newly
constructed 9m x 5m facility comprised of two
sections with three tanks. Eight of them tested
positive and were injected with oxytocin to
induce egg laying.
A total 50 eggs in six clutches were obtained
within twelve hours of the injections. The eggs
were later translocated to the Kukrail Center.
While only five eggs hatched after a prolonged
incubation period, we consider this a cause for
optimism. The success in inducing egg laying
adds to the arsenal of knowledge and techniques
to help increase the number of Crowned River
Turtle hatchlings and effectively conserve this
magnificent animal.
Central to conservation programming for
turtles and sympatric species in this area is an
effort to train local communities for alternate
means of livelihoods and away from a depen-
dency on river resources. The River Conservation
Center (RCC) was established along the Ghaghra
River in the Bahraich district to help accom-
plish this goal with the Center hosting regular
community programs teaching pisciculture and
better agricultural techniques. Crops produced
through the new agricultural model and large
fish grown in the farms ponds have already
been sold at market and demonstrate to the local
communities that these alternatives can be both
profitable and worth pursuing.
The Center continues to grow and improve
with the addition of solar panels and a new water
circulation system. Educational signs and panels
have been placed throughout the community
center and on other project locations to assist
with community awareness.
Recognizing that outreach to children is
pivotal to a long term conservation strategy, the
Center created vital educational programming
for local schools. The RCC organized a full day
Teacher's Training Program in which 40 upper
and primary schools from villages along the
river were selected to participate. The teachers
were trained in the importance of, and threats
to, aquatic wildlife while learning about ongoing
conservation initiatives in their region. These
programs will enable them to effectively facili-
tate implementation of local conservation educa-
tion modules developed by the RCC project team.
BLACK SOFTSHELL TURTLE
Field assistants managing a Batagur hatchery in the National Chambal Sanctuary. PHOTO CREDIT: SHAILENDRA SINGH
december 2016 32 turtle survival
CONSERVATION IN ASSAM
Relentlessly hunted for meat and cartilage,
the Black Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia nigricans)
is a critically endangered species endemic to
northeastern India and Bangladesh. Only a single
population was known to exist at one temple in
Bangladesh until a survey revealed their pres-
ence in a few locations within the Brahmaputra
River system and within several temple ponds in
the eastern Indian state of Assam.
Although protected from human predation on
temple grounds, N. nigricans colonies still endure
extreme conditions in the eutrophic ponds with
overcrowding resulting in a lack of nesting and
basking space. Well intentioned pilgrims feed the
turtles biscuits and rice and many of the temple
pond softshells display signs of malnutrition,
disease and cannibalism.
The Black Softshell project is working to pro-
tect nests, headstart hatchlings, and supplement
severely depressed wild populations. Efforts to
achieve these goals include initiatives to improve
husbandry at selected temple ponds, expand head-
starting by setting up makeshift hatcheries and
rearing facilities, and create community outreach
programs. Six vulnerable nests with a total of 138
N. nigricans eggs were translocated to a temporary
hatchery in the Hayagriva temple in April, 2016.
Twenty hatchlings currently reside in a modest
pool at the temple. At a temple in Nagshankar, a
defunct kitchen was renovated into a turtle aware-
ness kiosk to educate people on their plight and
offer constructive ways for villagers to help. We're
looking forward to continued success in helping
this critically endangered animal.
CHELONIAN CONSERVATION PROJECT AT
KUKRAIL GHARIAL REHABILITATION CENTER
Since 2014, the TSA Chelonian Conservation
Project has partnered with the Kukrail Gharial
Rehabilitation Center in Uttar Pradesh to create
assurance colonies for threatened Indian turtles,
rescue and rehabilitate confiscated animals, and
provide vital information for captive management
of turtles throughout the region. The Kukrail
Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center (KG-
TRC) currently co-manages 168 turtles represent-
ing 12 species. We also maintain assurance colo-
nies of the Crowned River Turtle (H. thurjii), the
Red-crowned Roofed Turtle (Batagur kachuga),
and the Three Striped Roofed Turtle (Batagur
dhongoka) within a 10 square kilometer area that
has been set up to provide a sustaining source of
edible vegetation for these herbivorous species.
One of the Center's main focal points is the
rescue and repatriation of turtles, and 2016
proved very successful in giving displaced,
threatened and confiscated turtles a second
chance to thrive. We rehabilitated a total of 628
turtles representing a total of five species from
At the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust (MCBT), a male Northern River
Terrapin, Batagur baska, was acquired on breeding loan from Zoo
Vienna in April 2014, and paired with two females that had been
acquired as juveniles back in the late 1980's. 2015 saw no
production of eggs from this group, however in 2016, the females
were captured on camera trap digging in the sand. Based on crawl
tracks in the nesting area, searches began and on 26 March 2016,
10 eggs were located. At this stage, 3 eggs were banded, 6 showed
signs of sub-embryonic fluid at candling, and 1 was infertile.
Fertile eggs were separated into two Tupperware boxes, one
containing vermiculite (Box I) as an incubation medium, and the
other a fine grain sand (Box II). The incubation period for Box I was
54 days, and 51 days for Box II. Average temperatures throughout
incubation were 30.6 C (87.0 F), and 31.1 C (87.9 F), respectively.
A total of seven eggs hatched, with one hatchling dying in the egg
after pipping.
Hatchlings are currently housed in a rectangular enclosure, with
water varying from 2 cm - 40 cm deep. A haul out wooden ramp,
beneath a spotlight, is regularly utilized. They are fed on fingerling
fish and various types of seasonal greens.
Contact: Nikhil Whitaker, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, P.O. Box 4, Mamallapuram,
Tamil Nadu - 603 104, nikhil@madrascrocodilebank.org
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Professor M. Srinivasan of Annamali University for
identification of the various species fed to B.baska hatchlings.
International breeding loan results in first successful captive breeding of
the Northern River Terrapin at MCBT
Nikhil Whitaker
The first Batagur baska to be successfully hatched at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust,
after two long term captive females were finally paired with a male from Europe.
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 33 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
northern India. Among them were 26 Spotted
Pond Turtles (Geoclemys hamiltonii), confiscated
from the illegal wildlife trade in Bangalore
in 2015 and brought to the Center on 28 July
2016. After a period of quarantine at the turtle
conservation facility at the Narora Atomic Power
Station in Bulandshar, these endangered turtles
were released into the Ganges River.
In May 2016, we provided assistance in reha-
bilitating and repatriating 146 critically endan-
gered Malagasy tortoises to their homeland fol-
lowing a confiscation. This incident is an excellent
example of the collaboration and support between
two TSA programs and underscores the need for
additional programming in turtle hotspots where
the illegal trade in wildlife is rampant.
With technical assistance from the TSA, a
rescue unit at the Center was established to han-
dle large scale turtle confiscations. In July 2015,
we rescued two nests of Indian Narrow -headed
Softshell Turtle, Chitra indica with a total of 345
eggs, from flood conditions on the Ganga. The
nests were later translocated to the Kukrail Cen-
ter. In early October, 40% of the eggs hatched,
but were plagued by high mortality with only five
hatchlings surviving. In late September 2016, we
rescued another C. indica nest containing 47 eggs
from a local poacher on the Ganges River and
translocated the eggs to the Center, where they
are currently under incubation.
The Center received support from the gov-
ernment to refurbish and expand our Labora-
tory for Aquatic Biology (LAB) that included the
development of an operations manual for the
collection and facilities at Kukrail.
KGTRC COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM
AND ALTERNATE LIVELIHOOD INITIATIVE
In order to combat the harmful effects of cur-
rent river use on turtles, we created community
outreach programs to target a large number of spe-
cific groups over several project sites. These popu-
lations include riverside schools, teachers, turtle
poachers, fisherman, frontline forest department
staff, sand miners, and riverside agriculturists.
Awareness programming was implemented in
order to engage communities with our conserva-
tions efforts. This included a Kukrail Guided Na-
ture Tour which allowed over 1,800 students the
opportunity to learn about endangered turtles
and crocodilians in their areas. We launched na-
tion wide awareness campaigns such as "Declare
Your Pet Turtle" and "The Blind Spot," the latter
of which was conducted in association with our
partner, Turtle Limited.
The KGTRC also provided technical support
for the development of low cost interpretive centers
in wetland areas across western Uttar Pradesh, in
Chambal, Sarsainawar, and Sursarovar.
Overall, 168 programs were conducted which
reached over 9,500 participants. Nine native
and foreign volunteers were trained in turtle
biology and conservation to further the goals
of establishing outreach efforts to save Indian
turtles. We were able to develop viable economic
models for river dependent communities at the
Center in the Tarai where we trained a total of 62
fisherwomen from riparian villages in handiwork
production. Taught by a tribal master crafts-
man, participants developed 58 new products in
19 categories with strategies being developed to
establish markets to sell them.
In September, we conducted workshops, in
association with Usha International, to provide
stitching and weaving training for ten women
from different villages. Under the supervision of
the project, these women will be encouraged to es-
tablish ten new training schools in their respective
hamlets to teach these skills to more women.
Concurrent with the crafts program, we've
set up models for arid horticulture, low cost
organic cultivation, pisciculture, and mushroom
farming at the Chambal and Tarai sites. These
are all examples of addressing the root cause
of human conflict with wildlife by redirecting
human activities to less destructive livelihoods.
Programs like these are a crucial component of
proactive conservation that pay big dividends for
both turtles and people.
On World Turtle Day, 23 May 2016, the TSA
signed a long term MOU with the government of
Uttar Pradesh to cooperate for turtle conserva-
tion. As a testament to the success of this project,
several staff members from different projects
were nominated to advise the government on
various conservation committees.
Contacts: Centre for Wildlife Studies/ Turtle Survival
Alliance - India Turtle Conservation Program, D 1/317,
Sector F, Jankipuram, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
shailendrasingh.phd@gmail.com
Acknowledgments: We wish to thank the many donors
and partners who supported the program: Forest
Departments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and
West Bengal, especially Sanjeev Saran, SK Sharma,
Pradeep Vyas, Jitendra Agrawal, Rupak De, Praveen
Rao Koli, Renu Singh, Sanjay Srivastava, Anil Patel,
Elizabeth Thomas, Suresh Chandra Rajput, SN Shukla,
Sushil Srivastava, and Suresh Pal Singh. We thank the
TSA, its board of directors, Rick Hudson, Andrew Walde
and Lonnie McCaskill for continued guidance and sup-
port; Dr. Peter Clyne, Dr. Ullas Karanth and Mrunmayee
Amarnath of the Center for Wildlife Studies/WCS for
guidance and administrative support; and Dr. Daren
Riedle for input in study design and data collection. We
particularly thank Disney Conservation Fund, Ocean
Park Conservation Fund Hong Kong, Turtle Conservation
Fund, People C Trust for Endangered Species, Madhya
Pradesh Biodiversity Board, Chelonian Research
Foundation, IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle
Specialist Group, Conservation International, and Turtle
Limited for supporting various initiatives; and Anuja Mit-
tal for turtle monitoring data from Tarai.
Women from riverine fishing communities learning how to make handicrafts at a workshop. PHOTO CREDIT: BHASKER DXIT
december 2016 34 turtle survival
The Turtle Survival Alliance/Wildlife Conserva-
tion Society (TSA/WCS) Team faced challenges
on many fronts this past year in the unrelent-
ing struggle to save the imperiled turtles and
tortoises of Myanmar.
Our principle efforts remain focused on spe-
cies endemic, or nearly so, to Myanmar, namely
the Burmese Star Tortoise (Geochelone platyno-
ta), Burmese Roofed Turtle (Batagur trivittata),
Burmese Peacock Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia
formosa), and Burmese Narrow-headed Softshell
Turtle (Chitra vandijkii).
All are classified as Endangered or Critically
Endangered by the IUCN after being decimated
by decades of over harvesting to supply food, me-
dicinal, and pet markets just across Myanmar's
porous northern border with China. Challenges
notwithstanding, the program continues to
gather momentum and is slowly turning back the
tide of extinction that threatens this unique and
vulnerable fauna.
BURMESE STAR TORTOISE REINTRODUCTION
Perhaps our greatest challenge centered on
A Challenging Year in the Fight
to Save Myanmar's Critically
Endangered Turtles
Steve and K alyar Platt
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
MYANMAR
Five of 18 Batagur trivittata successfully hatched at the Mandalay Zoo in June 2016. These young turtles will be headstarted for eventual release into the Chindwin River.
PHOTO CREDIT: KALYAR PLATT
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 35 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
Headstarted Burmese Star Tortoises being released into the acclimation pen at Shwe Settaw Wildlife Sanctuary in
July 2016. PHOTO CREDIT: AUNG MYAT SOE
Burying Burmese Roofed Turtle eggs in the incubation enclosure. The eggs awaiting burial are kept in the plastic box.
The cloth shades the eggs and protects them from the sun while TSA/WCS staffs weigh, measure, and mark each
egg. PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE PLATT
continuing efforts to establish a wild popula-
tion of Burmese Star Tortoises at Minzontaung
Wildlife Sanctuary (MWS).
