from the
president's desk
Rick Hudson
Living on the front lines of turtle
conservation certainly has its ups
and downs from experiencing the
excitement and surprise that comes
with the all too infrequent good
news, to the lows that accompany the
everyday tragic news that we have
grown so accustomed to. But, you learn
to take the bad with the good and if
there is one maxim that always holds
true in the conservation business its...
two steps forward, one step back.

So first, some of the good news.
Today, June 17, 2010, we received
word that the Rafetus female at Suzhou
Zoo in China laid her first clutch of
the season: 63 eggs. We are optimistic
again this year, due to an improved diet
and hopefully better calcium stores. In
Myanmar, despite intensive gold min-
ing activity around the primary nesting
beach, we have recovered 115 new
hatchlings of the Burmese Roof Turtle
for the captive program a record
number and an unexpected surprise.
In Belize, Thomas Rainwater's river
surveys, though revealing dismal news
on the status of Dermatemys, have
mobilized the local conservation NGO
community to action, and we predict
that this will have a catalytic affect in
the region. This unique species, the
sole member of an entire family of
turtles, is disappearing rapidly due to
overexploitation and a unified re-
sponse is urgently needed. We believe
the TSA can lead this effort.

The good news is (of course)
tempered with the bad. In Malaysia,
the government is advancing plans
to channelize the Setiu River in
Terrenganu, connecting it with the
South China Sea to allow fishermen
quicker access. This decision would
prove devastating to populations of
both River Terrapins (Batagur affinis)
and Painted Terrapins (B. borneoensis)
in what is arguably the most important
Batagur site in all of Southeast Asia.
In Bangladesh, we learned that a pair
of long-term captive Northern River
Terrapins (B. baska) that we had
planned to acquire for breeding had
been killed and eaten. The female
weighed 27 kg! Like the Yangtze Giant
Softshell Turtle, this species faces
imminent extinction unless urgent
conservation action is taken, and is
considered the second most endan-
gered turtle in Asia. In Madagascar, we
saw firsthand evidence of a massive
new trade in Radiated Tortoise meat,
one that is clearly unsustainable
and that threatens the existence of
this once widespread and abundant
species.

So, how does the TSA expect to
deal with all these emerging threats
while at the same time continuing to
fund our core programs, like India and
Myanmar? I believe the answer lies in
our new Board of Directors, a dedi-
cated, resourceful, and caring group
of individuals that usually manages to
rise to the occasion. This group is not
shy about meeting difficult challenges,
and is fast becoming a globally recog-
nized force for turtle conservation. In
February of 2010, the TSA Board, in
just its second year of existence, ap-
proved a ramped up budget that nearly
doubled the spending of 2009. Growing
expectations can only be achieved
with additional staff, and soon we will
hire a full-time Animal Management
Coordinator to oversee the captive
side of our program This position
underscores the importance we place
on captive management and the role
it plays in ensuring the survival of on
the brink species. The upcoming Cuora
workshop is another example of this
commitment.

The 2010 annual TSA symposium
in Orlando promises to be our best
yet!! New Conference Program Chairs
Andrew Walde and Beth Walton have
done an exceptional job organizing this
year's program and we have a packed
agenda that includes special sessions
on Madagascar and Chinese chelonians,
to be followed by strategic planning
sessions for both. With generous donor
support for both of these sessions,
we will be able to bring in key players
from those countries and engage them
in a strategic planning process. The
TSA symposium is becoming increas-
ingly important in providing that sense
of community that is so crucial to what
we do. People in developing countries
need to know where to turn for help,
and given the challenges before us this
opportunity to share experiences and
resources helps restore our optimism
and fuel our passion. And, despite our
myriad backgrounds, what binds us is
our shared commitment to protecting
turtles and tortoises. Whether you
are on the front lines working to save
species where they live or maintaining
captive assurance colonies, please
know how much we appreciate your
dedication to turtle conservation and
the TSA

Finally the TSA magazine has a new
look and feel this year thanks to Louie
Porras and Eagle Mountain Publishing,
LC. Louie has years of experience in
the publishing business and has been
a pleasure to work with, absorbing
much of the editorial work that I did
previously. With Heather Lowe out on
leave with a new baby, he has been a
godsend. Saludos, Louie!!
Taking the good with the bad...
its all part of the business.
FEATURES
From the President's Desk
2
Partners
3
Cover Story
5
Board of Directors
11
Member Spotlights
12
Members Make the Difference
13
Animal Management
15
Significant Breedings
17
TSA Partner News
22
TSA Europe
30
TSA Africa
38
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
Myanmar
42
Bangladesh
47
India
50
Madagascar
63
Vietnam
71
China
75
Malaysia
77
Cambodia
79
Belize
81
Brazil
85
Philippines
88
table of Contents
Turtle Survival Alliance
Board of Directors
Rick Hudson, President
Dwight Lawson, Ph.D., Vice President
Chuck Landrey, Secretary
Walter Sedgwick, Treasurer
Scott Davis, Ph.D., Executive Director
Bill Holmstrom
John Iverson, Ph.D.
Patricia Koval
Lonnie McCaskill
John Mitchell
Russ Mittermeier
Colin Poole
Hugh Quinn, Ph.D.
Anders Rhodin, M.D.
Frank Slavens
F. William Zeigler
Advisory Committee
Gary Ades
Bernard Devaux
Tomas Diagne
Arthur Georges
Doug Hendrie
Brian Horne
Gerald Kuchling
Jackie Litzgus
Peter Praschag
Maurice Rodrigues
Peter Paul van Dijk
Dick Vogt
Henk Zwartepoorte
Program Coordinator
Heather Lowe
August 2010 tsa newsletter
2010 tsa
Layout, Design, and Editorial Contractor:
7705 Wyatt Earp Avenue
Eagle Mountain, UT 84005-4382
ww.eaglemountainpublishing.com
Louis W. Porras, Editorial Consultant
Megan Davies, Layout and Design
megan@megandavies.com
ABOUT THE COVER: During his first full day in the field on a March 2010 visit to southern Madagascar, Brian Horne made a
gruesome discovery. In a trash dump outside the coastal village of Faux Cap, he found the remains of over 200 Radiated Tortoises
(Astrochelys radiata) that had been slaughtered recently for food. The cover image vividly captures a broken carapace half buried
in the wind-swept dunes, a grim harbinger of the carnage that the team would uncover over the following 10 days. For the past 15
years, the number of Radiated Tortoises harvested for food and export has steadily increased, but recent trends are particularly
disturbing because they reflect a massive expansion in this trade. Wild populations of these tortoises, especially those close to
urban centers, have been decimated and poachers are closing in on protected areas. Formerly numbering in the millions, the
Radiated Tortoise now faces a situation similar to that of the American Bison. See story on p. 5.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Brian D. Horne, Ph.D. currently serves in a dual position, coordinating the development and
implementation of the Wildlife Conservation Society's overall turtle conservation strategy as well as directing the Red-crowned
Roof Turtle program in India for the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research.
EXCLUSIVES, NEWS, AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chelonian Natural History
92
Donor Recognition
95
Behler Award
96
2 TSA AUGUST 2010
partners
Partnerships are Key to the TSAs success
When the TSA was founded in 2001,
we described our new organization as a
partnership alliance. Today that holds
truer than ever, and the collaborations
listed below represent the realization
of our original vision. These partner-
ships are what sustain us, support us,
provide us access to working with for-
eign governments, and ultimately ena-
ble us to grow and exert the impact that
we do on turtle conservation; they are
the core network that allows us to fulfill
our promise of zero turtle extinctions.
The challenge of protecting turtle and
tortoise species today is far too great
for just a handful of organizations. We
must be strategic in our development of
partnerships in order to be most effec-
tive, and to marshal the right resources
at the right place and time.

These myriad organizations provide
a range of services to our collective mis-
sion, including guidance, networking,
strategic planning, funding, turtle care
and rescue facilities, animal manage-
ment, marketing and public relations,
field research, logistical and technical
support, salaried positions, and a host
of other resources. Significantly, some
of these partnerships have been with
us since the early days, when the TSA
was "born," and all are an integral part
of our success. On behalf of the Board
of Directors of the TSA, we salute
this remarkable group of dedicated
partners.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 3
Troubled Times
for Radiated Tortoises
Cover story madagasCar
Borrowing a quote from the
late John Behler, these are
indeed "troubled times
for turtles." This rings especially
true for Madagascar's Radiated
Tortoise, Astrochelys radiata, widely
considered one of the world's
most strikingly beautiful tortoises.
One of four endemic tortoises, A.
radiata occupies a narrow band of
xeric spiny forest along the island's
southwestern coast. Traditionally
avoided by indigenous tribes,
these tortoises are now routinely
harvested for food (Leuteritz, 2005).
When John and RH first visited
southern Madagascar nearly 20
years ago, Radiated Tortoises were
abundant and one could hardly
fathom why they were ever classified
as an Endangered Species. We
drove to the coastal fishing village
of Beheloka, and at approximately
4:00 PM it was...in John's words, "like
someone threw the switch." Radiated
Tortoises suddenly began to emerge
in numbers and it felt like we were
stopping the vehicle every 50 yards
to photograph another tortoise. As
we gazed down the long, straight,
red dirt road, we could see tortoise
after tortoise in the distance. Upon
arriving in Beheloka several hours
later and shortly before dusk, we
again found Radiated Tortoises in
abundance, as well as numerous
Spider Tortoises, Pyxis a. arachnoides
in the coastal dunes around the
village. We encountered both species
side by side, hunkered under the
same Euphorbia bush. This day was
truly one of those special moments
in life that one never forgets.

But those halcyon days are long
gone, with populations of Radiated
Tortoises having been decimated
in this area during the late 1990s,
for human consumption, followed
some years later by the mass
collection of Spider Tortoises for the
international pet trade. Today, only
a few scattered individuals of the
Spider Tortoise can be found around
Beheloka, mere remnants of a once
thriving population. Unfortunately,
this scenario is now being played
Rick Hudson1 and Brian Horne, Ph.D.2
Not long ago, images such as this were common, with Radiated Tortoises on the road as far as
the eye could see.
brian horne
4 TSA AUGUST 2010
throughout southern Madagascar,
and the Radiated Tortoise, once a
commonly seen denizen of the spiny
forest landscape, has disappeared
from vast tracts of its former range.
Formerly considered one of the
world's most abundant tortoises,
with populations conservatively
estimated at 12 million (Leuteritz,
2005), the Radiated Tortoise is now
ranked as Critically Endangered by
the IUCN Red List and unless drastic
protective measures are taken,
extinction in the wild within the next
20 years is a distinct possibility.
Extinction Within 20 Years

After a visit to Madagascar
in March of 2010, we predicted
extinction for the Radiated Tortoise
in the wild within the next two
decades, a projection supported in
a widely distributed press release
by the Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS). The purpose of our joint
TSA/WCS expedition was to conduct
health assessments on both wild
and captive Radiated Tortoises, in
preparation for an upcoming release
of animals that had been confiscated
from the illegal wildlife trade. On
the second day of our trip, one of us
(BH) stumbled upon a disturbing
site at a garbage dump in the town of
Faux Cap. The area was littered with
Radiated Tortoise shells (minimally
estimated at 200 adults and sub-
adults) from animals that were
recently slaughtered for food, a grim
harbinger of the carnage that we were
to discover over the next two weeks.
We also discovered that poaching
had heavily impacted populations
of the tortoise in areas that just a
few years ago supported scores of
individuals; we found only a handful
of juveniles in these areas, and
encountered adults only in close
proximity to protected lands. We
likened this rate of hunting to what
the American Bison faced during
the early 19th century when it was
nearly hunted to extinction, after
numbering in the 10s of millions
(Dary, 1974). Although a limited level
of subsistence hunting of Radiated
Tortoises has existed for decades,
generally for holiday celebrations in
the city of Tulear, the current rate
of poaching is unsustainable. With
this scale of poaching and the rate
of decline in this species, which is
unlike anything witnessed in modern
times, functional extinction of
natural populations in 20 years is not
an unlikely scenario.