This program was initiated in 2013-14, when
we began returning captive bred, headstarted
tortoises back to the wild. After a rigorous health
check to insure the release group is free from
infectious diseases, headstarted tortoises are
transferred from assurance colonies to circular
bamboo "acclimation" pens erected in natural
habitat deep within the sanctuary. The tortoises
remain here for periods of up to one and a half
years before being released by simply removing
sections of the bamboo fence and permitting them
to freely wander off at a time of their choosing.
Termed "soft release", the idea behind this
approach is to familiarize the tortoises with the
immediate release area. This makes it less likely
they'll disperse into agricultural lands surround-
ing the sanctuary where poaching risk is high.
VHF radio transmitters attached to the carapace
enable monitoring of the movements of each tor-
toise and allow for the evaluation of the efficacy
of a soft release approach.
Results have been encouraging and few tor-
toises have wandered out of the sanctuary. Several
that did stray into neighboring village lands were
retrieved by the TSA/WCS monitoring team
and returned to the safety of the protected area.
Even more promising, villagers discovered a few
tortoises in their fields and promptly gave them
to the monitoring team. They chose to forfeit the
hefty sum they would have received from an illicit
wildlife buyer had they opted to sell the tortoises.
These actions attest to both the strength of local
religious beliefs that confer protection to tortoises,
and the effectiveness of continuing community
outreach and awareness efforts.
During 2013-14, 150 tortoises were suc-
cessfully reintroduced into the sanctuary. In
2015, these numbers were doubled, when 300
headstarted tortoises were transferred from
assurance colonies to the acclimation pens with
releases planned to begin later in the year and
continuing into 2016. And then disaster struck.
In October 2015, tortoises began to disappear
from the pens. At first, only one or two animals
went missing and we suspected the missing
tortoises had slipped out through an overlooked
hole in the fence. When more and more began to
vanish, it quickly became obvious that tortoise
thieves had somehow gained access to the pens
despite stringent security measures.
A prompt investigation by high ranking of-
ficials from the Myanmar Forest Department
revealed the theft as a classic case of the "fox
guarding the henhouse" a guard assigned to the
acclimation pens and a local criminal gang had
worked together to steal the animals, and a total
of 183 tortoises disappeared into the hands of
these nefarious operators.
We later learned the stolen tortoises had been
whisked to Mandalay, and funneled into a global
nexus of international wildlife traffickers cater-
ing to the high end pet market (see side bar). The
Forest Department put a hold on our reintroduc-
tion projects pending the outcome of an internal
security procedure review. While the loss of
so many tortoises, painstakingly reared from
hatchlings, was heartrending, the theft did not
compromise our ability to continue reintroduc-
tions. Indeed, over 3,000 young tortoises were
hatched in the three assurance colonies during
the 2015-16 breeding season; a figure more than
16 times the number stolen.
REINTRODUCTION EFFORTS RESTARTED
AFTER INVESTIGATION
In early July 2016, the Myanmar Forest
Department completed its investigation and gave
december 2016 36 turtle survival
the green light to continue reintroductions of
star tortoises. The 117 tortoises that had escaped
the attention of the thieves were immediately
liberated at MWS in what amounted to a "hard
release", an approach that will eventually offer
an interesting comparison with the original soft
release method of on-site penning for extended
periods.
Although still preliminary, post release
monitoring suggests the tortoises are dispers-
ing widely, often moving in erratic paths over
long distances as though disoriented, with some
leaving the protection of the sanctuary. Plans are
currently underway to construct three additional
acclimation pens at MSW to accommodate an ad-
ditional group of 300 headstarted tortoises with
a goal of release in late 2017.
After receiving clearance from the Forest
Department, we launched the delayed reintro-
duction of Star Tortoises at Shwe Settaw Wildlife
Sanctuary (SSWS). Originally established for the
protection of Eld's Deer (Panolia eldii thamin),
the 553 square kilometers sanctuary had once
hosted a robust population of tortoises until they
were wiped out by poachers in the late 1990s.
Given the extent of this sprawling sanctuary, a
successful reintroduction could eventually result
in a population of thousands of wild tortoises,
perhaps the largest such population in Myanmar.
As a first step towards the realization of this
objective, we conducted a "release ceremony"
in July 2016, attended by community members,
village leaders, teachers, and Buddhist monks.
During the ceremony, 150 headstarted tortoises
were symbolically donated to a local Buddhist
monastery and blessed by the Pongyi or leading
monk. The idea behind transferring "ownership"
of the tortoises to the monastery is to reduce the
likelihood of the animals being poached. This
protection is further reinforced by tattooing
Buddhist icons on the carapace of each tortoise
along with a unique identification number. At
the conclusion of the ceremony, the tortoises
were carefully placed into wicker baskets and
transported to acclimation pens where they will
remain for the next 12 months before liberation
and beginning the task of repopulating a forest
now empty of their species.
Staying one step ahead of potential poach-
ers, roving teams of TSA/WCS staff and Forest
Department rangers conduct law enforcement
patrols that scour the sanctuary on a frequent but
irregular basis to remain unpredictable to poach-
ers. Coupled with these actions, a cadre of locally
recruited Community Conservation Volunteers
(CCVs) is now established in villages abutting the
sanctuary. The CCVs are paid a modest monthly
stipend to assist with fieldwork and, most
importantly, serve as a tripwire force to provide
early warning of local poaching activity targeting
released tortoises.
BURMESE ROOFED TURTLE CONSERVATION
The Burmese Roofed Turtle (Batagur trivit-
tata) conservation project continues to be a "close
run thing" as the Duke of Wellington once said
of his hard fought experience at the Battle of
Waterloo.
Endemic to the large rivers of Myanmar,
the Burmese Roofed Turtle is one of the most
critically endangered turtles in the world, with
the only surviving wild population restricted to
a remote stretch of the upper Chindwin River.
Genetic analyses recently completed by F. Gzde
ilingir, a doctoral student at the National Uni-
versity of Singapore, suggest that as few as ten
breeding adults remain in the wild with only one
or two males in the group.
There is no doubt that B. trivittata would have
joined the ranks of the dinosaurs had not TSA/
WCS intervened with effective in and ex situ
conservation measures in 2006. An assurance
colony at the Mandalay Zoo, combined with an
egg collection and headstarting program along
the upper Chindwin River, slowly and surely
halted an inexorable slide towards extinction of
this once common turtle. In a landmark event,
60 Burmese Roofed Turtles, headstarted from
eggs collected in the wild, were released into the
Chindwin River in 2015.
Despite this glimmer of hope, the road to re-
covery remains perilous. After years of collecting
A handful of hatchling Burmese Star Tortoises produced at the assurance colony in Shwe Settaw Wildlife Sanctuary.
These are six of more than 3000 hatchlings produced at three assurance colonies in Myanmar during the 2015-16
breeding season. PHOTO CREDIT: ME ME SOE
Burmese Roofed Turtle eggs in the incubation enclosure. PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE PLATT
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 37 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
and successfully incubating eggs from the hand-
ful of nests still being found along the Chindwin
River, all of the eggs we recovered in 2014, and
again in 2015, proved infertile. We feared a Do-
omsday scenario where only females remained in
the wild population. Concerns abated somewhat
in March of this year when a single clutch of
viable eggs from a total of five clutches was
unearthed from a sandbank. Twenty-seven of the
30 eggs later hatched successfuly and the young
turtles are now being headstarted for eventual
release. We suspect, but cannot be certain wit-
hout genetic testing, that a young male from the
group released in 2015 may be responsible for the
paternity of this clutch.
In addition to collecting eggs and headstarting
hatchlings along the Chindwin River, assurance
colonies play a critical role in Burmese Roofed
TSA/WCS Turtle Team member Maung Nge with a village child and a boat load of Burmese Roofed Turtle (secured in white rice sacks) prior to transporting the turtles from our
basecamp to the new assurance colony downriver at Htamanthi. PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE PLATT
Turtle survival. The original assurance colony
at the Mandalay Zoo continues to serve as the
bulwark of the ex situ conservation effort. Another
18 hatchlings was produced this year; bringing the
total captive population to over 700 animals.
A second colony of 100 subadult Burmese Roo-
fed Turtles, established at Lawkanandar Wildlife
Sanctuary in 2011, is expected to begin reproduc-
ing within the next few years. Males and females
are already exhibiting the dimorphic coloration
that indicates the onset of sexual maturity.
Yet another assurance colony was established
this year when 100 headstarted turtles were
transferred from the base camp at Limpha Vil-
lage to a new facility constructed in the riverside
hamlet of Htamanthi. The turtles were moved
over a period of three days in late February, a trip
that included an eight hours long journey down-
river, before being unpacked and liberated in the
spacious breeding pond.
In another landmark event for turtle con-
servation in Myanmar, 25 headstarted Burmese
Roofed Turtles were flown to Singapore in
May to found the first out of country assurance
colony. According to husbandry personnel at the
Singapore Zoo, the turtles quickly settled into
their new home and began displaying hitherto
unobserved courtship behavior.
In the wild, we continue monitoring head-
started turtles released into the Chindwin River
in 2015. Initially the turtles remained in the
vicinity of the acclimation pens, rarely straying
more than a kilometer or two up- or down-
stream. But with the beginning of the wet season
in July 2015, floodwaters surged down the rivers,
flushing turtles many kilometers away from the
december 2016 38 turtle survival
release area and presenting logistical challenges
in the attempt to find them. Several turtles fell
victim to fishing nets and drowned, while others
simply disappeared, most likely because their
radio transmitters had malfunctioned. But other
turtles remain at large in the river as attested to
by villagers who occasionally see them basking
or swimming. Although the outcome of this first
ever reintroduction of Burmese Roofed Turtles
remains somewhat equivocal, much has been
learned that can be applied to ensure the future
success of our continued efforts.
A Burmese Peacock Softshell Turtle donated by fishermen to the TSA/WCS Turtle Team in Limpha Village. The turtle
will be incorporated into assurance colonies now being developed for several species of endangered softshell turtles
in Myanmar. PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE PLATT
Reintroduced Burmese Star Tortoises found copulating in the wild by TSA/WCS radio telemetry team at Minzontaung
Wildlife Sanctuary. PHOTO CREDIT: ME ME SOE
BURMESE EYED TURTLE CONSERVATION
On 16 October 2016, the TSA/WCS Myan-
mar Turtle Team transferred 24 Burmese Eyed
Turtles (Morenia ocellata) to a recently established
assurance colony near Bago, about 45 miles north
of Yangon. Originally rescued by Win Ko Ko from
a monastery pond in Rakhine State, the turtles
immediately took to spacious new quarters in
a natural pond with lush vegetation growing
around the periphery. Several turtles were ob-
served grazing on aquatic grasses within minutes
of being released.
The Burmese Eyed Turtle is endemic to Myan-
mar and virtually nothing is known about its natural
history. The species is being decimated by the illegal
wildlife trade as huge numbers are sent north to
burgeoning wildlife markets in southern China.
The primary objective of this assurance col-
ony, as in all others, is to serve as a hedge against
future extinction in the wild by maintaining a
breeding population, while providing offspring for
eventual reintroduction into protected habitats.
We have a long way to go with the Burmese Eyed
Turtle as we begin these efforts.
SOFTSHELL TURTLE CONSERVATION
In an exciting new development, we expand-
ed the focus of our program this year to include
softshell turtles. Myanmar hosts five species
three of them endemic and all heavily impacted
by the illegal wildlife trade.
Until recently, conservation efforts for soft-
shell turtles have lagged behind those for more
imperiled species, mainly due to budget limita-
tions and lack of staff availability. This changed
in 2015-16 when the Turtle Rescue Center in
Maymyo expanded to include facilities for the
care and husbandry of softshell turtles confis-
cated from wildlife traffickers. Three large ponds
could potentially house breeding groups of two
targeted species, the Burmese Narrow-headed
Softshell Turtles (Chitra vandijki), and Asian Gi-
ant Softshell Turtles (Amyda cartilaginea) seized
from the illegal trade.
Construction of a second softshell turtle
breeding facility on seven acres of farmland
recently acquired in Htamanthi, and near the ex-
isting Burmese Roofed Turtle assurance colony,
is expected to begin late in 2016.
A number of softshell turtles temporarily housed
at other facilities will be transferred to Htamanthi
as ponds become available. Most of the turtles were
rescued and donated by fishermen after being en-
tangled in nets, while others were confiscated during
a series of anti-poaching raids by the "Flying Squad"
of the Myanmar Forest Department.
Contacts: Steven G. Platt, sgplatt@gmail.com, Kalyar
Platt, Me Me Soe, Win Ko Ko, Khin Myo Myo, Tint Lwin,
and Myo Minh Win, Turtle Survival Alliance and Wildlife
Conservation Society, Building C-1, Aye Yeik Mon 1st
Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon, Union of Myanmar.
Acknowledgements: We wish to recognize the following
donors for their steadfast and generous support of
the TSA/WCS Myanmar Turtle Conservation Program:
Andrew Sabin and the Sabin Family Foundation, Andrew
Walde, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Helms-
ley Charitable Trust, Holohil Systems, Ltd., Panaphil
Foundation, Turtle Conservation Fund, and Wildlife
Conservation Society.