Tortoise extinctions are not new
to islands, and certainly not islands
in the Indian Ocean. According to the
Fritz and Havas (2007) checklist, at
least 10 species of gigantic tortoises
have been driven to extinction by
the actions of humans. Those in
Madagascar were the first to go, as
two species were lost approximately
750 to 1,050 years ago, shortly after
humans arrived. Five species disap-
peared in the 1700s, from Reunion,
Mauritius, and Rodrigues, and in
more recent times three more became
extinct in the Galapagos Islands.

To date, the work of Sue O'Brien
and colleagues (2003) has provided
the most scholarly review of the
current level of overexploitation
of the Radiated Tortoise. These
authors presented some startling
conclusions, though not all were
totally unexpected. They estimated
that the annual harvest of Radiated
A dump in Faux Cap was littered with the
remains of over 200 Radiated Tortoises.
Bonnie Raphael (WCS) trains a Malagasy
veterinary student, Tsanta Rakotonana, in
tortoise health assessment techniques.
The garbage dump in Beloha contained
numerous freshly-killed Radiated Tortoises.
Markets here openly sold tortoise meat.
brian bornerick hudsonbrian borne
AUGUST 2010 TSA 5
Tortoises exceeded 50,000 animals
per year, an amount they considered
unsustainable based on the following
salient points:

(1) The geographic range of the
Radiated Tortoise has contracted
by 20% over the last 25
years; tortoise abundance has
significantly declined close to
centers of high demand; and
commercial harvesters are
traveling increasingly far to find
sufficient densities of tortoises.
(2) Tortoise density was three
times lower and the size of
adult tortoises was smaller in
harvested populations, compared
to an unharvested population.
(3) Based on several important life-
history characteristics, including
differential survival rates
between adults and juveniles and
the female reproductive output,
at the current harvest rate their
models predicted extinction for
a population of 10,000 tortoises
within 215 years.
(4) The current harvest is at least 25
times greater than a predicted
sustainable harvest, and the
authors point out that a juvenile-
biased harvest would be much
more sustainable.


Unfortunately, the Radiated
Tortoise is being impacted by
indiscriminate collection at two
critical stages of its life history, as
both juveniles and adults are being
taken. Aside from the slaughter of
adults for food, we received reports
of thousands of small Radiated
Tortoises leaving the Antananarivo
airport on direct flights to Bangkok,
Thailand, from where they are
distributed to markets in Asia,
most notably China, Indonesia,
Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the
former Soviet Union. Recent work
by TRAFFIC indicates that Radiated
Tortoises are being smuggled into
Southeast Asia at an alarming
rate, through Thailand, and that
they are now the most commonly
observed chelonian in the trade
(Nijman and Shepherd, 2007). This
"one-two harvesting punch" will
almost certainly render recovery of
unassisted populations of Radiated
Tortoises impossible

The paradoxical question remains
as to how the Radiated Tortoise has
managed to sustain such remarkable
population numbers prior to
these modern times, when other
species have long since undergone
catastrophic population declines
(e.g., the African Spur-thighed
Tortoise and the Burmese Star
Tortoise). The answer is fady. The
dominant tribe in southwestern
Madagascar, the Mahafaly, do not
eat tortoises and hold on to a long-
held belief that harming them
is taboo, or fady. Unfortunately,
these local customs that protected
tortoises for centuries are being
lost to the rapid westernization of
traditional societies. In addition, this
particular tradition of fady is not
being respected by outside tribes,
especially those in the highlands
of central Madagascar. Members
of other tribes are now coming
to the area specifically to collect
tortoises for sale in major cities, and
to meet the demand for bushmeat
Above The team collects samples and data
at the Village des Tortues in Ifaty, as part of
a pre-release health screening protocol for
Radiated Tortoises.
Right: A Radiated Tortoise with prickly-pear
(Opuntia sp.) in the background. Although
the tortoises feed on the cactus fruit, this
introduced plant has disrupted the ecology
of the region.
brian hornerick hudson
6 TSA AUGUST 2010
fueled by large-scale international
mining operations in southern
Madagascar. For instance, tortoise
populations have been extirpated
in areas surrounding large urban
centers in the south (Tulear and Ft
Dauphin). Even more disturbing,
recent evidence indicates that
poachers are searching for tortoises
in distant and remote areas that are
often extremely difficult to reach, as
evidenced by poaching camps
discovered with the remains of
hundreds of tortoises (C. Castellano,
pers. comm.). Local informants are
also reporting that trucks loaded
with Radiated Tortoises and/or
dried tortoise meat have been
recently spotted on their way to the
Antananarivo. Furthermore, in towns
such as Beloha and Tsiombe, fresh
tortoise meat is being sold openly
without the fear of prosecution. This
dire situation is exacerbated by the
following factors:
Several years of extreme drought
have led to diminished rice and
agricultural production, and
poverty, leading people to collect
the tortoises for cash so they can
purchase rice and corn.
An arcane law dictating that
wildlife laws must be enforced
from afar (Antananarivo, or a
regional office), and thus local
officials have no legal capacity to
apprehend poachers. Enforcement
action is often several days away,
which makes the system easy to
circumvent.
Severe habitat degradation of the
xeric spiny forest, now regarded as
the most endangered forest type
in Madagascar (< 2% remains),
and one of the most important
for conserving endemic plants.
Few intact examples remain,
primarily in a limited number
of protected areas. Following
the burning and clearing of
forests for agriculture (slash and
burn), invasive plant species are
outcompeting native species,
particularly Opuntia sp. (prickly
pear) and Agave sp. (sisal) that
now dominate the landscape. The
problem is exacerbated by an
overabundance of Zebu Cattle that
sustain themselves almost entirely
on Opuntia, which facilitates the
plant's dispersal through the
spread of its numerous seeds
in the dung. Large numbers of
goats also share the habitat, and
charcoal production consumes
any large trees left standing after
burning. Fortunately, in this highly
disturbed and man-altered habitat,
the Radiated Tortoise is still able
to "make a living" and survive. The
tortoise, however, cannot survive
the current threat of wholesale
collection for the food market.
Left: A Radiated Tortoise with telltale evidence of feeding on Opuntia fruit. Center: Cap St.
Marie, the windswept southern tip of Madagascar, supports a robust population of Radiated
Tortoises. Right: All age classes of Radiated Tortoises can be found at Cap St Marie, a small
protected area that supports one of the highest densities of tortoises in the world.
brian bornerick hudson
AUGUST 2010 TSA 7
The recent collapse of the
central government and
political instability. In short, the
government is effectively non-
operational, international tourism
is at a modern low, and any and all
natural resources are apparently
for sale in marginal efforts to
keep the government "running"
by funding the payroll of federal
employees.

Perhaps the most troubling trend
is that poachers are now entering
protected areas (Special Reserves,
National Parks, World Heritage
Sites) to collect tortoises. One of
the largest remaining populations
is in the Cap Ste. Marie (CSM)
Special Reserve, a small (17 km2)
protected area with one of the
highest densities of tortoises in the
world (once estimated from 1,905
to 2,105 individuals/km2; Leuteritz,
2005). But, with only a handful of
guards to protect the reserve and
no means of making daily patrols to
deter poaching, this near pristine
site remains highly vulnerable.
The guards lack motorcycles or all-
terrain vehicles; rather, they might
occasionally hitch a ride in an ox-
cart. The only real protection comes
from the fact that the park is isolated
and difficult to reach. This protection
is fleeting, however, as once the
population of tortoises outside the
park is diminished the poachers will
eventually make their way into the
park. This situation was confirmed
through conversations with the CSM
staff, who admit that they are aware
of the looming crisis but are poorly
prepared to deal with the impending
threat. We heard similar stories from
the staff at Lac Tsimanampetsotsa,
Madagascar's newest National Park,
where poaching has already heavily
impacted tortoise populations
largely due to the park's close
proximity to the city of Tulear.
Here, we observed primarily adult
individuals and speculated that
collectors had already extracted the
juveniles for shipment to Asia.

Given the urgent nature of the
present crisis, what can we do
to help? How can we engender
support for protecting tortoises in
the face of such grinding poverty?
The solutions will not be easy,
because of the number of people
and domestic livestock trying to
eek out an existence in this harsh,
desert environment. Moreover, this
situation can only become worse
as Madagascar contains one of the
fastest-growing populations in the
world, with the majority of people
under the age of 12.
Vital Protected Areas
We believe that at least one
solution begins with the Madagascar
National Parks (MNP; formerly
ANGAP), a private association
that manages the protected areas
network and operates under the
Ministry of the Environment and
Forests (MEF). With only two
protected areas that support robust
populations of Radiated Tortoises,
we must find ways to empower
and strengthen them to meet this
challenge. Given the importance
of the CSM as a major "source"
population, might the concept
of an Adopt-a-Park relationship
prove effective, as it has elsewhere?
Could the TSA gear up support
to more effectively manage this
critical population, given that high
dollar items such as vehicles are so
desperately needed? Perhaps more
importantly, do we really have a
choice? If we can not draw a "line
in the sand" around the protected
areas, we will almost certainly loose
this species in the wild.