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 39 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
The Turtle Survival Alliance/Wildlife Conserva-
tion Society conservation efforts for the Burmese
Star Tortoise (Geochelone platynota) at Minzon-
taung Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar suffered
a heavy blow in October 2015 when poachers
circumvented security at the acclimation pens
and purloined 188 headstarted tortoises.
Information received from a Community
Conservation Volunteer pointed to a local crimi-
nal gang acting in collusion with a corrupt Forest
Department (FD) ranger. Hearsay evidence sug-
gested the ranger had contacted members of the
gang by cellphone and allowed them to enter the
pens and steal tortoises while he kept watch. The
theft occurred over several weeks and became ap-
parent when a large number of tortoises turned up
missing during the monthly health inspection.
Local police investigating the theft requested
our assistance, and armed with all the knowledge
of law enforcement gleaned from years of watch-
ing Law and Order, we jumped at the chance to
help. Within a few weeks, the major players at
the village level had been identified and seven
suspects arrested in follow up raids. The miscre-
ants remain in jail awaiting trial. Unfortunately,
none of the stolen tortoises were recovered.
THE TRAIL LEADS TO THAILAND
Further investigation revealed the tortoises
had been sold to shadowy figures in the Manda-
lay underworld and later smuggled into Thailand.
Within a few hours, a colleague we contacted in
Bangkok revealed startling news: several of our
tortoises, readily identifiable by the unique Bud-
dhist icons tattooed on their carapaces, were be-
ing offered for sale by a known wildlife trafficker
on his Facebook page. The chase was on!
We quickly arranged a meeting with the Na-
tional Park Police (responsible for wildlife law in
Thailand) in Bangkok and revealed the informa-
tion. Unsurprisingly, the trafficker was a person
of interest well known for his illegal activities.
Shortly before Christmas 2015, Thai authori-
ties raided the trafficker and seized five tortoises.
Because government personnel in Myanmar cannot
travel on short notice, I was deputized by the FD and
traveled to Thailand to confirm the origin of the con-
fiscated tortoises. While the carapacial tattoos had
been removed by sanding the scutes; notches in the
marginal scutes and implanted microchips provided
absolute identification of the contraband tortoises.
Charges were immediately filed against the
suspect and a subsequent interrogation resulted
in the arrest of a second trafficker. Though not in
possession of tortoises, this trafficker had an ille-
gally acquired orangutan. High level law enforce-
ment officials conducted a Christmas Day press
conference in Bangkok, in which I participated,
to announce the arrests.
As a result of quick action by authorities, staff,
and colleagues during the great Burmese Star
Turtle Caper, two Thai suspects are now captured
and facing trial for receiving stolen goods, several
villagers and a corrupt forest ranger have been
unmasked in Myanmar, and five young tortoises
are on their way back to Minzontaung Wildlife
Sanctuary after a harrowing descent into the dark
underworld of wildlife smuggling.
Contact: Steven G. Platt, Turtle Survival Alliance and
Wildlife Conservation Society, Building C-1, Aye Yeik
Mon 1st Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon, Union of
Myanmar, sgplatt@gmail.com
The Great Star Tortoise Caper of 2015
Steven G. Platt
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
MYANMAR
Three Burmese Star Tortoises purloined from Minzontaung Wildlife Sanctuary and later recovered by police in
Thailand. PHOTO CREDIT: WCS MYANMAR
Steven Platt seated beside high-ranking law enforcement officials at a press conference on Christmas Day in
Bangkok announcing the arrest of two illegal wildlife traffickers and recovery of three stolen Burmese Star Tortoises.
PHOTO CREDIT: WCS MYANMAR
december 2016 40 turtle survival
Painted Terrapins (Batagur borneoensis) hold
the unfortunate distinction of being one of the
world's most endangered turtles. The species is
listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red
List, and included in the Top 25 World's Most
Endangered Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises; a
2011 Turtle Conservation Coalition report. They
have remained a Very High Priority on Indonesia's
species conservation list since a 2008 Minister of
Forestry report noted their continuing decline.
The Painted Terrapin's historic range once
extended across the east coast of Sumatra
and the west coast of Kalimantan (Borneo), in
Indonesia. Field surveys by Guntoro (2010),
Kholis (2010), and Mistar (2013), found the spe-
cies locally extinct within much of its Sumatran
range. Wild populations still remain in rivers
and mangrove estuaries in Aceh Tamiang, Aceh,
and the Langkat Timur Laut Wildlife Reserve
in the District of Langkat, North Sumatra. Aceh
Tamiang is B. borneoensis' last stronghold, and
New Optimism for the
Painted Terrapin in 2016
Joko Guntoro
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
INDONESIA
A female Painted Terrapin rests after laying eggs on Ujung Tamiang beach. PHOTO CREDIT: JOKO GUNTORO.
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 41 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
our field survey estimates a maximum wild
population of about 300 animals. Sixty-five per-
cent of these are female.
Decline of the wild population was caused
by large scale poaching of both eggs and adults
during the 1990s throughout the animals' range.
Aceh Tamiang was no exception. According to
Abu Bakar, a former hunter with the Satucita
Foundation, hundreds of adults were caught and
sold every month from Aceh Tamiang through-
out that decade. Their eggs were collected by
villagers every nesting season.
Though this practice still continues in
Tamiang, it decreased sharply once conservation
efforts began in 2010, as nest patrols, field moni-
toring, and educational programs were combined
with the annual headstarting and release of
turtles. Several villagers now regularly assist
with patrols and monitoring.
As of August 2016, 187 hatchlings have been
released into the Tamiang River and thousands
of local people have been educated about the
plight of this Critically Endangered animal.
Additionally, 10,000 seedlings of the Mangrove
Apple Tree (Sonneratia alba) were planted to
restore riverine vegetation.
MORE HATCHLINGS AND SPECIES
For 2016, we implemented an in situ method,
with a hatchery built on a nesting beach. This
compares to previous years when we used a
headstarting facility, or an ex situ method.
Nest patrols were organized by our team
which included BKSDA Aceh along with trained
villagers and which was conducted from De-
cember 2015 to April 2016. The team's vigilence
resulted in the successful hatching of 666 indi-
viduals for a hatching rate of 73 percent. Twenty
of this year's 666 hatchlings were released on
16 August to commemorate National Conserva-
tion Day in Aceh Tamiang. The remaining 646
hatchlings were implanted with microchips and
released in October.
Combined with other chelonian species, a
total of 833 hatchlings were released in 2016.
Pit tags were employed for the first time dur-
ing this project, and the new technology should
help us monitor released hatchlings more ef-
fectively than previously used tracking methods.
For instance, three released hatchlings were
fitted with radio transmitters last year, but moni-
toring failed when the radio signals quit after five
months. Nevertheless, initial tracking in January
2016, one month after release, demonstrated
that the hatchlings had migrated about 10-15 km
upstream from their natal beach location.
INCREASE IN FIELD MONITORING YIELDS RESULTS
We managed to stay a total of 150 days in
the field this year; a significant increase com-
pared to the 40 to 50 days in previous years,
when funding was limited. The team found
910 eggs in a total of 56 nests, with an average
17.07 eggs per nest. The lowest tally was 7 eggs,
while the highest, 25. The first nest was located
on 20 December 2015, and the last on 28 Febru-
ary 2016.
During nest patrol, we discovered 120
successfully hatched Green Turtle eggs. All
were released by the head regent of the Aceh
Tamiang district and other local leaders on 30
April 2016. We also found another endangered
freshwater turtle, Pelochelys cantorii, inhabiting
the Tamiang River estuary, while a Hawksbill
Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) was caught
in fishing nets. These findings indicate that
Painted Terrapin habitat is important for other
endangered chelonian species.
An increase in the number of eggs and nests
found this year may be an indication that the
wild population is stable. The poaching of adult
terrapins no longer seems to exist. We did see
two cases where Painted Terrapins, a P. can-
torii, and the Hawksbill Turtle caught in the
net, were kept as pets. Fortunately, after the
fishermen were informed of the endanagered
status of these animals, they were all returned
to the wild.
The education program reached 200 students
and fishermen this year. Meanwhile, the creation
of a local regulation for protecting the Painted
Terrapin, and an effort to designate it as a mascot
for Aceh Tamiang, are in the works.
A vision is crystalizing that could turn Aceh
Tamiang into an educational eco-tourism desti-
nation a plan that would allow people, Painted
Terrapins, and other endangered wildlife to live
in harmony. However, our hope for the future
is tempered with vigilance, as the threats to the
species still exist and are very real. Work to stop
egg poaching and habitat destruction is essential;
it is critical that the mangroves be protected
against ongoing logging to produce charcoal,
farmland conversion, and pollution from plastic
trash.
Despite all the many endeavors to save the
species, much more still needs to be done to
secure the future for the Painted Terrapin in
Indonesia.
Contact: Joko Guntoro, Yayasan SatuCita, Dusun Mawar,
Desa Bukit Rata, Kejuruan Muda, Aceh Tamiang,
24477. Email: jokoguntoro@gmail.com
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the TSA,
Houston Zoo, Chester Zoo, PT Pertamina, and EP Field
Rantau for their continuing support.
Abu Bakar, a volunteer of SatuCita Foundation, holds hatchlings. PHOTO CREDIT: JOKO GUNTOR.
december 2016 42 turtle survival
The year 2016 did not start well for the Giant
Yangtze Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), with
two serious setbacks threatening their future.
Failure to find individuals in the wild during a
WCS survey of the Red River in Yunnan, China,
combined with the unfortunate death of the
large R. swinhoei of Hoan Kim Lake in Hanoi, in
January, has given conservationists their great-
est challenge yet in the effort to save the species.
R. swinhoei is now in a precarious breeding
position with only three known Yangtze Giant
Softshell Turtles left on earth. The survey on
the Red River, in Yunnan, China, conducted in
May and June 2016, failed to find evidence that
a large Rafetus, reported in previous years by
local people, was still extant. One captive pair
still exists in Chinese zoos, and the other known
specimen inhabits Dong Mo Lake in Vietnam.
The close medical examination of the Suzhou
Zoo's male in May 2015 revealed a horribly mangled
and scarred penis preventing effective copulation
making it clear that artificial reproductive tech-
niques would be necessary. It also became clear
that the Changsha Zoo's last female Yangtze Giant
Softshell Turtle had to produce a viable clutch of
eggs if the species was not to die with her.
An initial attempt at artificial insemination
(AI) via the cloaca in May 2015 did not result in
fertile eggs. Later, in October 2015, a session of
electro ejaculation, with the male under anaes-
thesia, did not produce enough semen for another
attempt at AI. The team scheduled another effort
for AI in early April 2016.
A week before the surgery was to be per-
formed in China, I visited with Dr. Calle at the
Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, and
worked with their veterinary and reptile staff
to perform anaesthesia, monitoring, and cloaca
examinations of two species of softshell turtles
in the zoo collection. The experience proved
valuable when it became apparent that coelios-
copy a surgical approach entering via the body
cavity for surgical insemination directly into the
oviducts would improve the sperms' chances
to fertilize an egg over the previously attempted
cloacal route.
During the surgery, semen was injected
through a needle into the uterine horns of the
oviducts. The procedure was performed success-
fully and the female recovered well. Although
the female laid three clutches of eggs during
June and July, once again, none developed. The
ninth year of the Rafetus swinhoei captive breed-
ing program has, frustratingly, not yet resulted in
successful reproduction.
The team assembled in Suzhou included Lu
Shunqing of WCS-China, Suzhou Zoo's Dir. Chen
Daqing, Sun Ai Guos, Di Min, Tang Enen, Tang
Deqi, Chen Jing Han Shichang, Liu Xing Feng Qi,
and Lu Fang and Changsha Zoo's Dir. Yan Xiahui,
Lu Qingtao, and Yang Junlong, Barbara Durrant
of San Diego Zoo's Center for Conservation Re-
search, Emily King from the TSA, Paul P. Calle of
WCS, and Liu Nonglin of China Zoo Society.
Contact: Gerald Kuchling, Chelonia Enterprises, 28
Tokay Lane, The Vines, WA 6069, Australia. Gerald.
Kuchling@uwa.edu.au
Acknowledgement: Financial support was provided
by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden and the Turtle
Conservation Fund (TCF).
The Challenge to Reproduce the Giant
Yangtze Softshell Turtle, the World's
Most Critically Endangered Chelonian
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
CHINA
Ger ald Kuchling
Artificial insemination of Rafetus swinhoei by coelioscopy. PHOTO CREDIT: DIMIN, SUZHOU ZOO
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 43 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
It's been an exciting year for the conservation of the
Royal Terrapin (Batagur affinis) of Cambodia, also
known as the Southern River Terrapin. The Wildlife
Conservation Society (WCS), together with Cam-
bodia's Fisheries Administration (FiA), constructed
a new conservation facility in the Mondol Seima
district of Koh Kong province, and named it the Koh
Kong Reptile Conservation Center (KKRCC). The
new center is not only working to protect the Criti-
cally Endangered and iconic terrapin, it is also pur-
suing the conservation of the Critically Endangered
Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis).
"With very few Royal Terrapins left in the
wild, and many threats to their survival, Cam-
bodia's official national reptile is facing a high
risk of extinction. By protecting nests and head
starting hatchlings, we're increasing the chances
of survival for this important species," said Ouk
Vibol, Director of the Conservation Department
in the Fisheries Administration.
The KKRCC is currently caring for 206 juvenile
Royal Terrapins, the result of head starting efforts
within the nest protection program. The young
animals benefit from a predator proof, juvenile
rearing area for hatchlings and turtles measuring
under 20 cm. Larger juveniles have roomier, 20m
40m ponds surrounded by sand banks and large
trees where they swim and bask as in the wild. The
larger ponds decrease habituation to humans, and
strengthen the juvenile turtles' ability to swim in
moving water after release. A 3m 20m 100m
rainwater retention pond ensures an adequate
freshwater supply during the dry season.
MONITORING B. AFFINIS
The monitoring program continued to docu-
ment location and survival rates for the first group
of 21 headstarted B. affinis released into the Sre
Ambel River system in July of 2015. We estimate
the survival rate for this group at over 85%, with
numbers possibly higher. Turtles that could not be
located may still be alive outside the study area, as
monitoring revealed that some of the released ani-
mals had moved over 100 kilometers away into a
separate river system. Possible transmitter failure
along with other factors make it difficult to state
a definitive rate of survivorship. Positive proof of
mortality events have not been found.
F E AT U R E
Three of the released turtles, captured later by
fishermen, were returned to the project unharmed
thanks to successful community outreach and edu-
cational programs. It is hoped that our new SMART
(Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools) initiative
will increase efficiency in reducing illegal or pro-
hibited fishing techniques and further enhance our
community efforts. Ameliorating threats is key to
the recovery of the Royal Terrapin to its full ecologi-
cal function. FiA and WCS have provided scientific
evidence on the impact of sand dredging on Royal
Turtle population. This has led the government to
postpone issusing dredging licenses. We hope that
this will aid our Royal Turtle Recovery efforts.
With the establishment of the KKRCC, we were
able to direct attention to the protection of critical
habitats. We are working with the Cambodian Min-
istry of Environment (MoE) to create a Conservation
Corridor that includes rivers and wetlands that will
connect the Southern Cardamom Protected Area,
the Dang Peng Multiple Use Area, and the Bokor
National Park. Together, these areas comprise most
of the known B. affinis habitat in Cambodia.
Over the past ten years, we've continued to build on
a successful recovery program by conserving a growing
population of wild turtles, focusing on the reduction of
mortality threats, creating community engagement,
and now, increasing the effort to protect key habitat for
all life stages of the iconic Royal Terrapin.
Contacts: Sitha Som (ssom@wcs.org), Brian D. Horne
(bhorne@wcs.org)
Aknowledgements: We thank the Alan and Patricia Koval
Foundation for donating towards the turtle center prop-
erty, Aquarium Innovations and Ponds and Plants for
aiding in the construction, Building Trust International
for both design and constructon, and Wildlife Reserves
Singapore and Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund
for their continued support of the field program. The
monitoring program was made possible by funding from
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, IUCN SOS Save Our
Species, and the National Geographic Society. We sin-
cerely thank The Chicago Zoological Society Endangered
Species Fund for the support of a community survey to
understand the use of the river for their livelihoods. We
thank FiA and MoE for engagement and support.
Cambodia Increases Royal Terrapin
Conservation Efforts with Opening of
Koh Kong Reptile Conservation Center
Sitha Som and Brian D. Horne
Sitha Som (Technical Advisor WCS Cambodia) and Lonnie McCackill (Assistant Director and Curator of Animals at
Prospect Park Zoo, WCS) stand in front of the recently dedicated Koh Kong Reptile Conservation Center's newest
building designed to hold juvenile turtles and crocodiles. Larger animals are housed in ponds behind the building.
Currently the center holds over 250 Royal Terrapins (Batagur affinis).
december 2016 44 turtle survival
THE POPULATION OF Central American River
Turtles (Dermatemys mawii), at the Hicatee
Conservation and Research Center (HCRC), has
more than doubled during the past year. Known
locally as the Hicatee, the critically endangered
river turtle has been intensely harvested and
eliminated throughout much of its former range
in southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize.
The arrival of new hatchlings in May and
June, plus the transfer of turtles confiscated by
Belize Fisheries Department this spring, expand-
ed the population at the HCRC to 54 individuals.
With twenty of the adult females loaded with
eggs and follicles, the captive breeding facility is
right on track with a mission to investigate the
reproductive biology of this freshwater turtle
while in captivity. Ultimately, the HCRC seeks to
test the feasibility of large scale captive manage-
ment as a critical component within a broader,
long term conservation program for the species.
EXPANDING POPULATION
Within the first year of introducing the
founder population of 22 turtles to the HCRC, a
clutch of eight eggs was deposited. Seven were
fertile. After 193 days of incubation at ambient
temperature and humidity, seven babies hatched
at HCRC from 14-19 June 2015. This is one of
only a handful of successful hatchings, while in
captivity, for this species. Now nearly sixteen
months old, the seven are in great condition and
continue to grow rapidly.
A second clutch of 10 eggs was laid on De-
cember 15, 2015. The clutch was removed from
the nesting area and divided into two groups:
five eggs were placed in a large plastic tub with
a 2:1 ratio of water to vermiculite and set into an
electric incubator at 29 C (86 F). We believed
this procedure would produce females. The other
five eggs were placed in a similar set up and kept
at ambient temperature. After a few weeks, four
eggs were determined to be infertile. Four of the
incubated eggs at 29 C hatched in April 2016,
while two of the eggs at ambient temperature
hatched one month later. Weights and measure-
ments are collected weekly to monitor growth.

UNDERSTANDING THE REPRODUCTIVE
BIOLOGY OF THE HICATEE
In mid-September, 2016, a team of TSA biolo-
gists joined the Belize Foundation for Research
and Environmental Education (BFREE) staff in
Belize to perform biannual health checks and
ultrasound exams on all the adult turtles. The
team consisted of Dr. Shane Boylan, Dr. Thomas
Rainwater, Dr. Isabel Paquet, a veterinarian
based out of the Belize's Cayo District, Felicia
Cruz and Gilberto Young of the Belize Fisheries
Department, Robert Mendyk of the Jacksonville
Zoo, and Dr. Ben Atkinson of Flagler College.
Adults were netted out of the ponds and both
physical exams and ultrasound evaluations were
conducted. The 54 Hicatee at the center include:
20 reproductive females,16 confirmed males,
many of which are either reproductive or ap-
proaching sexually maturity, six sub-adults, with
sex yet to be determined, and twelve juveniles
hatched over the last two years. Ultrasound ex-
ams revealed twelve adult females with follicles
and eggs and 8 adult females confirmed with
follicles. Based on this assessment, the laying of
60-120 eggs is expected by December 2016.
Health checks also identified scratches and
gouges on the carapaces of some of the adult fe-
males introduced into the two ponds earlier this
year. The injuries are healing and could be due
to stress and aggression during the adjustment
period or from breeding activity.
HICATEE CONSERVATION FORUM
AND WORKSHOP
The HCRC is just one piece of a larger plan
to secure the future of the Hicatee in Belize. In
order to affect real change, outreach and educa-
tion programs must continue, as needed legisla-
tion happens, and law enforcement improves
A Breakout Year for
Central American
River Turtle Program
in Belize
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
BELIZE
Heather Barrett, Rick Hudson and Jacob Marlin
Participants in the Hicatee Conservation Forum and Workshop examine babies from the first group successfully
hatched produced at BFREE in 2015. PHOTO CREDIT RICK HUDSON
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 45 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
throughout the country.
In pursuit of these goals, BFREE in collabora-
tion with the TSA, the Belize Fisheries Depart-
ment, and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens,
hosted the 2nd Hicatee Conservation Forum
and Workshop at the BFREE Field Station in
February 2016. Twenty-seven participants trav-
eled from Guatemala, Brazil, the USA, and from
within Belize to attend the two day workshop in
February bringing together the scientific com-
munity, government officials, and NGOs to share
findings and information on the status of this
critically endangered river turtle.
As the forum detailed ongoing initiatives
and mapped out the conservation future of
the Hicatee, four major themes emerged for
discussion: Legislation and Enforcement, Public
Outreach and Education, Captive Management,
and Research and Surveys. Presentations by
invited participants focused on regional efforts
within these areas. Further group discussions
formed two working groups. One will compile
a report based on the most current harvest and
survey data and present recommendations to the
Belize Fisheries Department for revision of the
laws and regulations relating to the Hicatee. The
second group will develop a long term research
and monitoring strategy to include the identifica-
tion of priority populations for protection which
will serve as source populations for the species'
recovery.
Additionally, workshop attendees participated
in an IUCN Red List meeting to update the species
report, now ten years out of date. The new IUCN
report will be based on the most current informa-
tion. The Hicatee continues to be ranked Critically
Endangered and at risk of extinction throughout
its range. Participants also discussed advocating
for the Hicatee to become officially recognized as
the "National Reptile of Belize."
DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCTION
To increase public awareness of the plight of
the Hicatee in Belize, we have engaged Emmy-
award winning wildlife filmmakers, Richard
and Carol Foster of Wildlife Film Productions to
produce a 12-minute documentary film.
The film will spotlight the past and tenuous
future of the Hicatee by focusing on the turtle's
natural history, with D. mawii presented as the
sole representative and last of an ancient lineage;
the species' critically endangered status and
the pressures propelling it toward extinction;
current work being done in Belize to save theses
chelonians; and a hopeful message for the future
if the Hicatee is managed sustainably.
The film is being partially funded by the
Columbus Zoo through the TSA. Shooting began
in September 2015 with completion scheduled for
early 2017. The movie will become an important
tool for the national awareness campaign conduct-
ed by local NGOs, the University of Belize and the
Belize Fisheries Department, under the direction
of the Hicatee Conservation Network (HCN).
THE FUTURE OF THE HCRC
The HCRC was conceptualized in 2010,
with construction and development begun in
2013. Support from the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA) and Disney allowed for a rapid
expansion of the HCRC research program with
the past three years marked by major milestones
that are cause for celebration.
Our vision for the HCRC as a catalyst for
Hicatee conservation in Belize is on the verge of
being realized, and the upcoming film will bring
much needed exposure to this heavily exploited
species along with increased awareness to
HCRC's mission.
Confidence in our ability to reproduce Hica-
tee in captivity is growing, as is the number of
sexually mature females, and we are poised for a
breakout year in reproductive output. But along
with growth comes new costs and the challenge
of identifying funds for new infrastructure as-
sociated with rearing young. With 60-120 rapidly
growing new hatchlings anticipated in 2017,
HCRC facilities must add new ponds for isolation
and grow out, as well as new incubators and
hatchling tanks. The funding for this expansion
will need to be in addition to maintaining the
existing $25,000 annual operating budget.
We eagerly anticipate the release of the new
Hicatee natural history film and are confident
it will elevate the profile of this important pro-
gram. Meanwhile, we continue to seek partner-
ships within the zoo and NGO communities
to join TSA in sustaining this groundbreaking
effort, and commit to ensuring a future for this
iconic species.
Contact RHudson@turtlesurvival.org
Acknowledgements We would like to thank the Houston
Zoo, Columbus Zoo, and Jacksonville Zoo for program
funding and support. Additionally we acknowledge the
support of the following organizations and individu-
als: Members of the Hicatee Conservation Network,
Dr. Thomas Rainwater (USFWS), Shane Boylan, DVM,
(South Carolina Aquarium), Richard and Carol Foster
(Wildlife Film Productions), Felicia Cruz and Gilberto
Young (Belize Fisheries Department), Isabel Paquet
Durand (Belize Wildlife Clinic), Nichole Bishop (Univer-
sity of Florida), and the BFREE/HCRC Volunteers: Mark
Mummaw, and Erin Baldwin.
This image of a Central American River Turtle emerging from the egg was taken from a video clip captured by Richard
and Carol Foster who are producing a natural history film on this species. PHOTO CREDIT WILDLIFE FILM PRODUCTIONS
december 2016 46 turtle survival
The WCS/TSA joint program in Colombia strongly
believes that the best way to address the threats
faced by river turtles is working with local com-
munities. Two projects in different areas of the
country, led by two communities, are making
great efforts to protect two endangered river
turtle species in Colombia, while strengthening
their governance and economic activities.