A second but equally important
solution involves the development
of community-based protection
programs, whereby local villagers
assist the MNP staff in patroling and
monitoring tortoise populations
within and around the protected
areas. In order to encourage such
cooperation, we need to find ways
for improving the lifestyles of the
local people as an incentive to
support protective measures. We
found an enthusiastic group of locals
in the village of Antsakoamasy,
located on the outskirts of the Park,
who are already doing a good job of
protecting the tortoises. We engaged
them to find out why, and what
they hoped to gain, by protecting
the tortoises and challenging the
poachers. We learned that they
need a water catchment basin
(estimated at ca. $12,000 US), so
they no longer have to purchase
water; some villagers told us that
they spend up to of their annual
income on drinking water. Something
this simple, therefore, could prove
transformational in their lives and
likely forge a lasting relationship with
conservation groups trying to save
the tortoises. If you put the $12,000
rick hudson
8 TSA AUGUST 2010
amount into perspective, the sale
of surplus offspring from Radiated
Tortoise captive breeding programs
in the United States alone could
easily generate this sum in a year.
Keystone Species

If the spiny forest habitat has
a keystone species, it is almost
certainly the Radiated Tortoise.
This species has become an icon for
southern Madagascar, one that every
tourist expects to see (with lemurs
of course), and if conservation
groups need a landscape species to
rally around, this is it. Surviving in
both disturbed and "undisturbed"
habitats, the Radiated Tortoise
is one of the most highly visible
components of this tortured
ecosystem, and loosing it to provide
meat for celebratory meals would
be a travesty. But then, travesties of
nature are not new to Madagascar!

The ongoing crisis with the
Radiated Tortoise should be a call
to action for all of us a rallying
cry if you will because if we loose
this durable symbol of longevity and
survivorship from the spiny forest,
what will be left to save? We hear
conservation groups say that "we
don't do single species conservation,"
but if we ignore the plight of the
Radiated Tortoise then the question
becomes, "at the end of the day, what
have we really achieved in southern
Madagascar?" We believe this species
must become our barometer for
success in this ecosystem. If we loose
the tortoise, then everything else will
not be far behind.

The TSAs goal is to develop
partnerships with groups already
working at the community
level in the south, such as WWF
Madagascar, which has an extensive
education network and is able to
impact conservation on a broad
scale. At Bernard Devaux's Village
des Tortues, plans are in place to
reintroduce Radiated Tortoises into
Lac Tsimanampetsotsa National
Park, while cultivating community
support. Nearby, personnel from
Henry Doorly Zoo's Madagascar
Biodiversity and Biogeography
Project are working in the Lavavolo
Classified Forest to find an
alternative fuel source to charcoal,
thereby protecting tortoise habitat
from burning and agricultural
conversion. The TSA supports both
of these programs, and hopes to soon
forge a closer working relationship
with the CSM Special Reserve staff
to protect this incredibly important
population. Radiated Tortoises will
not survive unless we can encourage
community support for their
protection, and we are challenged
to find innovative solutions that
will benefit the local villages. With
local support, we should be able
to strengthen the infrastructure
at protected areas so that tortoise
populations can be more closely
monitored.
Literature Cited
Dary, D. 1974. The Buffalo Book: The Full Saga of
the American Animal. Swallow Press, Chicago,
Illinois.
Fritz, U., and P. Havas. 2007. Checklist of Chelonians
of the World. Vert. Zool. 57: 149368.
Leuteritz, T. 2005. Distribution, status, and
conservation of Radiated Tortoises (Geochelone
radiata) in Madagascar. Biol. Conserv. 124:
451461.
O'Brien, S., E. Emahalala, V. Beard, R.
Rakotondrainy, A. Reid, V. Raharisoa and
T. Coulson. 2003. Decline of the Madagascar
Radiated Tortoise, Geochelone radiata due to
overexploitation. Oryx 37: 338343.
Nijman, V., and C. Shepherd. 2007. Trade in
non-native, CITES-listed, wildlife in Asia, as
exemplified by the trade in freshwater turtles
and tortoises (Chelonidae) in Thailand.
1Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo, 1989
Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
Email: RHudson@fortworthzoo.org
2Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern
Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460.
Left: Most people in Madagascar are under the age of 12. Right: Villagers at Antsakoamasy examine brochures and a copy of TSA Magazine. Located
just outside the Cap St. Marie Special Reserve, this village could become a model for providing community-based protection for Radiated Tortoises.
rick hudsonrick hudson
AUGUST 2010 TSA 9
The TSA Welcomes Two New Board Members
board of direCtors
Lonnie McCaskill has been
with the TSA since Day 1, as an active
participant in many aspects of our
field programs and a central figure
in our annual conference. Since the
first meeting in 2003, he has worked
on our projects in India, Myanmar,
and Cambodia, and has served as the
TSAs Conference Coordinator. In the
winter of 20012002, he also played
a leading role with logistics and coor-
dinating the Hong Kong turtle rescue
event staged in Florida. Lonnie has
26 years of professional experience
in zoo animal management, and for
the past 13 years has been employed
at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Russ Mittermeier has also been
with the TSA from Day 1 and was in-
strumental in supporting the group,
through Conservation International
(CI), during its formative years. Russ
is currently the President of CI, a
position he has held since 1989;
prior to that he was with WWF for 11
years. A well-known primatologist
and herpetologist (specializing in
chelonians and specifically South
American chelids), he has conducted
fieldwork for over 40 years on
three continents and more than 20
countries, mainly in such tropical
areas as Brazil, Suriname, and
Madagascar. Mittermeier's fieldwork
has focused on primates, protected
areas, and other conservation issues,
and he is considered an expert on
such topics as biological diversity
and its value to humanity, ecosystem
conservation, tropical biology, and
species conservation. He is active
in the IUCN (World Conservation
Union), currently serving as one
of the Vice Presidents. Russ serves
on the Steering Committee of the
Species Survival Commission, as
Chair of the Primate Specialist Group
(since 1977), and on the governing
boards of both the Tortoise and
Freshwater Specialist Group and the
Turtle Conservation Fund. Russ has
authored some 600 scientific papers
and 19 books.
The TSA is pleased to announce that the appointment
of two new members to the Board of Directors. Lonnie
McCaskill was approved at the February 2010 meeting in
New York, and Russ Mittermeier will come on officially
at the August Board meeting in Orlando, just before the
annual conference.
David Shapiro, founding
Board member and long-time TSA
supporter, recently stepped down
from the Board, citing problems
with meeting attendance due to
living in Hong Kong. David has been
a dedicated supporter of our efforts
to breed the Yangtze Giant Softshell
Turtle at the Suzhou Zoo, as well
as other TSA initiatives. We will
continue to count on his support,
but his input will be missed. Thanks
David, for caring about turtles and
tortoises, and for helping the TSA.
rick hudsonconservation internationalTSA: Transforming Passion for Turtles into Conservation Action
10 TSA AUGUST 2010
Marilyn Connell
Hometown: Gootchie, a rural district
in southeastern Queensland, Aus-
tralia. My property fronts Gutchy
Creek, which flows into the Mary
River. Gootchie/Gutchy (same pro-
nunciation) is a local aboriginal word
for "fat goanna."
Occupation: Project Officer, Tiaro &
District Landcare Group, and Envi-
ronmental Consultant.
What is your most memorable en-
counter with a turtle in the wild?
At the end of each nesting season, I
dig up clutches from protected nests
and collect the hatching data. While
carefully removing the overburden
at the end of last season, I uncovered
a small dark head. Unbeknownst
to me, the incubation period of this
clutch was much longer than that for
other clutches laid on same day. My
first reaction was one of concern as
to whether the hatchling was alive
or dead. For the next hour, I had the
privilege of watching the little turtle
gradually dig its way out.
How did you first learn about
the TSA? In 2009, the first Austral-
ian Biology and Conservation of
Freshwater turtle workshop was
held in Brisbane. There, I met Chuck
Schaffer (another TSA member), who
ensured our entanglement in the
international turtle community.
How would you describe your
personal conservation philoso-
phy? I have been associated with
the Australian Landcare movement
for many years, which reflects my
values of working toward balancing
conservation with agricultural pro-
duction. Rivers are the lifeblood of
our environment, as well as of urban
and rural communities; plus, they
are great for kayaking.
Tell us about your job. Each year,
from late September to January, river
turtles seem to rule my life. First, we
organize a Landcare fencing working
bee before the nesting season. Then,
we await the spring rains, wonder-
ing if enough rain will "wet up" the
nesting banks. On many mornings it
means getting up early to reach the
nesting banks just after dawn, where
we check for nests, follow the tracks
up and down the bank, and some-
times discover a freshly laid clutch.

I love learning from other people.
Mariana A. de M. Campbell is re-
searching the Mary River Turtle for
her Ph.D. dissertation, and we spent
many hours on the river, testing
water, collecting nesting data, and
asking questions. An unforgettable
experience happened in 2008 when I
sat on the Mary River Turtle nesting
banks with John Cann, an Australian
turtle expert whom we all admire.
Three months later, we hosted such
international turtle experts as Dr.
Peter and Sybille Pritchard, Dr.
Gerald Kuchling, Dr. Peter Paul van
Dijk, and Chuck Schaffer, which was
beyond my wildest dreams. For a
small rural community, it was the
highlight of the year. Many local
folks can't believe that people from
overseas are that interested in our
district.

One never knows where turtles
will take you. It's a great adventure.
Chris Bednarski
Hometown: Houston, Texas.
Occupation: Senior keeper of Herpe-
tology at the Houston Zoo.
Do you keep turtles at your
home? I do.
What is your most memorable en-
counter with a turtle in the wild?
My most memorable encounter with
a turtle in the wild was the first time
I saw a Spotted Turtle (Clemmys
guttata). I was about 8 years old and
living in Rhode Island, and would
frequently (3 or 4 times a day) go
to "the swamp," which was really
a cranberry bog behind my house,
to look for herps. Then, there he
was...a beautiful male Spotted Turtle.
I watched him foraging underwater
for about five minutes before he
disappeared.
Have you ever tried to educate
others about turtles and turtle
conservation? I conduct many
keeper chats at the zoo, about the
few turtles we have on exhibit. In
addition, this spring a few of the
other Herpetology Keepers and I
held a TSA fundraiser outside of the
Reptile House, where we handed
out pamphlets and raised public
awareness on turtle conservation.
We made posters showing the "Top
25 Species on Death Row," and had
the opportunity to speak to countless
member spotlights
AUGUST 2010 TSA 11
people. Overall, the fundraiser went
very well. I even dressed up in a
turtle mascot costume!
Tell us about your job. I am a
senior keeper in the Herpetology
Department at the Houston Zoo. My
main responsibilities are taking care
of amphibians and chelonians.
Joshua Mitchell
Hometown: Ames, Iowa.
Occupation: Student (Animal
Ecology).
Do you have any pets? A bearded
dragon (Sandy), six turtles, and a dog
named Izzy.
Do you keep turtles at your
home? Yes, I have two rescued Three-
toed Box Turtles (Spud and Shiela), a
Red-eared Slider (Clyde), an African
Sideneck Turtle (Enguru), and two
Ouachita Map Turtles.
Have you ever tried to educate
others about turtles and
turtle conservation? Yes, I gave
a presentation on the TSA for my
learning community class at Iowa
State University. I also created
an interpretation program for
naturalists in my natural resources
class.
Tell us anything about yourself
that makes you unique. One of
the unique things about me is that I
have ADHD, so sitting around or just
relaxing is hard for me to do. When
I am not swamped with school or
work, you can almost always find me
building something to improve my
animals' habitats. That may include
building a better basking area, filtra-
tion, a better hide, or whatever I can
imagine. As a college student with a
large number of animals, it is safe to
say I can't afford expensive setups for
them. That is why 90% of the things
I have for my animals are things I
made for them. To be honest, since
these items are custom made with
their specific needs in mind, I think
they are better than a lot of what I
could buy in the store.
Bryan Zaher
Hometown: Harrisville, Pennsylvania.
Occupation: Maintenance and con-
struction at the Alaska Zoo.
What first sparked your interest
in turtles and tortoises? I grew
up running around the creeks and
ponds in the woods. When I was
five years old, I found two Common
Snapping Turtles that I brought
home and kept for the next 25 years.
During this time, I studied and raised
other turtles and tortoises, including
Sri Lankan Star Tortoises, Impressed
Tortoises, and North American Wood
Turtles.
What is your most memorable
encounter with a turtle in the
wild? While fishing at a backwoods
pond when I was young, I watched
a large water snake swim by when
it was snatched from below by a
large Common Snapping Turtle that
had likely followed my fishing lure
toward the shore.
How would you describe your
personal conservation phi-
losophy? Conservation is everyone's
responsibility and can range from
making donations to volunteering
or participating in captive breeding
programs. I also encourage pet
owners to not allow their pets to
roam free or to release animals into
the wild. Non-indigenous species
are increasingly plaguing ecosystems
and having a negative effect on native
wildlife.
Have you ever tried to educate
others about turtles and turtle
conservation? Conservation is one
of my priorities in conversation. I
have also been selling items at craft
fairs and businesses around town to
raise money for TSA, and educating
people on the importance of all
species, big and small, in healthy
ecosystems. For example, I teach
people how certain seeds may only
germinate after passing through the
stomach of a tortoise, and that these
seeds can grow into a tree that is
home to many other species. Those
other species also propagate in their
own way, like small parts of a big
machine, and taking away one seem-
ingly small part of the machine will
cause it to break down.
member spotlights
12 TSA AUGUST 2010
members make the differenCe
Heather Lowe1
Our members are the driving force
behind the success of the TSA, and
we are thrilled to announce that our
membership has more than doubled
in the past year! Word of mouth is
our most powerful recruitment tool,
so we'd like to take this opportunity
to say thanks to all who have helped
to spread the word about the TSA
and our conservation projects
around the globe. Funds generated
by membership dues help to offset
the operating costs of the TSA,
and they also allow access to non-
restricted funds that can be used in
the event of unexpected costs related
to conservation projects around the
world. In essence, your support is
essential to our success.

This year, we made an
effort to significantly increase
communications with our members
via the e-mail newsletter, website,
and Facebook page. Hopefully, you
are enjoying the frequent updates
on field projects that inspired you
to support the TSA in the first place.
If you have any suggestions about
other things that you'd like to see on
the website or in any of our other
communications, let us know!

The TSA is truly a grassroots
organization and we hope that each
of our members and donors feel
engaged in the work being done for
turtles globally on their behalf. As an
organization, we believe that anyone
can contribute to turtle conservation,
regardless of their background or
experience. Each and every member
has the ability to become an advocate
for turtle conservation in their local
community, increasing the TSA's
presence around the world. In this
issue, we are highlighting four truly
exceptional members. We hope that
you enjoy getting to know them.
1Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo, 1989
Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
Email: hlowe@fortworthzoo.org
AUGUST 2010 TSA 13
animal management
The last year was typically busy
for the Animal Management
programs of the TSA. Behind the
scenes, the TSA focused its captive
collection by divesting of species and
individuals that were not going to be
part of an actively managed program.
Reducing the number of tracked
individuals through donations
frees up some of our most precious
resource time to focus on spe-
cies that are in dire need of captive
management. This decision was
timely, because several high-profile
confiscations and transactions have
demanded our attention.

As publicized on the TSA website
throughout the year, authorities in
Hong Kong have been very active
in policing and seizing illegal turtle
shipments, including one of 1,300
individuals in February of 2010.
Long-time TSA partner Kadoorie
Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG)
accepted 317 of these turtles and
is holding some, primarily Yellow-
headed Temple Turtles (Heosemys
annandalii), for placement in TSA
facilities in the United States. A
number of high profile and rare
tortoises have been seized as well, of
which some are awaiting clearance
and permitting before they are
shipped to the United States. Others
have recently been placed within
the TSA Europe network. Henk
Zwartepoorte, the TSA Europe Chair,
reports that one European placement
arrived on March 30th and included
a diverse array of 35 individuals of
eight species. This group contained
some highly endangered species,
including Madagascar Radiated
Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata),
Burmese Star Tortoises (Geochelone
platynota), and one Arakan Forest
Turtle (Heosemys depressa), which
later was placed at the Muenster
Zoo. A second shipment from KFBG,
with 39 individuals, arrived in
Amsterdam on July 8th and included
11 Flower-back Box Turtles (Cuora
galbinifrons). All of these turtles
were transferred to various privately
managed studbooks/breeding
programs registered with European
Studbook Foundation participants,
and they represent welcome new
bloodlines for the ESF. Finally,
eight Roti Island Snakeneck Turtles
(Chelodina mccordi) were received
by the ESF from the San Diego Zoo,
the result of a previous bloodline
exchange with Europe. These new
individuals improve the management
options for this Critically Endangered
species in Europe, and provide
new bloodlines for increasing
genetic diversity within the captive
population.

A developing partnership with
Wildlife Reserves Singapore/
Singapore Zoo resulted in the
importation of 36 confiscated Indian
Star Tortoises (Geochelone elegans)
into the United States. The majority
of these individuals were placed with
TSA members in the western part
of the country, where the climate is
most amenable for their husbandry
and reproduction. We hope that off-
spring from this group will be avail-
able for adoption soon. In the second
phase of this new partnership, early
this fall the TSA will be sending an
adult pair of Giant Softshell Turtles
(Pelochelys cantori) from Scott Davis'
collection to the Singapore Zoo.

The 2010 Conference will feature
a session dedicated to the Chinese
box turtle genus Cuora, which
contains among the most threatened
of the Asian turtles, with at least
four species already functionally
extinct in the wild. The Cuora session
will be followed by a full-day Cuora
workshop, during which experts
from China, Europe, and the United
States will meet to discuss the
status of these species in the wild,
their husbandry and breeding in
captivity, and future plans for their
conservation.
TSA Animal Management Update
Dwight Lawson1, Henk Zwarteporte2, and Scott Davis3
Malayan Box Turtles (Cuora amboinensis)
continue to dominate turtle trade seizures,
and consistently show up in large numbers.
One of the most heavily exploited turtles in
Asia, this species is unlikely to sustain this
level of exploitation.
kadoorie farm & botanic garden
14 TSA AUGUST 2010