COTOC ARRIBA COMMUNITY WORKS FOR
THE PROTECTION OF THE SIN RIVER TURTLE
(PODOCNEMIS LEWYANA)
One of the main threats that the Magdalena
River Turtle (Podocnemis lewyana) faces in the
Sin River Basin is the flooding of nests caused
by the generation of energy at the Hydroelectric
Dam. The flooding of the nesting beaches is spo-
radic and unpredictable, and can last anywhere
from a few days to several weeks. To mitigate this
threat, different management efforts are being
developed by the TSA/WCS team along with the
community of Cotoc Arriba, in Crdoba, both
ex situ and in situ. These efforts aim to provide
nesting sites for reproductive females above the
river's flood line, and to rescue nests laid on vul-
Community-based Conservation
of River Turtles in Colombia
R A N G E C O U N T R Y U P D AT E
COLOMBIA
Igor Valencia and Oscar Daz lead the capture-recapture study, trapping and marking Magdalena River Turtles in hoop traps. PHOTO CREDIT: WCS/TSA
German Forero-Medina1, Natalia Gallego1,2 and Sindy Martnez3
1Turtle Survival Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society
2Universidad de Los Andes
3Fundacin Omacha
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 47 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
nerable beaches that are prone to flooding.
CONSTRUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL BEACHES
Communities built elevated beaches, imitat-
ing natural beaches in terms of location and type
of substratum. For proper construction, the slope
and riverbank were weeded. The slope was also
reduced to allow turtles to move up the shore more
easily, and the soil on the riverbank was loosened
until it was free of lumps. Once the soil was loos-
ened, a 30cm layer of sand was laid, resulting in a
beach consisting of a mix of sand and soil.
This year, three artificial beaches were
constructed and maintained in the Cotoc Arriba
area: Guamal, Benito Osorio, and Edmundo.
Beaches were located in areas where natural
beaches once existed or currently exist. This re-
sulted in 13 nests laid on artificial beaches, which
produced 244 eggs.
A group of Giant South American River Turtles (Podocnemis expansa) basking on the nesting beaches of the middle
Meta River, now protected by the community. PHOTO CREDIT: SINDY MARTNEZ
RESCUE OF NESTS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING
This year an effort was made to constantly
monitor the natural beaches of Benito Osorio,
Corrales Negros, Momps, and Tranquilina, all
in Cotoc Arriba. Of the 43 nests found during
the season, 30 were found on these natural
beaches. Every day during the reproductive
season, the beaches in the area were checked
for nests. The nests that were found in natural
beaches, or in artificial beaches with a pres-
ence of ants, were collected and transported
in polystyrene containers to an incubator in
Cotoc Arriba. Nests that were not threatened
(by risk of flooding, pillage, predation, or
trampling by livestock) were left in place and
monitored daily. Each of the collected nests
was incubated individually in plastic contain-
ers along with sand from the beaches from
which they were collected.
CAPTURE/RECAPTURE STUDY
With the objective of gaining a better
understanding of the population of Podocnemis
lewyana in the region, and starting a long term
monitoring of the population, a capture/recap-
ture study was started. During a period of four
weeks, five hoop traps were set and reset along
the shores of the river in the areas of Cotoc
Arriba and Campano. A total of 30 individuals
were captured, measured, weighed, marked, and
returned to the river at the same point where
they were captured. This study will be important
to evaluate effectiveness of conservation actions
and provide recommendations for future actions.
LA VIRGEN COMMUNITY WORKS FOR THE PROTECTION
OF THE GIANT SOUTH AMERICAN RIVER TURTLE
(PODOCNEMIS EXPANSA) ON THE META RIVER
As part of a larger initiative in the Orinoquia
region of Colombia, the WCS/TSA team works
along with Fundacin Omacha and the commu-
nity of La Virgen to protect adult female Giant
South American River Turtles and their nesting
areas. The initiative is focused on the middle
Meta River, home of the second largest known
population of this species in Colombia. In this
area, people from the community work along
with biologists to: a) protect nesting beaches
agreed upon by the community, b) protect nest-
ing females, c) monitor nests and d) generate
awareness and education programs. In its second
year of implementation the project expanded to
include nine nesting beaches (from seven on the
first year) and successfully monitor 831 nests.
Nest survival was lower this year (79%) because
of early natural floods, but egg harvesting from
humans dropped to zero in protected beaches, as
did hunting of female turtles during nesting.
This year the project also expanded to involve
more people from the community. More than 15
families participated in the surveillance and moni-
toring of nesting beaches. The community of La
Virgen strengthened their organizational and deci-
sion making mechanisms, as well as their participa-
tion in other initiatives for the conservation of natu-
ral resources. At the end of the reproductive season,
the community organized a symbolic release event,
with the participation of other communities and
members of the government, the media and other
environmental organizations to disseminate the
importance of these areas for the species and high-
light their work for its conservation.
Acknowledgements Disney Conservation Fund,
Fundacin Mario Santodomingo, Ecopetrol, Wildlife
Conservation Society, Fundacion Omacha.
december 2016 48 turtle survival
In June 2015, the largest ever confiscation of a
single, critically endangered freshwater turtle
species occurred when 3,831 live Palawan Forest
Turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis) were seized in
Southern Palawan (Devanadera et al. 2015).
The number of seized forest turtles was dan-
gerously close to the estimated remaining wild
population, and unless a release back to appropri-
ate habitats could be achieved, and quickly, the
species was at severe risk of becoming function-
ally extinct in the wild.
The overwhelming task of pulling together
a rescue team became an urgent one, as it was
abundantly clear that the sooner the animals
were returned to the wild, the better their
chances for survival.
One of the biggest concerns of the rescuers:
the adult turtles of this species typically show
severe aggression toward each other and fare
poorly when confined in large numbers. So any
protracted quarantine of such a large group
would certainly result in high mortalities.
RESEARCH TO THE RESCUE
Upon consulting the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and
Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (TFTSG),
F E AT U R E
Emergency Release Program
for Critically Endangered
Palawan Forest Turtles
Sabine Schoppe, Sonja Luz, Diverlie Acosta, Roseline Mesicampo and Ronelito Esuma
Release sites were selected to have all the habitat requirements of the species. Here, checking traps in the early morning. PHOTO CREDIT NICOLAS CEGALERBA AND JOANNA SZWEMBERG
it was agreed that apparently healthy animals
would be released back to the wild as soon as
possible. IUCN/SSC TFTSG recommended:
"animals that do not clearly need extensive re-
habilitative care should be released into the wild
swiftly, ideally into areas that were previously
inhabited by these turtles."
Translocation programs, including re-intro-
ductions for threatened species, usually require
long planning and careful assessments. But in
this case, important decisions had to take place
within a few days.
Fortunately, we could draw on extensive
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 49 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
experience gained from over ten years of work-
ing with the species: research on wild Palawan
Forest Turtles equipped with transmitters
demonstrated high site fidelity, while immature
animals exhibited higher dispersion rates when
compared to adults (Jose et al. 2013). Telemetry
studies on released juveniles showed that they
settle at 10-3,000m (mean 1,603m) from the
release site (Schoppe 2013). Long term mark
recapture studies demonstrated that the recap-
ture rate is relatively high in undisturbed areas
(Schoppe and Acosta 2013).
As site fidelity is an important requirement
for successful translocation, there was more
than enough research evidence to suggest that
the Palawan Forest Turtle qualified for this
tactic, provided the release areas were carefully
selected.
FROM RESCUE TO RELEASE
Between 22 June 2015 and 19 February 2016,
almost the entire population of confiscated
Palawan Forest Turtles, 3,385 individuals, were
released back into ten wild habitats within the
indigenous range of the species.
All animals selected for release underwent
a thorough health check and received a cohort
marking in the form of a notch. Eighty-one per-
cent were released within the first ten days after
their arrival at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and
Conservation Center (PWRCC).
In July 2015, the Katala team quickly started
monitoring release sites. During the first month,
visual inspections of the sites and adjacent areas
500m up and downstream were conducted to
search for dead or weak animals.
Starting in August 2015, we conducted regular
trapping surveys at all ten release sites. We allocat-
ed two days for each site during release site surveys
one day and night for the area 1000m upstream,
and one day and night for the area 1000m down-
stream. At sites two and eight, 12-day samplings
were conducted to assess the entire stream system
where turtles had been released. For this, streams
were divided into four sections, and each section
surveyed for three consecutive nights.
Turtles were surveyed visually, but most
were caught by funnel traps baited with fish. We
took standard measurements from recaptured
turtles and new captures were notched with an
identification code specific for each site. During
consecutive surveys we no longer assessed recap-
tured adult turtles for size, to minimize handling
stress, but body weight was measured on every
capture. Juveniles were measured during every
recapture to assess growth.
RESCUE, RELEASE, RESULTS
Between July 2015 and September 2016 we
conducted a total of 77 monitoring surveys (Table
1). We found a total of 115 (3.4%) dead turtles. One
turtle was brought back into captivity to treat
an eye problem. Most of the translocated turtles
TABLE 1: NUMBER OF SURVEYS AND NUMBER OF TRANSLOCATED AND RESIDENT TURTLES ENCOUNTERED.
RELEASE AREA
# RELEASED
# DEAD
RELEASED
MINUS DEAD
# SURVEYS
JULY '15 TO
SEPT. '16
TOTAL #
TRANSLOCATED
CAUGHT
RELATIVE #
RECAPTURED (%)
TOTAL #
RESIDENTS
CAUGHT
1
333
9
324
5
39
12.0
33
2
129
0
129
12
43
33.3
38
3
371
43
328
10
89
27.1
26
4
86
0
86
9
10
11.6
61
5
233
0
233
6
77
33.0
254
6
518
33
485
5
69
14.2
0
7
140
0
140
10
6
4.3
51
8
969
30
939
11
114
12.1
194
9
100
0
100
5
34
34.0
14
10
500
0
500
4
7
1.4
0
Total
3379
115
3264
77
488
671
Two Palawan Forest Turtles that had been confiscated on 17 June, released on 24 June 2015 and recaptured on 17
Feb. 2016. PHOTO CREDIT: KATALA FOUNDATION
december 2016 50 turtle survival
were readily identifiable by shell lesions and all
were healing well.
We encountered dead turtles within the first
two survey months, with no more found after Au-
gust 2015. All dead turtles were from release sites
used during the first 10 days after confiscation.
We recaptured a total of 488 (15%) of the
released turtles (Table 1); some repeatedly.
Recapture success ranged from 1.4 to 34%. On
average, 18.3% of the translocated turtles were
recaptured (Table 1).
The lowest recapture site is a relatively large
river used during the very first release on 22 June
2016. According to interviews with local people,
the site had no resident population, and during
surveys we never caught a resident individual.
There is another site without resident popula-
tion in our release areas, but it had an anecdotal
record of previous species presence.
The eight additional release sites always had
healthy resident populations. In total, 671 resi-
dent turtles were trapped during surveys.
Surveys at sites where we had divided the en-
tire stream system into four sections revealed, in
both, that the highest recapture rate of released
turtles was in the direct vicinity of the release
site. In both cases all recaptures were within a
maximum of 2,300m from release.
Further research is needed to better analyze
the success of this project, with steps taken to
analyze possible gender related distribution
patterns, size variations of released and resident
individuals, weight increase, etc.
Current data enables definition of project
success based only on mortalities, health condi-
tions and recapture success. Overall mortality at
rescue centers and after release was 14.5%; much
lower than expected when compared to other
large confiscations. With lesions resolving, and
no mortalities beyond August, the data implies
good healing progress. Recapture success was
relatively high, showing that released turtles
became established in their areas.
For now, we can say that the release was
successful and that the Palawan Forest Turtle is
a good candidate for conservation translocation
within its indigenous range.
Contact: Katala Foundation Inc., PO Box 390, Puerto
Princesa City, PH-5300 Palawan, Philippines, sabine_
schoppe@web.de, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, 80
Mandai Lake road, Singapore 729826, sonja.luz@wrs.
com.sg

Acknowledgements: Monitoring activities from July 2015
to March 2016 were funded through donations gener-
ated during the 2015 Palawan Forest Turtle Rescue.
We again thank all those people and organizations who
made the 2015 rescue a success. Special thanks to
Wildlife Reserves Singapore for continuing support and
funding of this project; North of England Zoological
Society and the Society for the Conservation of Species
and Populations, for support monitoring activities in
two release sites. Thanks to TSA Europe for funding IEC
activities in release areas; all the people that helped with
the field work: Edziel, Imma, Fely, Elvie, Alvin, Dexter,
Eudelyn, and John Rey; and Nicolas Cegalerba and
Joanna Szwemberg for photography.
All captured turtles receive an individual identification notch. PHOTO CREDIT: NICOLAS CEGALERBA AND JOANNA SZWEMBERG
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 51 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
TSA takes great pride and pleasure in announcing
Joko Guntoro as a winner of the Disney Conser-
vation Hero Award for groundbreaking work
with the Painted Terrapin (Batagur borneoensis)
in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Every year, the Disney Conservation Fund
recognizes local citizens for their commitment
to reversing the decline of wildlife and engaging
communities in conservation. Recipients from
around the world are nominated by nonprofit
environmental organizations. Each honoree,
along with his or her nominating organization,
will share a $1,500 award from the fund.
Joko is a perfect example of how some of the
greatest conservationists can be found in the
most unlikely of places and situations. He earns
a living as a chicken farmer, has had no formal
conservation training, and speaks rudimentary
English. Moreover, he was born and raised in a
society that placed little value on wildlife con-
servation. Despite all this, and motivated by an
inspiring passion for turtles, Joko taught himself
conservation biology and became a discerning
and meticulous conservationist who achieves
tremendous success under difficult conditions.
In 2010, Joko founded an active group of
volunteers, now officially known as the Satucita
Foundation, to protect Painted Terrapin nesting
beaches in Aceh Tamiang, Sumatra. The organi-
zation quickly became a force for conservation
with its establishment of a small headstarting
facility for the Batagur borneoensis.
In 2016, 669 hatchlings were produced. This
represents an eightfold increase over the highest
recorded count from previous years. Efforts
and successes like these have inspired a grow-
ing grassroots movement for Painted Terrapin
protection throughout the region. The governor
of Aceh Province recently honored the Satucita
Foundation by presenting the group with the
Environmental Savior Award.
Joko's work first came to the attention of
the global conservation community when he
received initial project funding from the Mo-
hammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
The Satucita Foundation now receives support
from the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom, the
Houston Zoo, and the Turtle Survival Alliance.
A TIMELY ENTRANCE
Joko's introduction to the conservation world
could not have come at a more urgent time for
the Painted Terrapin. Once common in Sumatra,
Indonesian Borneo, and Malaysia, the entire
population of this formerly secure species plum-
meted during the 2000's in the midst of the Asian
Turtle Crisis. Easily captured with predictable
nesting behaviors and accessible nest sites, huge
numbers of Painted Terrapins were collected
from the wild and sent to food markets in China.
This situation, coupled with negligible legal
protection and enforcement, contributed to the
disappearance of the magnificent and beauti-
fully colored Painted Terrapin over much of its
former range. A small, yet viable, population
still remains in the Aceh Tamiang region of Su-
matra with the species now listed as Critically
Endangered.
GROWING A GRASSROOTS EFFORT
Not content to merely produce headstarted
turtles, Joko is keenly interested in balancing
conservation goals, actions, and techniques to
ensure a sound future for the Painted Terrapin.
He spends considerable time protecting nest
sites and camping out on remote and sometimes
dangerous locations. This dedication sets a
strong example for the local communities, and is
the chief reason Joko has been able to rally sup-
port for the chelonian cause and find colleagues
willing to endure hardships in the field, just as he
does, for very meager pay.
This motivated leadership, combined with a
vast knowledge of the Painted Terrapin and local
Indonesian turtle fauna, allowed him to trans-
form a grassroots effort into a growing conserva-
tion program.
Joko has also long realized that education
and public awareness are both key to a success-
ful, long term conservation program. Since 2011,
Joko and the Satucita Foundation have engaged
over 5,500 people within local communities to
conduct nest patrols, restore critical Painted
Terrapin habitat, and plant fruit trees for ter-
rapins along rivers. Perhaps most impressively,
Joko garnered the attention of his government
and spoke before the Aceh Tamiang House of
Representatives in an effort to craft a Memoran-
dum of Understanding (MOU) for the protection
of Painted Terrapins that is currently pending
approval.
"Once in a great while, someone like Joko
emerges from the shadows, with a perceptive
ability to see what needs to be done, and the
resourcefulness to do it. Individuals like Joko do
not cross our path often, and when they do, we
have a profound responsibility to recognize their
talent and find ways to support them," states TSA
President, Rick Hudson.
And so it is, with immense pride, that we an-
nounce Joko Guntoro as a winner of the Disney
Wildlife Conservation Hero Award. He is indeed
a champion for turtle conservation in Indonesia,
and embodies all the characteristics of a true
conservation hero.
Joko Guntoro Named
Disney Conservation Hero
Howard Goldstein
D I S N E Y C O N S E R VAT I O N AWA R D
december 2016 52 turtle survival
The Bellinger River Turtle (Myuchelys georgesi)
was, until recently, an abundant species within
a relatively limited range. Found only in the
Bellinger River drainage of northern New South
Wales, Australia, it inhabits the deeper pools
along the upstream stretches of the river. A re-
cent and sudden population crash has seen their
numbers plummet dramatically.
In early 2015, local community members ca-
noeing the river found a growing number of sick
and dying turtles. After raising the alarm with
wildlife authorities, further searches revealed
the rapid spread of a mortality event that soon
encompassed the entire range of the species. In
the two months following the initial discovery,
over 400 dead or dying turtles were removed
from the river. Due to a subsequent flooding
event that prevented further collection, this fig-
ure is likely an underestimate of the true extent
of the die-off.
F E AT U R E
Securing a Future for the
Bellinger River Turtle
Michael McFadden, Adam Skidmore, K arrie Rose, Jane Hall and Peter Harlow
A juvenile Bellinger River Turtle found surviving the rapid species decline. PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM SKIDMORE
Each of the turtles presented with a number
of symptoms, including: swollen eyes, lethargy
and emaciation. Attempts to treat the turtles
failed and the mortality rate appears to be 100
percent in clinically ill specimens.
RAPID RESPONSE INVESTIGATION
The catastrophic die-off sparked a rapid
response from authorities. An incident manage-
ment team, established to investigate the cause
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 53 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
of the mortality and guide further management,
was led by the NSW Office of Environment
and Heritage, and included a diverse team of
organizations such as the Taronga Conservation
Society Australia, NSW Department of Primary
Industries (DPI), Western Sydney University
(WSU), NSW Environment Protection Authority,
and others.
Immediately after dying animals were
discovered, a number of specimens were sent to
the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health at the
Taronga Zoo for analysis. In collaboration with
NSW DPI, they identified a pathogen that was
attributed to the mortality. Work to further iden-
tify and understand this pathogen is continuing,
along with studies to understand potential meth-
ods of transmission and identify any reservoir
host species.
It is not yet known if the susceptibility of the
species was due to the disease alone, or whether
the turtles were weakened by other environmen-
tal pressures such as an unseasonal increase in
water temperatures, low water levels, habitat
development or lack of suitable diet. Parts of the
species' range have been impacted by habitat
modification and the clearing of riparian vegeta-
tion. The resulting increase in sedimentation can
heavily impact the benthic macro-invertebrate
community, which constitutes a significant com-
ponent of the turtle's diet.
Other threats to the species are also operating
within the Bellinger River. The Murray Short-
necked Turtle (Emydura macquarii), another
Australian species, has been introduced to this
drainage, creating a threat through potential
competition and hybridization. Furthermore, an
introduced predator, the Red Fox (Vuples vulpes)
is known to predate on turtle eggs and nesting
females.
Since the recent decline of M. georgesi, re-
peated surveys have been conducted throughout
the river system and confirmed that the species
was heavily impacted throughout the extent of its
range. It is estimated that the number of Bellinger
River Turtles has dropped from 1,500-4000 indi-
viduals, to a few hundred young animals.
ESTABLISHING AN ASSURANCE COLONY
To prevent possible extinction, the decision
was made to secure the species in an ex situ
breeding program. A small group of turtles was
collected from the upstream reaches of the Bell-
inger River prior to the incidence of sick turtles
reaching this section of the river. They were
transferred to a newly established quarantine
facility at WSU where they were put through an
extensive quarantine period before testing nega-
tive for the pathogen.
In early 2016, sixteen turtles (nine males and
seven females), were transferred to a newly con-
structed facility at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Nine large tubs were established for the species
in which they will live under strict quarantine
protocols. After undergoing their first over-
wintering in captivity, it is hoped the turtles will
resume breeding activity in the coming months.
Although we are starting with relatively few
turtles, the rapid response by a multi-institution-
al team has provided hope that the species can be
saved. An assurance colony has been established
with plans to secure additional founders.
Further research will investigate the wild
population and disease dynamics of the species
and the influence of threatening processes. The
species has received state threatened species
listing as Critically Endangered, and a CBSG con-
servation planning workshop is scheduled to take
place with major stakeholders in order to devise a
plan that secures the persistence of the Bellinger
River Turtle.
Contact: Michael McFadden, Taronga Conservation
Society Australia, PO Box 20 Mosman, NSW, Australia,
2088, mmcfadden@zoo.nsw.gov.au.
Acknowledgements: Many people made great con-
tributions to the conservation efforts for this species,
including: Gerry McGilvray, Shane Ruming, Dr. Ricky
Spencer, Murray Austin, Professor Arthur Georges, Dr.
Peter Kirkland, Dr. Bruce Chessman, Josh Maher, and
many others.
Taronga Zoo senior veterinarian Larry Vogelnest performs an ultrasound on a female Bellinger River Turtle.
PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEL MCFADDEN
TCSA wildlife pathologists Karrie Rose and Jane Hall,
along with Dr. Bruce Chessman, take measurements
and sample the remaining disease presence in the
population. PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM SKIDMORE
december 2016 54 turtle survival
April 2016 saw the launch of Bowling for
Batagur Turtles, as the Australasian Society
of Zookeeping (ASZK) nominated and chose the
conservation efforts of the Turtle Survival Al-
liance (TSA) on behalf of Batagur species as the
focus for their annual fundraising events.
ASZK is a professional association represent-
ing the zookeeping and aquarium industries
throughout Australasia. Started in 1976 in Ad-
elaide, South Australia, and now in its 40th year,
ASZK has a diverse international membership
that provides support in keeper development,
training, networking, and career opportunities.
Beyond the ASZK's focus on professional devel-
opment, there is a strong commitment toward
global species conservation.
Every year, ASZK sponsors a regional series of
fundraising events including ten-pin bowling and
auctions to generate financial support for a cho-
sen conservation project. This year's project nomi-
nation was for the conservation of Batagur species
on behalf of the Turtle Survival Alliance. The TSA,
along with its other global partners, has many in
situ and ex situ conservation initiatives across the
world. Their project with the Batagur species is just
one example of many international efforts.
The genus Batagur describes six species of
river turtles endemic to Southeast Asia and the
Indian subcontinent. All of the Batagur species
have suffered drastic declines across most of
their historic range due to the unsustainable
harvest of adults and eggs, pollution, habitat and
nesting site destruction, and climate change.
These threats are further exacerbated by pres-
sure from some of the most densely populated
human communities in the world. Currently,
five out of the six Batagur species are listed as
Critically Endangered, with the sixth listed as
Endangered, according to the IUCN Red List.
Additionally, five of the six species of Batagur
are among the top 25 species of tortoises and
freshwater turtles considered at highest risk of
extinction; with two Batagur species counted as
number four and five on the list. The TSA pro-
vides valuable community awareness program-
ming and habitat protection while supplementing
wild populations with captive bred and captive
reared individuals. Their efforts continue to
bolster the global populations of these iconic and
colorful freshwater turtles.
The ASZK Sydney event brought together
over 100 animal caregivers and zoo professionals
from local animal institutions for what turned
out to be the largest and most successful fun-
draising opportunity we've ever hosted in that
city. Money was raised in several ways: through
F E AT U R E
The Australasian Society of
Zookeeping Launches Bowling
for Batagur Turtles 2016
Chris Dryburgh
a registration fee for all night bowling, a raffle,
auctions, and a lolly guessing competition (guess-
ing the number of jelly beans in a jar).
To assist in regional annual fundraising,
the ASZK also always designs and produces a
distinctive custom-made T-shirt. This year's
Batagur Turtles tees proved to be quite popular!
All profits from production and sale of the shirts
contributed to the fundraising grand total.
The ASZK ultimately held several differ-
ent bowling and fundraising events, and was
very pleased to donate a total of AUD $8,032
directly to the Turtle Survival Alliance. The
ASZK is proud to help fund the ongoing, suc-
cessful programs to conserve this colorful group
of freshwater turtle species especially those
projects supporting B. kachuga, B. affinis and B.
borneoensis, across India and Sumatra.
The ASZK recognizes the continued and tire-
less commitment of the Turtle Survival Alliance
towards global turtle and tortoise conservation
with their benchmark of zero extinctions, and we
know the funds raised and committed to the TSA
will be well utilized in serving their many TSA
Batagur conservation programs.
Contact: Chris Dryburgh, Memberships Officer, the
Australasian Society of Zookeeping (ASZK) cdryburgh@
zoo.nsw.gov.au
Bowling for Batagur Turtles
2016
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 55 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
Ilze Astad and Eric Munscher
B RE W ERY PA R T N ER S HIP S
Drink Beer. Save Turtles
Martin House Brewing Company, Fort Worth, TX
martinhousebrewing.com
Turtle Power
7% ABV Blackberry Altbier
TSA partner since 2014
Blackberry
Altbier
In 2014, the Turtle Survival Alliance teamed up with Martin House Brewing for the ultimate turtle and beer lover collaboration: "Drink Beer. Save Turtles." Two
years later, this partnership has grown to include breweries around the U.S., raising funds and awareness for the plight of turtles with limited edition beers and
special tasting events:
Interested in hosting a "Drink Beer. Save Turtles" event at your favorite local bar, taproom or brewery?