The most exciting news for
this and the coming year is the
realization of a full-time, paid TSA
Animal Management position.
Thanks to the generous support
of the Beneficia Foundation and
the Mohamed bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund, the TSA is
actively recruiting a Coordinator
to oversee its assurance colonies,
actively acquire important taxa, and
develop detailed management plans
for the most Critically Endangered
holdings. We hope to hire a dynamic,
experienced individual soon who
will invigorate this important branch
of the TSAs activities. The new
Director of Animal Management
will be intimately involved with the
TSAs Cuora program, with efforts
to repatriate the Vietnamese Pond
Turtle (Mauremys annamensis)
and a host of other conservation
activities. With so many wild turtle
populations continuing to decline,
captive assurance colonies and well-
managed breeding programs are
more important now than ever.
1Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Ave S.E., Atlanta, Georgia
30315. Email: dlawson@zooatlanta.org
2Chair, TSA Europe, Rotterdam Zoo, Blijdorp,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
3Turtle Survival Alliance, 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort
Worth, Texas 76110.
wildlife reserves singaporekadoorie farm & botanic gardenLeft: Senior Fauna Conservation Officer Kit Tan Sun marks a large Yellow-headed Temple Turtle (Heosemys annandalii) as part of the triage process
at Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden. The staff at KFBG staff are often asked to hold and treat large numbers of confiscated chelonians, and are
highly experienced in this regard. Right: Adult India Star Tortoises (Geochelone elegans) await shipment from Singapore to the United States.
Bernard Santhosh confirms the PIT number
on a tortoise prior to shipment.
wildlife reserves singaporecourtesy of harry rotmansA Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
shipped by Kandoorie Farm & Botanic Garden
is uncrated in Amsterdam in March of 2010.
These confiscated tortoises will be integrated
into TSA Europe breeding programs.
TSA: We're serious about saving turtles.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 15
sinifiCant breedings
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo announced the first captive breeding of
the Giant Nile Soft-shell Turtle (Trionyx triunguis). An adult pair
maintained in a 48,500 gallon pool in the Zoo's Lied Jungle Exhibit
has produced a number of infertile eggs over the past several years.
On 17 April 2009, keepers observed the female in the process of lay-
ing 10 eggs and were able to collect them early the next morning.
Several shells were cracked, but the internal membranes appeared
to be intact. All eggs were incubated in 1:1 perlite at 84F and seven
hatchlings emerged after 67 days of incubation. Their average weight
was 16 grams. After four additional days in the incubator, they were
transferred into simple aquatic set ups with a water temperature of 82F. The hatchlings have been raised on a
diet of gut-loaded crickets and Ziegler Aquatic Turtle Food, and their average weight is now 103 grams.
Ten adult Malaysian Giant Turtles (Orlitia borneensis)
have been maintained in the moat and island exhibit that
houses Siamangs and Gibbons at the Miami Metrozoo
since the massive 2001 Hong Kong confiscation/rescue by
the TSA. Although many of the Orlitia were in poor physi-
cal condition upon arrival, the staff worked diligently to
bring them back to health and losses were minimal. In
September of 2009, the staff discovered a juvenile (11cm)
in with the group of 10 adults. Based upon the size of the offspring, it was estimated that the hatchling was from
the 2008. In December of 2009, another hatchling was found in the moat, this one significantly smaller (7 cm).
Subsequently, between December of 2009 and May of 2010, six more hatchlings have been discovered, all deter-
mined to be this season's offspring based upon their size. This was the first successful reproduction of Orlitia at
Miami Metrozoo.
Stephan Bhm [stephan@unsre-bu.de] reports the captive
breeding of the Amazon Toad Head Turtle (Mesoclemmys
raniceps). Two clutches of six and seven eggs, respectively, were
laid by a mature female, and a first clutch of three eggs came
from a young female. All of the eggs were fertile, and the mean
measurements were 40.5 31.8 mm with an average weight of
26.1 grams. The eggs were incubated in a "Budde-Incubator"
(Glass tank filled with 25% heated water, with the eggs incubated
in boxes over the water), in a coco-peat substrate that was kept
rather dry throughout the incubation period. The substrate was moistened when the eggs began to hatch, and
after this stimulus the small turtles emerged. As with most South American chelids, Mesoclemmys hatched lying on
their backs. The first three eggs hatched in 133 days, but incubation may require up to 150 days at temperatures
between 26.5 and 30.0 C.
brandon greavesnicole atteberrystephan bhm
16 TSA AUGUST 2010
sinifiCant breedings
Bill Hughes reports that 2009 was a good year
for Asian Spiny Turtles (Heosemys spinosa) at
the Tennessee Aquarium. Four eggs hatched this
year, bringing the total number of hatchlings to
seven for the past three years (two in 2007, one
in 2008). Incubation times ranged from 101108
days at 81F. Left: A hatchling in its egg. Below,
left to right: offspring from 2009, 2008, and 2007.
Bill also reports the hatching of two
clutches of the Yellow-blotched
Map Turtle (Graptemys flavimacu-
lata) eggs at the Tennessee Aquar-
ium in 2010, resulting in a total
of five hatchlings. One clutch was
incubated at 82F and one at 86F,
in an effort to produce offspring of
both sexes.
bill hughesbill hughesbill hughes
AUGUST 2010 TSA 17
sinifiCant breedings
Richard Struijk reports the hatching of five Keeled Box
Turtles (Cuora [Pyxidea] mouhotii mouhotii) at his facility
in the Netherlands. Eggs have been produced yearly since
2007, ranging from two to five eggs per clutch. In 2009, a
first clutch consisting of two eggs was produced on June
29th. The mean egg sizes were 47 29 mm and their mean
weight was 19 g. A second clutch, containing five eggs, was
produced on July 26th. The mean egg sizes were 37 26
mm and their mean weight was 15.6 g. All seven eggs were
fertile and five hatched after 102113 days. All eggs were
incubated while buried up to 45% of their height in a damp
mixture of cocopeat and sand, at temperatures of 2627C. The mean hatchling weight was 12.2 g and the mean
body sizes 41 33 21 mm (L W H).
Richard Struijk also reported the hatching of 13 F2 Pancake
Tortoises (Malacochersus tornieri) between 2005 and 2009.
The male and female parents were F1 individuals that hatched
in 2000 and 1999, respectively, and started producing eggs at
five years of age (female). From one to five eggs hatched every
year between 2005 and 2009. One egg measured 41 24 mm.
Only two eggs were hatched in an incubator, in sand, and all
of the other eggs hatched within the terrarium housing the
parents. The eggs were deliberately left in situ, and hatching
almost always occurred on the surface at night or during the
early morning. The mean hatchling length was 34 mm (N = 6), the mean width was 39 mm (N = 4) and the mean
height was 17 mm (N = 2). The mean hatchling weight was 10.7 g (N = 6), and hatchling weights differed by as
much as a factor of 2.
Julie Tougas reports the hatching of three Flowerback
Box Turtles (Cuora galbinifrons galbinifrons). The
2.3 parents were purchased in 2002 and reportedly
originated from Hainan Island. Eggs were laid on 26
May, 17 July, and 26 July of 2009, and hatched after
7479 days of incubation.
richard struijkrichard struijkjulie tougas
18 TSA AUGUST 2010
Captive Management
of Cuora:
An Alternative to
Extinction in the Wild
The genus Cuora contains some of the most threatened
Asian turtles, with several species already functionally ex-
tinct in the wild. As such, captive management is the sole
remaining option for the conservation of a number of spe-
cies. With support from the Mohammed bin Zahed Species
Conservation Fund, the TSA is holding a workshop at our
Annual Meeting in Orlando in order to make an initial as-
sessment of captive populations of Cuora in China, Europe,
and North America, and to lay the foundation for a long-
term captive breeding efforts. Leading Cuora experts from
around the world will meet to share information and ide-
as, with the goals of determining the viability of remaining
wild populations, identifying the founder animals being
held in captivity, and setting out the basic requirements
for the captive husbandry and breeding of each species.
All 12 of the Cuora species have been bred in captivity and
this photo montage illustrates the amazing diversity seen
in the hatchlings.
sinifiCant breedings CUORA
torsten blancksabine schoppechris hansenting zhouCuora yunnanensis
Cuora mccordi
Cuora zhoui
Cuora amboinensis
chris hansen
AUGUST 2010 TSA 19
sinifiCant breedings CUORA
Cuora aurocapitata
Cuora mouhotii
Cuora picturata
Cuora cyclornata
Cuora galbinifrons
Cuora pani
Cuora flavomarginata (twins)
Cuora trifasciata
Cuora bourreti
torsten blanckjulie tougaschris hansentorsten blanckchris tabakarichard struijkmatt vaughnjulie tougastorsten blanckCuora flavormarginata evelynae
20 TSA AUGUST 2010
TSA
PARTNER NEWS
In the last year, the Turtle
Conservancy and Behler Chelonian
Center (TC/BCC) focused on the
coordinated interaction of in situ
and ex situ conservation: in situ
conservation implementing local
efforts to preserve species in their
native habitats and ranges, and
ex situ conservation directed at
off-site efforts to protect species
outside their natural habitats. Our
understanding of the optimum
interaction and combination of in
situ and ex situ conservation has led
the TC to focus on a few long-term
projects. These include working
with the Malagasy government
for the preservation of Astrochelys
yniphora, achieving a breakthrough
in our land purchase in Mexico
for the preservation of Gopherus
flavomarginatus, signing a formal
cooperation agreement with the
Taipei Zoo in an effort to better
protect Geochelone platynota, and
bringing critical knowledge of the
captive husbandry of Siebenrockiella
leytensis to the Philippine Islands.

Personnel at the TC/BCC have
been involved with Astrochelys
yniphora (Ploughshare Tortoise
or Angonoka) for many decades,
and last year we began a major
new effort with this most Critically
Endangered tortoise. Jim Juvik,
a scientist at TC, originally
rediscovered this species in 1971,
when there was concern that it was
already extinct. In the 1990s, Juvik
and Ross Kiester worked with Lee
Durrell and Don Reid of the Jersey
Wildlife Preservation Trust, who
had begun a captive breeding and
field research program. In 2007,
Eric Goode visited Richard Lewis of
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
(DWCT) in Madagascar to begin
discussions of collaboration, and in
January of 2008, Goode and Maurice
Rodrigues participated in the Red-
listing meeting in Madagascar. From
that time, we have worked actively
with the Malagasy government, the
DWCT, the TSA, the TCF, and many
other organizations and individuals
in crafting the Action Plan for this
species. This Action Plan is now
being reviewed by the government of
Madagascar and likely will become
official policy.
We began our work on the
implementation of this plan by
forming a partnership with the
DWCT. Together, we wrote a grant
proposal to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service that was funded in the
amount of $30,000. The TC/BCC
matched that amount, as did the
DWPT, resulting in a total of $90,000.
This money is being used for in situ
work to enhance protection of the
Angonoka in Baly Bay National Park,
where it is under extreme threat
from poaching. Although completely
protected by law, the recent political
instability in Madagascar has made it
all too easy for poachers to remove a
significant portion of the remaining
wild population, estimated at only
between 200 and 600 individuals.
We hope that these new resources
for guards in the park will help stop
this exodus.

Coordinated with this work,
the TC/BCC is committed to ex
situ work enhancing the captive
breeding facility that DWCT operates
at Ampijoroa. In a separate ex
situ effort, we are working with
the TSA, the Association of Zoos
and Aquariums, the European
Association of Zoos and Aquariums,
and other partners to create
additional captive breeding colonies
using animals confiscated from the
illegal trade. This effort is complex
and difficult and involves the
governments of Madagascar, the
country in which the animals were
confiscated, and the host country
Turtle Conservancy and Behler Chelonian
Center Annual Report 20092010
Ross Kiester1, Eric Goode2, and Max Maurer3
tc/bcc miye mcculloughGerald Kuchling with an Astrochelys yniphora
in Madagascar.
A Geochelone platynota at the Behler
Chelonian Center.
tc/bcc peter praschag rodrigues
AUGUST 2010 TSA 21
that will maintain the colony, as well
as CITES and TRAFFIC. The number
of known confiscated Angonoka
in Taiwan and Hong Kong alone is
over 28, with many more animals
held illegally. We hope that these
confiscated animals can become a
key resource in the overall strategy
to save this tortoise from extinction.

During September of 2009,
the TC/BCC co-director and
scientific staff were guests of
the Taipei Zoo in Taiwan and
attended a regional, Asia-focused
symposium on "Conservation
Activities for Endangered Chelonian
Species." A significant motivation
for this zoo visit was to forge a
working relationship between the
TC/BCC and the zoo's Center for
Research and Conservation. The
center holds a large inventory of
endangered turtles and tortoises
confiscated from the illegal animal
trade in Asia. These include several
Angonoka, and we discussed their
husbandry and the possibility
that they could become part of an
assurance colony.

After several years of effort in
the field and at understanding the
complexities of acquiring land in
Mexico, the TC together with the
Andrew Sabin Family Foundation
and assisted by Josiah T. Austin
and the Desert Tortoise Council, is
now in the process of purchasing
12,000 acres of prime Gopherus
flavomarginatus (Bolson Tortoise)
habitat in the middle of the Mapim
Biosphere Reserve. Jos Amate Perez
leads our effort in Mexico, with
much help from Myles Traphagen,
Mercy Vaughn, and the TC staff.
This land will be managed for the
long-term protection of the Bolson
Tortoise population and is critical
to its conservation. A substantial
population is present on this land, so
protecting it from degradation due
to cattle and off-road vehicle use will
likely result in the largest population
of this species anywhere. This land is
also home to a wide variety of other
animals and plants. It lies adjacent
to the Desert Laboratory, operated
by Mexico's Institute of Ecology
(INECOL), and has been the site of
many studies on the Chihuahuan
Desert.
We do not maintain this species
at the BCC, but collaborate with the
Turner Endangered Species Fund,
under which Bolson Tortoises are
being bred in New Mexico. We have
shared expertise in captive breeding,
set up parallel climate monitoring
at the Turner site and in the Bolson
de Mapim, and are providing on-
board tortoise cams for a study of
foraging in both localities. This ex
situ work is part of a long-term plan
to reintroduce this species in areas
of its former range where it has gone
extinct.

The BCC and the Taipei Zoo
hold the two largest collections of
Geochelone platynota (Burmese
Star Tortoise) in captivity outside of
Myanmar. Our mutual interest in the
ex situ conservation of this species
led the TC/BCC and the Taipei
Zoo to sign a formal cooperation
agreement on September 16, 2009.
The agreement integrates the
Signing of partnership between the TC and
the Taipei Zoo. From left: Jim Juvik, Eric
Goode, Jason Yeh (Director of the Taipei Zoo),
and Kuo-Yun Fang (Deputy Director Counsel of
Agriculture).
Eric Goode and Ross Kiester presenting
checks to Lee Durrell of the Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust.
A Gopherus flavomarginatus in Mexico.
photo by andrew terrytc/bcc miye mcculloughtc/bcc maurice rodrigues
22 TSA AUGUST 2010
management of these two significant
assurance populations into a single
genetic resource. We also hosted
personnel from the Taipei Zoo on
two separate occasions at the BCC in
California to further the partnership,
exchange management ideas, and to
collect genetic material to determine
the paternity of our individuals.
We have had great success in
breeding this species, so we are now
working with these institutions and
with the TSA on the long-term goal
of repatriating some of these captive-
bred animals to Myanmar.
We have maintained a small
group of Siebenrockiella leytensis
(Philippine Forest Turtle) at the
BCC since 2008, and have learned
about its husbandry requirements.
This turtle is highly unusual, being
crepuscular and nocturnal, and
spends its days on land in deep
burrows and its nights in streams.
This unique natural history, and
a high degree of intraspecific
aggression in this species, create
significant management problems
for both in situ and ex situ
conservation. The TC is supporting
the TSA and Sabine Schoppe and
the Katala Foundation's efforts in
the Philippines to manage animals
confiscated from the illegal pet trade.
In 2009, we became a partner in
this work by committing financial
support and by visiting the site in the
Philippines. Because understanding
the natural history of this species
is critical to their husbandry, the
knowledge that the TC has gained
from maintaining S. leytensis will
help this field project greatly.

In the past year, the Behler
Chelonian Center continued to have
success in breeding, producing a total
of 145 hatchlings of 11 species. We
hatched 32 Astrochelys radiata, 37
Geochelone platynota, 20 Geoclemys
hamiltonii, 62 Manouria emys
phayrei, and five Pyxis arachnoides,
as well as Chersina angulata,
Homopus signatus, Indotestudo
forstenii, and Malacochersus tornieri.
As we continue to transform
breeding success into in situ
conservation action, we sometimes
have surplus animals available.
All proceeds from these sales go
directly into conservation work
in range countries. Our website
(turtleconservancy.org) shows the
current details.

A major advance in the work of
the BCC came when Gerald Kuchling
visited to determine the sexes of
our offspring via endoscopy. Gerald
sexed over 120 juvenile animals
at the center. Knowing the sex of
hatchlings as soon as possible is
extremely important to captive
breeding, because it tells us if we
are incubating eggs at the correct
temperature to produce the mix of
males and females we desire. With
the numbers of Astrochelys radiata
and Geochelone platynota that we
breed, we will be able undertake
experiments on Temperature
Dependent Sex Determination on
these species. Early sexing also
makes studbook management
much easier, because it means that
we can meet studbook goals years
sooner than if we had to wait for the
hatchlings to mature in order to be
sexed.

In addition to the trips to Taiwan
and the Philippines mentioned
above, we undertook an extended
Above: A group of juvenile Astrochelys radiata
at the BCC.
Right top: Geoemyda japonica, a species
found in Okinawa, Japan.
Right botom: Psammobates tentorius trimeni,
a species found in South Africa.
The TC and the TSA at the Katala Foundation
in the Philippines. From left: Eric Goode,
Miye McCullough, Peter Praschag, Diverlie
Acosta, Bill Zeigler, Sabine Schoppe, and Rick
Hudson.
A Siebenrockiella leytensis in the Philippines.
Gerald Kuchling examines a Cuora trifasciata
at the Behler Chelonian Center.
tc/bcc eric goodetc/bcc peter praschagtc/bcc eric goode
AUGUST 2010 TSA 23
Stigmochelys pardalis: Q: Why did the
tortoise cross the road? A: To show the
opossum it could be done.
tc/bcc maurice rodriguestrip to Namibia and South Africa
to learn about the habitats of the
many species of tortoises that
can be encountered between
Windhoek, Namibia, and Cape Town,
South Africa. We were especially
interested to see Chersina angulata,
Homopus areolatus, and H. signatus
in their native habitats, as they are
species we maintain at the BCC.
We documented our trip in a video,
which we will present at the TSA
meeting.

The TC also traveled to the Ryukyu
Islands of southern Japan in search
of Geoemyda japonica, to study its
ecology, status, and distribution.
Again, we maintain this species at
the BCC and seeing it in the wild
increased our understanding of its
husbandry requirements. To our
surprise, we found that this species
lives on steep hillsides and takes
refuge in deep burrows among rocks.
The video documenting this trip
is available for viewing at turtleconservancy.org>.

A short trip to Oaxaca, Mexico,
again led us to visit the National
Mexican Turtle Center (Centro
Mexicano de la Tortuga) and gave us
the opportunity to retrieve weather
data loggers we had previously
left in the habitat of Rhinoclemys
rubida rubida (Oaxaca Wood Turtle),
a species we breed at the BCC.
Placing these data loggers in the
actual habitats of the tortoises and
terrestrial turtles that we study and
keep gives us a much better picture
of their actual annual microclimate
requirements. Data derived from
conventional weather stations
often does not provide an accurate
representation of this microclimate,
because the stations are too far
away and are not inside a specific
habitat. We now routinely use these
data loggers as we travel, and have
placed them at several locations in
Madagascar, Argentina, Namibia, the
Philippines, and Mexico.

The TC/BCC is delighted to
announce that we have hired Dr. Paul
Gibbons (DVM, MS) to be the new
Director of the Behler Chelonian
Center. Paul is the President-elect
of the Association of Reptile and
Amphibian Veterinarians, and is held
in high esteem by the herpetological
community. We are looking forward
to even better care of our living
collection and to helping Paul shape
the direction of reptile veterinary
medicine. Look for him at the TSA
meeting. At the same time, The
Behler Center in California will
be expanding as we complete the
purchase of neighboring land that
will more than double the area of the
center, giving us the opportunity to
improve our infrastructure.

In the next year, the TC will
continue along, slow and steady,
supporting in situ and ex situ
projects, seeing to it that current
projects come to fruition, and
engaging in collaborations that lead
to coordinated projects. Our greatest
challenge now is to make this whole
endeavor sustainable, to help ensure
that turtle and tortoise populations
are sustainable.
1Chief Scientist, The Turtle Conservancy, 49 Bleeker
Street # 601, New York, New York 10012.
Email: ross@turtleconservancy.org
2Co-Director, The Turtle Conservancy, 49 Bleeker
Street # 601, New York, New York 10012.
3Research Associate, The Turtle Conservancy, 49
Bleeker Street # 601, New York, New York 10012.
tc/bcc eric goodetc/bcc eric goode
24 TSA AUGUST 2010
TSA
PARTNER NEWS
Over the last several years, the
Turtle Conservation Fund
(TCF) has gained notoriety as
one of the world's leading turtle
conservation support organizations.
The TCF has been successful in
helping to identify, prioritize,
promote, support, and provide a
leadership role in collaborative
global turtle conservation efforts
and opportunities focused on the
world's most endangered tortoises
and freshwater turtles. The TCF has
been highly successful with its grants
program, by supporting needed
turtle conservation projects and
programs worldwide.

Since the founding of the TCF
in 2002, 268 grant proposals have
been received, of which 97 (36%)
have been funded. Total requests
have been received for $1,442,317
in funding, with a total TCF
disbursement of $446,159 (31%) in
awards granted. The average award
was for $4,600, with support ranging
from $1,000 to $10,000. Of the TCFs
"Turtles in Trouble: The World's
Top 25 Most Endangered Tortoises
and Freshwater Turtles 2007,"
projects representing 21 (84%)
have been funded. Of the TCFs 42
Target Species (2008 list), projects
representing 28 (67%) have been
supported. Of the 68 taxa listed by
the IUCN as Critically Endangered
(CR) or Endangered (EN), the TCF
has supported projects for 43
(63%). These Top 25, CR, EN, and
Target Species figures do not include
calculation of support provided
for facilities or broad projects that
impact additional species. In the first
of two funding cycles of 2010, the
TCF received an additional 31 grant
support proposals totaling about
$175,000.
With the TCFs global perspective,
grants were awarded to projects
conducted in 37 countries. Awards
were given to projects in Australia,
Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Brazil, Cambodia, Cayman Islands,
China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany,
Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Puerto Rico, South
Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, and
Vietnam. Such a broad geographic
distribution of funds reflects
the TCFs mounting impact on
international turtle conservation.

Of the 37 countries where the
TCF has provided support, projects
in 10 countries have received
funding, from five to 10 grants
in each. These countries, and the
Critically Endangered turtle species
in them, have especially needed this
extra focus and support and have
benefited the most from directed
TCF funding efforts. These focus
countries are: China (10 funded
projects), Madagascar, Myanmar, and
Vietnam (nine each), Indonesia and
Colombia (eight each), Cambodia
(seven), India (six), and Mexico and
the Philippines (five each). Several
other countries have received
funding for one or two projects. The
TCF continues to strive to meet the
urgent conservation challenges and
opportunities for all of the world's
endangered tortoises and freshwater
turtles, and is gradually expanding
a portfolio of assisted species,
countries, and projects.

An example of a country where
the TCF has focused its efforts is
China. This country is home to
nine of the TCFs 42 target species,
more than any other nation. These
species are represented by seven
Asian box turtle species and two
giant softshells, all categorized
as Critically Endangered. One of
the softshells, Rafetus swinhoei,
is precariously teetering on the
brink of extinction, as it is known
from only four living individuals.
The softshells and box turtles were
driven to near extinction because
they were relentlessly hunted for
food and use in traditional medicine.
Collecting animals for the pet trade
has also been a factor contributing
to the decline of the remaining
box turtles. Overall, the TCF has
supported projects on the ecology,
status, conservation genetics, and
other measures needed to conserve
China's Critically Endangered turtles.
Additionally, work by the TCF's
partner organization, the Turtle
Survival Alliance, has been funded
partially by the TCF, in an attempt
to greed the two remaining Rafetus
swinhoei in captivity, both held at
the Suzhou Zoo in China. The future
of this species truly hinges on this
effort. Should it not succeed, this
species may be lost forever. In all,
10 projects have been funded for
China's Critically Endangered turtles
since 2007, totaling over $46,000
and involving 17 investigators.

In Madagascar, the TCF began its
efforts in 2007 by supporting the
IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater
The Turtle Conservation Fund:
Providing Strategic Action Planning and Funding
Support for Conservation of the World's Most
Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles
Anders G. J. Rhodin1 and Hugh R. Quinn z
AUGUST 2010 TSA 25
Turtle Specialist Group workshop
that examined the current IUCN
Red List status of all Madagascan
tortoises and freshwater turtles. All
five endemic species were uplisted
to Critically Endangered, as a result
of widespread population declines
and habitat destruction. Additional
key outcomes of this workshop
were conservation prioritization
and strategic action planning.
Implementing the plan developed
at the workshop, and focusing on
the endemic species, the TCF has
since supported several projects on
the ecology, status, critical areas,
and measures needed to conserve
Madagascan turtles and tortoises,
notably the Spider Tortoise (Pyxis
arachnoides) and the Flat-tailed
Tortoise (P. planicauda). Additionally,
work has been funded to examine
the effectiveness of a repatriation
release program for the Madagascan
Big-headed Turtle (Erymnochelys
madagascariensis). In all, the TCF has
funded nine projects in Madagascar
since 2007, totaling over $41,000
and involving 10 investigators. Not
only are these projects working
effectively to conserve Critically
Endangered turtles in Madagascar,
but they are also providing
valuable training for Malagasy
conservationists.