Please contact Ilze Astad, Director of Development, ilze.astad@turtlesurvival.org
Terrapin Beer Company,
Athens, GA
terrapinbeer.com
Partnered with World
of Beer New Orleans
for a fundraising event
during the 14th Annual
Symposium on the
Conservation and
Biology of Tortoises
and Freshwater Turtles.
Spoonwood Brewing
Company, Pittsburgh, PA
spoonwoodbrewing.com
Turtle Eclipse
7.4% Tropical Stout with
Pineapple/Mango/Passion Fruit
Compound
TSA partner since 2016
Holy City Brewing Company, Charleston, SC
holycitybrewing.com
Gimme Shell-ter
7% ABV American Blonde Ale with a hint of blackberries
TSA partner since 2015
december 2016 56 turtle survival
We Are the TSA
M E M B E R S P O T L I G H T S
Chris Clark
JOHN EDWARDS
Hometown: Ashton, Ontario, Canada
Occupation: Business Manager, Holohil
Systems Ltd. (www.holohil.com)
Can you tell our readers a little bit about
Holohil (for those who don't know):
Holohil manufacturers VHF transmitters for
wildlife research. While we manufacture some
The foundation of the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) is our partnerships, including those with our individual members. With that in mind, we firmly
believe that anyone can contribute to turtle conservation in some way, regardless of background or experience. These are three exceptional members
who do just that. We hope that you enjoy getting to know them.
of the smallest units commercially available, the
largest quantity of units we now build are for tur-
tle/tortoise research. It wasn't always this way.
When I first started with Holohil (in 1996), the
bulk of our customers were bat/bird biologists.
In fact, the primary model now used for turtles/
tortoises (the RI-2B) had only ever been used as a
necklace on quail! Fast forward 20 years and we
now sell thousands of these units to hundreds of
turtle/tortoise projects annually!
How did you first come to be involved with
the TSA?
Andrew Walde (a long time user of our trans-
mitters with desert tortoises) invited me to my
first TSA annual symposium in 2014 (Orlando,
FL). I had never heard of the TSA prior to that
meeting. I quickly discovered an incredibly well
organized, well run conference the TSA puts on
each year. I had the chance to meet with dozens
of TSA members whom I'd only ever corre-
sponded with by phone or e-mail. Getting the
opportunity to meet so many of them in person
and discuss their research, using our products,
made it one of my favourite conferences!
How does being involved with the TSA add
value to your business?
Since that initial conference, I've returned
every year, with the TSA annual symposium now
on our "can't miss" list of meetings to attend.
The 2015 and 2016 symposiums were easily the
best conferences I've ever attended on behalf
of Holohil. The annual conference allows me to
network with our customers in a manner that is
simply not possible at any other venue. Between
interacting at our vendor booth, attending talks
and poster sessions, socials, and impromptu field
trips, the TSA's annual meeting allows me to
interact with our customers on a more personal
level. It's been my experience that once you've
made those personal connections and friend-
ships, a real loyalty is created to your brand.
Do you ever get a chance to be out in the
field with turtles?
YES! In fact, my first ever trip afield was to
Madagascar (go big or go home!), assisting with
radio tracking Spider and Radiated tortoises.
A bit of background: While attending the 2014
TSA conference, I was given a copy of Turtle
Survival magazine and read about work being
done in Madagascar by one of our customers,
Andrea Currylow (USC). The following year, I
met Andrea in person at the 2015 TSA conference
and asked if her work ever included volunteers.
It did, so in January 2016, I travelled with her to
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 57 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
Madagascar for 3 weeks to help out with tracking
these endangered tortoises. I was also fortunate
enough to visit two TSA rehab centers during
my time there. It was the experience of a lifetime
and has me eager to volunteer on future projects!
Being able to travel into the field opened my
eyes to the tremendous challenges facing turtle
conservation, and the incredible dedication and
passion that scientists, like Andrea, bring to this
critical work.
LAUREN AUGUSTINE
Hometown: Norristown, PA
Occupation: Animal Keeper, Department of
Herpetology, Smithsonian's National Zoological
Park
Can you tell our readers a little bit about
your work (for those who don't know).
I am an animal keeper in the Department
of Herpetology at the National Zoo. At the Zoo
we care for several species of endangered and
critically endangered chelonians. Additionally, I
maintain the studbook for three species of Asian
Box turtle, Cuora galbinifrons, C. bourreti and C.
picturata,and I am working on a genetics project
to assess relatedness, inferring genetic differ-
entiation and gene flow among the three taxa
involved.
How did you first come to be involved with
the TSA?
I became involved with TSA in 2010 when
they held a special session for Cuora at the
Annual Conference. At the time I was working
at the Bronx Zoo with Cuora galbinifrons and
Cuora auracapitata. Working with my depart-
ment on keeping and breeding these species, two
of us attended the TSA conference in hopes to
learn more about their husbandry and captive
reproduction. I found the conference incredibly
valuable. I gained so much information about the
genus Cuora, as well as so many other Chelonian
conservation topics. I was in awe of the work
the TSA was conducting globally. At this time I
joined the TSA and have attended every confer-
ence since.
How did you first come to be involved in
conservation?
I have always had an interest and passion for
wildlife. After my undergraduate degree I began
working as an environmental educator, with a
heavy focus on herpetology. From there I got my
first zoo job at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
working on Project Golden Frog. After a few
years in Maryland I moved on to the Bronx Zoo
where I was just blown away by the work of the
Wildlife Conservation Society. This is when I
decided to become a more active participant in
herpetology and conservation. I began attending
conferences and started taking classes towards
my Master's Degree. Now working for the Smith-
sonian, I am finishing up my MS in conservation
science and policy at George Mason University
and continuing to pursue professional and educa-
tional opportunities as they arise.
Do you have a memorable turtle related
experience you could share?
As a kid, my dad was always bringing home
wildlife. He was known in the neighborhood as
the "Animal Guy." One day he brought home a
clutch of Snapping turtle eggs. He worked resi-
dential construction and one morning when they
arrived on site there was a large Snapping turtle
sitting on the top of a mound of dirt. My dad
removed the turtle for his terrified coworkers,
who then began to bulldoze the pile. They un-
knowingly unearthed a clutch of eggs, destroying
about half. My dad quickly retrieved the remain-
ing eggs and brought them home. He set the eggs
up in our garage in the drawer of an old piece
of furniture to incubate. We hatched around 20
snapping turtles and took a trip out to a more
rural area to release them. It was a really unique
experience; we even went out to this property a
few times in the next year to check on our turtles.
DR. BEN ATKINSON
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Occupation: Assistant Professor, Depart-
ment of Natural Sciences, Flagler College
Can you tell us a little about your work at
Flagler College?
One of the most rewarding aspects of my job
is getting undergrads involved in turtle research.
We've dubbed our team the "Tortuga Crew."
With the Tortuga Crew and collaborating faculty,
I currently study Diamondback Terrapin ecol-
ogy in northeast Florida as well as on the state's
Gulf coast in the Cedar Keys National Wildlife
Refuge. We've also begun monitoring Gopher
Tortoises and their commensals in the coastal
strand habitat of northeast FL's Guana Tolomato
Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Recently, I was invited to join efforts to
conserve critically endangered Central American
River Turtles, aka the "Hicatee" in Belize. This
work is being undertaken at the TSA-sponsored
Hicatee Conservation Research Center, through
the Belize Foundation for Research and Envi-
ronmental Education (BFREE). Next summer I'll
lead a study abroad class for Flagler students to
help Hicatees!
How did you first get started with turtle
fieldwork?
I currently serve as FL's regional represen-
tative for the Diamondback Terrapin Working
Group, and as an advisory committee member for
the Eastern Box Turtle Conservation Trust. The
latter is where I got my start doing real turtle
fieldwork and outreach more than 15 years ago!
Both groups have invested a lot in me since I
embarked on the turtle path. I'm doing my best to
pay it forward.
How did you first become involved with
the TSA?
I first became involved with TSA by attend-
ing the 4th Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri
(2006). At the time, I volunteered on an alligator
snapping turtle project and hadn't even begun
grad school. TSA brings together partners from
many like minded groups and institutions. This
diversity and shared holistic vision provides the
organization's strength and efficacy. I am proud
to be a member!
december 2016 58 turtle survival
We're serious about saving turtlesjoin us!
Visit turtlesurvival.org to become a TSA member. Or, complete this form and send, with a check (payable to TSA) to:
TSA, PO Box 12074, Fort Worth, Texas 76110
How did you hear about the TSA? ________________________________
Membership Levels (figures represent annual dues):
Student ($25) Senior ($25) Individual ($50) Organization ($300)
Would you like to make your membership "green?" Green members will not
receive a hard copy of the TSA's annual publication in the mail. Instead, they
are invited to read it online. Yes No
Thanks for your support! Please visit turtlesurvival.org to learn more
about options for Organizational Memberships.
TSA members enjoy a 10% discount
every day on most items in the TSA's
online store. Log into your membership
account at turtlesurvival.org and select
"Member Benefits" from the dropdown
menu to learn about additional offers
and rewards throughout the year.
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How Can You Help?
There are many ways that YOU can contribute to turtle conservation and support the TSA's mission of zero turtle
extinctions. Visit the TSA website to learn more!
Make a Donation Your support moves us closer to a goal of zero turtle extinctions.
Purchase Equipment Check out the TSA's Wish List on amazon.com to purchase equipment that is needed by our staff at the Turtle
Survival Center and in the field.
Join the TSA Become a member of the TSA or buy a gift membership for a friend.
Support the TSA at No Extra Cost to You There are several programs available through which you can support the TSA's mission by
doing what you do every day!

Amazon.com Access amazon.com via the TSA link (http://bit.ly/tsa_amazon) and a portion of your purchase will be donated to
turtle conservation!

eBay The TSA is part of the eBay Giving Works program. So, you can support our mission when you buy and sell on eBay.

Good Search What if the TSA earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every
purchase you made online went to support our cause? It can, with Good Search!
Shop for the Cause Visit the TSA's online store to purchase t-shirts, art, publications or other merchandise to support conservation
projects around the world. A number of designs are available on a wide variety of merchandise in the TSA's Caf Press store.
Volunteer Pitch in and get your hands dirty! Volunteer opportunities are posted on the TSA website.
http://www.turtlesurvival.org/get-involved
Help us conserve turtles and tortoises for future generations. PHOTO CREDIT: BRIAN HORNE
Planning for
the Future
You can provide for the future needs of our mission
by naming the Turtle Survival Alliance as beneficiary
in your estate plans. A Legacy gift will ensure that the
Turtle Survival Alliance keeps its promise of zero turtle
extinctions for years to come. Thank you for taking
the time to explore the benefits of gift planning,
including life income gifts, gift annuities, mutual funds,
real estate, life insurance and other plans.
You can also support the Turtle Survival Alliance by
donating to the Operating Endowment Fund. Your gift
allows you to have a significant impact on the Turtle
Survival Alliance's future by helping to provide an
ongoing income.
For additional information, please contact Ilze Astad,
Director of Development, at 843/830-4040 or
ilze.astad@turtlesurvival.org.
december 2016 60 turtle survival
In 2002, after Eric Goode completed a Wildlife
Conservation Society (WCS) Burmese Star
tortoise expedition to Myanmar, John Behler
approached him with a proposal. He asked Goode
to continue the WCS's tortoise breeding programs
then happening at the St. Catherine's Island (SCI)
Species Survival Center, off the coast of Georgia.
John, with his more than 30 years of ex situ ex-
perience working with these rare species, wanted
Eric V. Goode, 2016 Behler Turtle
Conservation Award Recipient
B E H L E R AWA R D
I was fortunate to grow up in rural northern California, in the 1960's and 70's, where my family gave
me an appreciation and love for the natural world. I spent my childhood exploring the family's 250-acre
ranch, hiking in the hills, trout fishing in crystal clear streams, and searching for native wildlife. I had a
particular fascination with reptiles and amphibians and kept a record of every species I encountered
long before I knew about "Life Lists".
Pond turtles, Western newts, California King snakes, Red-sided Garter snakes, Pacific Giant salaman-
ders, and Yellow- and Red-legged frogs were all common in our streams and ponds. California was a
paradise in those halcyon days and little did I know that so many of the common species of my child-
hood would soon be rare or entirely gone in just a few decades. Looking back, I realize how all these
creatures were taken for granted.
Today, when I return to my family ranch, there are no Yellow- and Red-legged frogs, no newts, Pond
turtles, or King snakes, and the most common species of all, the beautiful California Red-sided Garter
snake, has disappeared completely. Sadly, what happened in Sonoma is a microcosm of what has hap-
pened to species around the globe.
On my sixth birthday, I received a Mediterranean tortoise named Ajax. My love affair with Ajax led to a
postage stamp collection of turtles and tortoises that I kept in my bedroom until college: Indian Star tor-
toises, Red-footed tortoises, Burmese Black Mountain tortoises, Leopard tortoises, Texas tortoises, North
American Wood turtles, Box turtles, Spotted turtles, Amazon Yellow-spotted Side-neck turtles, Indian
Spotted turtles, along with an assortment of snakes and a 3-foot long Argentinian tegu that shared my
bed. I grew up in the era that predated CITES and the Endangered Species Act. Anything and everything
exotic was readily available in the pet trade.
By the mid 1990s, I realized that the toll placed on wildlife, both from over collecting for the pet trade
and from other anthropogenic pressures, was not sustainable. The turtles and tortoises native to my
home state of California, and globally, were disappearing at an alarming rate. By this time I had become
acutely aware of the plight of the world's wildlife and started to think about my role in conservation,
particularly the dire need to protect turtles and tortoises, as they were fast becoming one of the most
endangered groups of animals on the planet. This passion for turtles and tortoises has been a constant
thread throughout my life and remains with me to this day.
As luck would have it, in January of 2003 I received a phone call from John Behler that would change
my life forever, and answer the calling in me to make a difference.
Eric Goode, founder and President of the Turtle Conservancy in his Behler Award
acceptance speech at the TSA Conference in New Orleans, August 2016.
Max Maurer, Ross Kiester, and Paul Gibbons
to make sure the assurance colonies he had main-
tained including Radiated, Burmese Star, Spider,
Flat-tailed, Egyptian, and Burmese Black Mountain
tortoises would remain intact after the closing
of SCI, and he wanted to especially ensure that the
breeding program would go forward in perpetuity.
TAKING THE HELM
After a visit by Behler, Bill Holmstrom, and
Maurice Rodrigues to Eric's small vacation prop-
erty in southern California, they all agreed to set
up a new facility for the tortoises. Construction
was begun in 2004 on a series of buildings and
greenhouses comprising the heart of the Turtle
Conservancy's conservation center.
Over $1 million dollars funded state of the art
greenhouses, tortoise houses, a nursery, quarantine
area, commissary, and numerous outdoor enclosures
and ponds for the new turtle and tortoise breeding
center. In 2006, after John's passing, the center was
named the Behler Chelonian Center to honor his life
of service to turtle and tortoise conservation.
Today, the Turtle Conservancy's Behler
Chelonian Center (TC) is known as one of the
world's premiere facilities for breeding endan-
gered turtles and tortoises. The center is a 501(c)
(3) public charity, and since 2006, the only AZA-
certified facility solely dedicated to breeding im-
periled chelonians. The TC is home to 35 species
of turtles and tortoises, including 15 of the IUCN
TFTSGs "Top 40 Most Endangered".
The TC has bred some of the World's most
challenging species, and some never before bred
in captivity, including: the Assam Roofed turtle
(Pangshura sylhetensis), Impressed tortoise
Eric with the recently named Goode's Thornscrub Tor-
toise (Gopherus evgoodei) during a biodiversity inventory
of the preserve that was created to protect the species
and its tropical deciduous forest habitat near the town of
Alamos in Sonora, Mexico. PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES LIU
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 61 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org
Eric Goode and Miye McCullough with a Bolson Tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginata) found on the Turtle Conservancy's
43,540-acre tortoise preserve in the heart of the Bolsn de Mapim in Durango, Mexico. PHOTO CREDIT: MAURICE RODRIGUES
(Manouria impressa), Speckled Padloper (Homo-
pus signatus), Arakan Forest turtle (Heosemys
depressa), and Okinawa Leaf turtle (Geoemyda
japonica), to name a few. The center has also bred
2nd and 3rd generations of many at risk species.
In January 2012, the TC became the first to
repatriate internationally bred, threatened tur-
tles for conservation when we returned Golden
Coin turtles (Cuora trifasciata) to Hong Kong for
an ongoing reintroduction program. Over the
past decade, the TC has bred many turtles and
tortoises for conservation, hatching 25 species
totaling 1,400 offspring surviving.
Over these same ten years, the TC supported
and collaborated with researchers, ecologists,
conservationists, naturalists, students, and art-
ists. Many of the world's leading authorities on
turtles and tortoises have spent time on the Ojai,
California campus, researching reproductive
biology, physiology, genetics, and the natural his-
tory of the many species in the collection.
Eric currently sits on the boards of: Chelo-
nian Research Institute, the Turtle Conservation
Fund, Rainforest Trust, and Global Wildlife Con-
servation. He is a member of the IUCN Tortoise
and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group.
THE ECCENTRIC CONSERVATIONIST
Goode experienced an unorthodox career
path for a naturalist and conservationist. He's
evolved from a turtle keeper, to an innkeeper, to
an Earth keeper.
His unique connections to both the entertain-
ment and hospitality industries allowed him to
leverage a very visible conservation platform, and
to raise public awareness of chelonian challenges
by being profiled on CBS' 60 Minutes and Charlie
Rose, and in The New Yorker, The New York Times,
Wall Street Journal, and with other media outlets.
To bring awareness of the plight of turtles to
tens of millions of people, he created the Turtle
Ball, one of New York's more exclusive and idiosyn-
cratic benefits that regularly brings together artists,
celebrities, philanthropists, conservationists, and
the fashion world for a festive evening that focuses
a spotlight on the global turtle extinction crisis.
Eric is the publisher and co-editor of The
Tortoise magazine, a periodical of the Turtle
Conservancy that merges science, travel, culture,
art, and conservation.
Through the Turtle Conservancy, Eric's work
extends to the far corners of the globe, including
Argentina, China, Indonesia, Madagascar, Myan-
mar, Taiwan, Thailand, Namibia, the Philippines,
South Africa, and Mexico. The organization's
proudest achievement, to date, is the 45,000
acres protected over just the past 18 months.
HABITAT CONSERVATION MILESTONES
Eric's land conservation efforts began a
number of years ago with a conservation ease-
ment to create a 250-acre nature preserve on the
family ranch where he grew up. With the Turtle
Conservancy, he's helped create the 1,000-acre
Geometric Tortoise Preserve in South Africa.
Quite possibly, this enclave is where this Criti-
cally Endangered tortoise will make its last stand
against extinction and where it will begin to
make its march back from the brink.
Later, Eric secured a major grant from the Leon-
ardo DiCaprio Foundation to catalyze purchase of
43,540 acres in the heart of the Bolson tortoise range
in north central Mexico now the only completely
protected area dedicated to this imperiled species.
Shortly after that, Goode's Thornscrub tor-
toise (Gopherus evgoodei) was named in honor of
Eric's longstanding turtle and tortoise conserva-
tion work. He teamed up with scientific authors
who described the species in order to raise funds
and purchase 1,000 acres of its tropical, decidu-
ous forest habitat in Sonora, Mexico.
More than any other recognition I have received,
the Behler Turtle Conservation Award means the
most to me. I am deeply honored to be recognized
by my peers in the turtle conservation world, and
I share this award with the Turtle Conservancy
Family because I could not have done what we
have collectively achieved without you: Ursula
Britton, Rebecca Chaiklin, Andrea Currylow, Taylor
Edwards, Walton Ford, Matt Frankel, Gregory
George, Paul Gibbons, Alfonso Gonzalez, Nicholas
Goode, Juan Hernandez, Margaretha Hofmeyr,
Angel Jimenez, Armando Jimenez, Rene Jimenez,
Jim Juvik, Ross Kiester, Gerald Kuchling, Christine
Light, James Liu, Max Maurer, Miye McCullough,
John Mitchell, Russell Mittermeier, Lukasz
Pogorzelski, Rosalinda Palomo Ramos, Samuel
Ramirez, Anders Rhodin, Rick Ridgeway, Lynn
Rimkus, Maurice Rodrigues, Andrew Sabin, Julian
Sands, Chris Shepherd, Craig Stanford, Fisher
Stevens, Peter Paul vanDijk, Mercy Vaughn and
Michael Zilkha; and our major funding partners
who make it all possible, Andrew Sabin, Matthew
Frankel, Global Wildlife Conservation, Leonardo
DiCaprio, Rainforest Trust, Stuart Salenger,
Weeden Foundation, and Michael Zilkha.
august 2011 62 turtle survival

a publication of the turtle survival alliance 63 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org

december 2016 64 turtle survival
D O N O R R E C O G N I T I O N
$100,000 +
Alan & Patricia Koval Foundation
Fagus Foundation
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley
Charitable Trust
$50,000 to $99,999
The Arthur L. and Elaine V. Johnson Foundation
Barbara Brewster Bonner Charitable Fund
Gregory Family Charitable Fund
$25,000 to $49,999
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
Disney Conservation Fund
Fort Worth Zoo
Houston Zoo
Utah's Hogle Zoo
Wildlife Conservation Society
$10,000 to $24,999
Aquarium Innovations
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Conservation Grant Fund
Brian Bolton
Dallas Zoo
Dennler Family Fund of the Toledo
Community Foundation
Detroit Zoological Institute
Owen Griffiths /Francois Leguat Ltd
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation
Thank you for
your support!
We wish to acknowledge the individuals and organizations who donated to support the
Turtle Survival Alliance between November 1, 2015 and October 31, 2016
Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) Species
Conservation Fund
Nashville Zoo
Natural Encounters Conservation Fund
Ocean Park Conservation Foundation,
Hong Kong
Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
San Diego Zoo
Save Our Species (SOS) Fund
David Shapiro
Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.
$5,000 to $9,999
Abilene Zoo
City of Greenville/Greenville Zoo
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund
Ed Neil Charitable Fund
The Frankel Family Foundation
Saint Louis Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
Virginia Zoo
$1,000 to $4,999
Anonymous
Amazon Associates
Albuquerque BioPark
Ellen S. Anderson
AAZK - Greater Houston Chapter
AAZK - Puget Sound Chapter
AZFA Clark Waldram Fund
Auckland Zoo
Mrs. Lee Bass
BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo
Deborah Behler
Berkeley Electric Trust
Jim Breheny
Brookfield Zoo
Tonya R. Bryson
Chelonian Research Foundation/Anders Rhodin
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Conservation International
Robin De Bled
Desert Tortoise Council/Kristin Berry
Dickerson Park Zoo
The Florida Aquarium
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Whit Gibbons
Global Wildlife Conservation
Richard Hills
William Holmstrom
IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle
Specialist Group
John Iverson
Jill Jollay
John Ball Zoo
Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden
Nancy Karraker
Robert Krause
Hersh Markusfeld
Martin House Brewing Co.
George Meyer
Tom Motlow
Moody Gardens
National Zoological Park
Nature's Own
North Carolina Zoological Park
Bob Olsen
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Robert Ortiz-Dietz
Ty Park
Phoenix Zoo
Santa Fe College - Zoo Animal Technology
SK Foundation/William Cato
Frank & Kate Slavens
Spoonwood Brewing LLC
Brett & Nancy Stearns
Steve J. Miller Foundation
James & Barbara Stewart
Stuart Salenger Foundation, Inc.
Toronto Zoo
Nicholas Trageser
Ron Tremper
Turtle Conservancy
Turtle Conservation Fund
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Bruce Weber
Wildlife World Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo
Robert T. Zappalorti
Zilla/Central-Aquatics
Zoo Atlanta
Diane Yoshimi
In Kind Giving
Acadian Wholesale Supply
Jay and Jane Allen
Orlando Alvarez
AppRiver
Nick Badham
Berkeley Electric Cooperative
Berlin's Restaurant Supply
Cambro Manufacturing
Centrex Plastics
Crescent Garden
Crossroads Signs
Tony DiResta
E. L. Mustee & Sons
Mary Lou Googe Flanagan
Melissa Foote & Bill Edwards
Franklin Electric Co., Inc.
Goose Creek Farmers Market
Debra Hane
Roy Herpolsheimer
Jerry Hurd
Steven Ives
James Krause
Limehouse Produce
Lucas Tree Experts
Will and Jessica McGuire
Mepkin Abbey
Mark Muhich
Rachel Nusz
Radio Communications of Charleston, Inc.
Remarket Medical
Santee Cooper
Mike Slade
Southern Concrete and Finishing Inc.
Nancy Stewart
Sunlight Supply
Tree Pro
Virginia Zoological Park
Woodland Park Zoo
Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.
While space limits us from listing all of our
donors, we are grateful for every gift that makes
our work possible. We gratefully acknowledge our
donors for their support and generosity.
Every effort has been made to accurately
recognize our donors. If any errors have occurred,
please accept our sincere apology and contact our
office at (843) 790-4483 with any corrections.
Publication
supported by
PHOTO CREDIT: SCOTT TRAGESAR
The Chittagong Hills Tract (CHT) is a vast tract of tropical rainforest in eastern Bangladesh,
on the border with Burma, that still supports a stunning array of highly endangered Asian
megafauna including elephants, tigers, clouded leopards and gaur as well as hornbills,
pangolins and at least five turtle/tortoise species of special concern, including this Burmese
Mountain Tortoise (Manouria emys phayrei). But the CHT forest and its wildlife are under
tremendous threat from land clearing, hunting and logging and are unlikely to survive
without protective intervention. The Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA) working with local
Mro tribes - have developed innovative strategies to significantly reduce hunting pressures on
endangered species This creative program has quickly captured the imagination of some of
the world's leading conservation organizations, and donor organizations are enthusiastically
supporting it. The TSA is proud to partner with the CCA on this ground-breaking project.