The above are only a couple of
examples of how and where the
TCF has been providing strategic
assistance and conservation
funds for threatened tortoises and
freshwater turtles. Such work cannot
be done in a vacuum. The TCF is a
true partnership coalition of leading
turtle conservation organizations
and individuals. Partner organiza-
tions include Conservation Inter-
national, International Union for
the Conservation of Nature/Species
Survival Commission/Tortoise and
Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group,
Turtle Survival Alliance, European
Association of Zoos and Aquaria
Shellshock Campaign, Chelonian
Research Foundation, Chester
Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Asian Turtle
Program, Wildlife Conservation
Society, Behler Chelonian Center/
Turtle Conservancy, Chelonian
Research Institute, and Humane
Society International Australia.

Individuals on the TCF Executive
Board span the globe and are
among the world's foremost turtle
biologists and conservationists.
Included in this leadership group are
Gary Ades, Chris B. Banks, Kurt A.
Buhlmann, Kevin R. Buley, Antoine
Cadi, Bernard Devaux, Eric Goode,
Douglas B. Hendrie, Brian D. Horne,
Rick Hudson, Gerald Kuchling,
Richard Lewis, Susan Lieberman,
Luca Luiselli, George A. Meyer,
Russell A. Mittermeier, Vivian Pez,
Hans-Dieter Philippen, Colin Poole,
Countries where the TCF has provided funding for turtle conservation projects are shown
in green (37 countries); countries in dark green (10) are focus countries with 510 projects
funded each. Countries in beige contain native turtle populations that have not received
funding from the TCF; countries and regions or islands in white contain no native turtle
populations.
Total annual grant disbursements by the TCF since its inception (two funding cycles per year).
26 TSA AUGUST 2010
Peter C. H. Pritchard, Hugh R. Quinn
(Co-Chair), Martina Raffel, Anders
G. J. Rhodin (Co-Chair), Walter C.
Sedgwick, Peter Paul van Dijk, and
Henk Zwartepoorte.

To date, the TCF has received
nearly $850,00 in total funding or
committed support over the next
few years, primarily from private
foundations and individual private
donors, in addition to various
in-kind donations from several
organizations. Among many others,
we most gratefully acknowledge
the very welcome and substantial
support over the years from the
following wonderfully generous
and committed individuals and
organizations: the European
Association of Zoos and Aquaria
(EAZA) Shellshock Campaign,
George A. Meyer and Maria Semple,
Conservation International, Frankel
Family Foundation, Matthew Frankel,
Humane Society International
Australia, A Taste of Thai,
Chuck Landrey, Behler Chelonian
Center/Turtle Conservancy, The
Maritime Hotel, Eric Goode, Walde
Research and Environmental
Consulting, Island Foundation,
Wildlife Conservation Society, Fort
Worth Zoo, Chester Zoo, Savannah
River Ecology Laboratory, Nando
Peretti Foundation, Chelonian
Research Foundation, and Panaphil
Foundation. We thank them all, as
do all the endangered turtles and
tortoises of the world.

To learn more about the TCF
and its many programs, to apply for
grants, or to consider a donation to
the TCF, please visit our website at:
www.TurtleConservationFund.org
1Co-Chair, Turtle Conservation Fund, Chelonian
Research Foundation, 168 Goodrich Street,
Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462.
Email: RhodinCRF@aol.com
2Co-Chair, Turtle Conservation Fund, 8200 Red Deer
Road, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702.
Top: Collecting eggs laid by the last
captive pair of Rafetus swinhoei at the
Suzhou Zoo, China, as part of a TCF-
supported project co-directed by the Turtle
Survival Alliance.
Middle: Measuring wild Erymnochelys
madagascariensis for a TCF-supported
repatriation project for the species in
Madagascar.
Bottom: The TCF Executive Board (partial)
at a funding-cycle review meeting in New
York at The Maritime Hotel, March of 2009.
Front to back, left to right; seated: Colin
Poole; 1st row: Peter Paul van Dijk, Brian
Horne, Hugh Quinn, Rick Hudson; 2nd row:
Russ Mittermeier, Walter Sedgwick, Hans-
Dieter Philippen; last row: Peter Pritchard,
Anders Rhodin, Kurt Buhlmann, and Eric
Goode (meeting host).
richard lewisgerald kuchling
AUGUST 2010 TSA 27
TSA
PARTNER NEWS
Recently, the Institute for Conser-
vation Research at the San
Diego Zoo, the Turtle Survival
Alliance (TSA), and the Wildlife
Conservation Society (WCS)
signed a two year Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) detailing the
creation of a global conservation
program on freshwater turtles and
tortoises. Under the supervision of
Dr. Brian D. Horne (Conservation
Research Postdoctoral Fellow), this
agreement allows Brian to divide
his time between projects on the
Red-crowned Roof Turtle (Batagur
kachuga) in India and other crucial
turtle conservation projects in
Madagascar and Southeast Asia.
Both of these areas are well known
for containing highly diverse and/
or endemic species of chelonians.
Sadly, these two areas also have
the majority of the most Critically
Endangered turtle species in the
world. Dr. Horne is currently helping
to guide multiple conservation
programs for Giant River Turtle in
places such as Myanmar, Cambodia,
and Malaysia. He also recently
returned from southwestern
Madagascar, where he and a team
from the TSA and WCS helped
prioritize conservation projects
for the island's Radiated Tortoises,
now facing extinction due to over-
collection on a massive scale. New
initiatives for Dr. Horne may include
fieldwork on Critically Endangered
turtles endemic to Indonesia.
This exciting alliance creates
the first-ever joint program
between three major conservation
organizations in the United States
devoted specifically to freshwater
turtle and tortoise conservation. In
particular, the TSA has been an
integral partner with Brian's
postdoctoral research on the
Red-crowned Roof Turtle, since
2005. This new agreement will
act as a catalyst for strategic turtle
conservation projects that are
crucially needed in Asia.
Exciting New Partnership Launched
for Turtle Conservation
Rick HudsonDr. Brian D. Horne, photographing a Radiated
Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata).
28 TSA AUGUST 2010
TSA
EUROPE
The Impressed Tortoise (Manouria
impressa) is notoriously
challenging to maintain in captivity,
and thus in Europe very few
adult individuals are available for
captive reproduction. Because of
its specialized diet, which includes
a preference for certain types of
mushrooms that often are expensive
or hard to locate, the nutritional
demands of this species are
sometimes difficult to meet. The
behavior of the Impressed Tortoise is
also rather interesting, as in nature
females will construct large nesting
mounds in which they deposit soft-
shelled eggs, an unusual condition in
tortoises, and for several weeks will
aggressively guard the nest against
any intruders.

In the year 2000, one of us (VM)
began assembling a group of M.
impressa for the purpose of captive
propagation. In 2007, a female
constructed a nesting mound into
which she deposited 47 eggs. With
the help of Dwight Lawson (Zoo
Atlanta), who provided information
on incubation temperatures and
methods for hatching the eggs, 14
eggs hatched, a first for this species
in Europe. Because of the moderately
low hatching rate, however, it was
obvious that additional work was
necessary to improve future results.

A lack of available information
on the nutritional requirements
of M. impressa and techniques for
incubating their eggs led to the idea
of initiating a research project. In
time and with the cooperation of
Basel University in Switzerland,
we established Project EMI, which
we called: "Research on optimal
husbandry and breeding conditions
as a contribution to species
conservation of the endangered
Manouria impressa."

To gather information and
obtain additional experience to
help us with this project, we began
assembling various types of data
on M. impressa from keepers both
in zoos and at private locations. As
these developments unfolded, VM
decided to contribute his offspring of
M. impressa to the project.

The EMI project is coordinated
by Viktor Mislin (Switzerland)
and Gabriela Eberling (Germany),
includes other individuals with
long-term experience in keeping
and breeding M. e. emys, and is being
conducted in cooperation with the
Department of Evolutionary Biology
at Basel University. Veterinary
support is being provided by
Dr. med. vet. Piero Godenzi (in
Switzerland) and by Dr. med. vet.
Frank Mutschmann (in Germany).
The dates for the project extend from
2008 to 2013, a time span when we
plan to rear the young tortoises to
sexual maturity under standardized,
controlled conditions.

The husbandry of M. impressa and
the conditions for egg incubation
Project EMI: Breeding and Rearing the
Impressed Tortoise, Manouria impressa
(GNTHER, 1882)
Gabriela Eberling1 and Viktor Mislin1
Top: An adult female Manouria impressa.
Bottom: Reproductive behavior in Manouria
impressa.
all photos project emi
AUGUST 2010 TSA 29
will be studied for the duration
of the project not only to gather
information applicable to the to
the study animals, but also to other
captive individuals. Accordingly, we
researched the climate data available
for the natural habitat of this species
and applied these conditions to the
activity and aestivation periods
reported for M. impressa in nature.
By using this information, our goal is
to establish a controlled population
of captive born individuals.
Husbandry

The size of the enclosure for
maintaining M. impressa is based
on the "minimum conditions for the
husbandry of reptiles" listed in the
regulations established in Germany
on 10 January 1997. These regula-
tions indicate that the minimum size
of an enclosure must be six times
the carapace length of the largest
tortoise.

According to these regulations,
the enclosure size applies to two
tortoises. If one or two more
tortoises are added to the enclosure,
the surface area must be increased
by a factor of 10%, and by a factor
of 20% if a fifth is added. With
the EMI project, we increased the
enclosure size for two tortoises by
10%, based on the experiences of VK
in maintaining captive M. impressa.
The additional space includes places
for the tortoises to hide, for food
and water bowls, as well as areas
for basking and egg deposition. We
adjusted the surface area for juvenile
tortoises based on the parameters
used for adults. We maintain one to
three tortoises to an enclosure, as
additional animals kept in enclosures
that are too small, or that do not
contain enough hiding places, could
stress the tortoises and lead to health
problems.

For lighting and humidity, we
are using HQI spots and a UV A/B
lighting source, in addition to a
humidifier. Our preferred UV light
source is a new product called
Bright Sun Desert. The young
tortoises appear to be rather active
under this type of lighting, and this
product is indicated to approximate
the conditions experienced under
natural conditions.
We measured the light intensity
and UV B output of the Bright Sun
Desert lights at a distance of 30
cm from the floor of the enclosure.
Through the use of using solar
meters, we attained a UV B value
of 79 mW (Micro Watt) and the
light a value of 110,800 Lux, which
corresponds to the light intensity
values measured outdoors on sunny
Left: A box (top) and enclosure (bottom)
used for rearing Impressed Tortoises at
Project EMI.
Right, from top to bottom:
Viktor Mislin with a protg.
A nesting mound constructed by a female
Manouria impressa.
An egg clutch within the nesting mound.
Eggs of Manouria impressa hatching.
Hatchling Impressed Tortoises.
30 TSA AUGUST 2010
days in Germany and Switzerland.
Importantly, the light intensity
should be measured on a regular
basis, since the values could decrease
by as much as 50% within six
months to a year, depending on the
number of hours the lights are in use.
To prevent overheating the tortoises,
however, the lights must be placed
at a proper height in the enclosure.
For example, a temperature of 60C
can be reached when the lights are
placed at a height of 20 cm from the
floor of the enclosure.

An enclosure should be fully
furnished before any young tortoises
are introduced. Any rearrangement
of the furnishings in the enclosure,
however, might stress the tortoises
and cause them to refuse food.

As the project moved along, we
began to distribute young tortoises
among new participants. In one
case, where their transportation
involved crossing country borders
and several checkpoints by customs
authorities, the tortoises were
stressed to such a degree that upon
arrival at their destination they were
foaming from their mouths and
noses. Furthermore, after they were
released into their new housing they
showed signs of stress by attempting
to climb the walls of the enclosure,
and once they found hiding places,
they retreated for weeks and during
this time refused any food.

In certain cases, starting in
2008, yearling tortoises were
maintained outdoors from June
until early September. In each of two
seasons when they were maintained
outdoors, once they were brought
back indoors their activity and food
intake decreased for some time.
After they became re-acclimated,
however, they appeared to recognize
their enclosures and at times were
observed feeding on snails and
earthworms.

The outdoor enclosures were
planted heavily in order to offer ap-
propriate hiding places. The tortoises
showed a preference for lying under
the plants by half-burying them-
selves in the soil, and in these places
appeared to seek a cool retreat
during hot days. In addition, we in-
stalled a sprinkling system along the
edges of the enclosures to provide
better humidity.
Nutrition
The rearing of juvenile M.
impressa can not be considered
without addressing certain
problems. With respect to nutrition,
these dietary specialists can become
very demanding subjects for their
keepers.

In order to not rely on oyster
mushrooms, a favorite food item
of these tortoises, we offered
them a variety of other mushroom
species. The cultivation of various
mushrooms has proven to be a
valuable addition to the project,
because now we do not depend
on the relatively expensive
types of mushrooms available at
supermarkets. Different kinds of
mushrooms, however, are not always
eaten by the tortoises. If a proper
microclimate is provided within the
enclosure, the types of mushrooms
preferred by the tortoises can be
grown.
We also offer the tortoises
white mushrooms, pumpkins,
zucchini, chopped cherries,
seasonal vegetables, and hay
flowers (chopped meadow hay).
We provide them a fiber-rich
diet at all times, and occasionally
powder their food with a mineral
supplement (Korvimin ZVT) that
contains important vitamins,
Top, left to right: An Illumination Meter used for measuring light intensity; the Bright Sun UV
Lamp; and, a digital Solarmeter used for measuring UV B rays.
Bottom: Chickweed planted in an enclosure for rearing Impressed Tortoises.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 31
amino acids, and spore elements.
We also offer the young tortoises
cuttlebone (Sepia sp.), which is
eagerly ingested. To avoid digestive
problems, we occasionally provide
the tortoises with a vegetable
substitute (Diarovet-N). At times
during the spring but not in other
seasons, the tortoises appeared to
prefer feeding on the leaves of such
green vegetation as chickweed,
field lettuce, dandelions, pointy
plantain, and the fresh shoots of ivy
(Epipremnum pinnatum) that we
planted in the enclosure. The young
tortoises did not accept animal
matter, but at the age of about two
years, when maintained outdoors,
we observed them feeding on snails,
as well as Daphnia that we sprinkled
on their food.

The coloration of hatchling M.
impressa is predominantly brown,
and at this stage of life the tortoises
lack significant markings. At one
and one-half to two years of age,
however, the juveniles begin taking
on the appearance of the adults.
At this point, the carapace rim is
strongly serrated, a feature that
becomes reduced with age.
Breeding Results

Between September of 2007 and
April of 2010, 23 additional tortoises
hatched. Interestingly, during the
summer of 2008 the temperatures
were significantly lower than in
2007 and 2009 and the tortoises
experiencing problems with egg-
laying, and thus no offspring were
produced.
1Universitt Basel, Zoologisches Institut,
Evolutionsbiologie Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051
Basel, Switzerland.
Email: Schildi1806@gmx.de
Top, left to right: Mushrooms growing in the enclosure; mushroom cultivation provides a ready food source for Impressed Tortoises; and, a variety
of mushroom species favored by Manouria impressa.
Bottom, left to right: Ivy (Epipremnum pinnatum) is another food item of Manouria impressa that we planted in the enclosures; and, a young
Manouria impressa feeds on chickweed planted in the enclosure.
Left: Juvenile Manouria impressa at 6 months. Middle: Juvenile Manouria impressa at two years of age. Right: Portrait of a hatchling Manouria
impressa. Note the protruding egg-tooth, used to slit the eggshell.
32 TSA AUGUST 2010
TSA
EUROPE
In an effort to improve the husbandry
of the endangered Madagascar
Flat-tailed Tortoise, we made advances
to Project EHAP (a German acronym
that translates to "Exchanging experi-
ences in keeping and breeding the
Madagascar Flat-tailed Tortoise [Pyxis
planicauda]") with respect to the appli-
cation of lighting and humidity to this
species under captive conditions.
Lighting

Lighting is an important considera-
tion, as the light intensity and ultra-
violet exposure the animals receive in
their natural habitat can not be exactly
replicated in captivity. By using state-
of-the-art lighting equipment, however,
we can now approach these conditions.
For standard lighting, we use Sylvania
FL54 Watt T5/865 Daylight tubes,
which we turn on for 12 hours per
day. To approximate the natural
daylight intensity, we use a Bright Sun
Desert light that contains good UV B
values; these lights are turned on for
two periods of three hours each per
day. As substitute during the midday
hours, when in nature the UV radiation
reaches its peak, a Ultra Vitalux 300
Watt bulb is turned on for three to four
hours. The UV B output of this bulb is
300/350 mW/12000 Lux. The output
intensity of this bulb, however, should
be measured on a regular basis.

Importantly, we take periodic
readings with a Solarmeter Model
6.2 UVB to measure the intensity
and output of these lights, as their
UV radiation output is reduced by
about 50% after using them for six
months to one year. Another important
consideration is to avoid overheating
the enclosure, and the tortoises. When
the bulbs are operating at full capacity
the enclosure temperatures can reach
40C, so the tortoises must have the
option of retreating to hiding areas
where the temperatures are 50%
lower. For this reason, our enclosures
are open on top and are equipped with
a glass strip (only 12 cm tall) on the
front.
Humidity
We use ultrasound humidifiers
to create proper climatic and
microclimatic conditions in the
enclosure. By using these humidifiers,
less fungal and bacterial growth is
developed in the substrate of the
enclosure. A wet substrate can lead
to bacterial infections and protozoan
infestations in the tortoises, in addition
to shell rot.

To avoid bacterial growth, micro
dust particles, or the intrusion of small
insects into the humidifier chamber, a
humidifier must be cleaned after being
used for a certain number of hours.

For our purposes, we made
instruments that we connect to a
water reservoir or directly to an ion
exchange apparatus. Fifteen minutes
after we turn on the standard lighting,
we connect the humidifiers for 15
minutes/hour during each hour of the
day, for a total of six or seven times per
day. We use the humidifiers on all the
tortoises...from hatchlings to adults.
We adapt or improve our
supporting apparatus according the
latest information and techniques
available. The use of proper lighting
and humidity is crucial for the optimal
husbandry of P. planicauda, as these
will directly affect the health and
rearing of the hatchlings. To date, 26
hatchlings of P. planicauda have been
transferred to project participants, and
all the animals have remained healthy
and are thriving at all locations. From
2005 to 2010, not a single hatchling
has died, and we attribute this to the
high standards set for this project and
the use of proper technical equipment.
We support and encourage keepers
of P. planicauda in their efforts to
assure the survival of this endangered
tortoise in private collections by means
of captive propagation.
1 Universitt Basel, Zoologisches Institut, Evolutions-
biologie Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland.
Email: viktor.mislin@unibas.ch
Research Project EHAP: Advances in the
Husbandry of the Madagascar
Flat-tailed Tortoise, Pyxis planicauda
Viktor Mislin1, LydiaReck1, and Marcel Reck1
Top left: An ion exchange feeder for the
ultrasound humidifier. Top right: An ultrasound
humidifier in use. Bottom: A newly-hatched
Madagascar Flat-tailed Tortoise.
One of the enclosures used in Project EHAP.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 33
TSA
EUROPE
The European Studbook Founda-
tion (ESF; www.studbooks.eu)
is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven
organization that was formed for the
conservation of reptiles and amphib-
ians in captivity, with an emphasis on
endangered species. One of the main
goals of the foundation is to create
sustainable and genetically-healthy
ex situ populations through the use
of studbooks. Due to the dramatic
decrease of population numbers
in situ, species of Cuora are well
represented within the ESF. Three
of the 11 current Cuora studbooks
are for Cuora bourreti, Cuora galbini-
frons, and Cuora picturata. The first
studbook, for C. galbinifrons, was
initiated in the late 1990s. Despite
its downfall a few years later, it was
revived in 2005 and divided into the
three above-mentioned studbooks of
the (former) galbinifrons-complex.
In 2006, registrations started taking
place.
Studbook Participants

Participants from eight European
countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Germany, Netherlands,
Poland, Spain, and Switzerland) are
currently participating in the three
studbooks. Most are private turtle
keepers, but one Turtle Center has
also registered their turtles. The
number of participants for each of
the studbooks has increased since
2006, especially for C. galbinifrons
and C. picturata. Growth has been
due largely to breeding successes
and the entry of several new partici-
pants. In 2009, the total number of
participants ranged from seven (C.
bourreti) to 17 (C. galbinifrons). The
collection sizes for the participants
ranged from one to 14 turtles.
Studbook Populations

The total number of registered
live turtles are 22, 78, and 57 for
C. bourreti, C. galbinfirons, and C.
picturata, respectively. Since re-
starting the studbooks five years ago,
the number of registered live turtles
has increased by a factor of 5.5% for
C. bourreti, 4.6% for C. galbinifrons,
and 5.2% for C. picturata. The sex
ratios for all three species are biased
toward females, which is most
obvious in C .bourreti (live studbook
population = 4.9.9). A substantial
part of the studbook populations is
of captive-bred origin, ranging from
32 to 55%.
Studbook Breeding

All three of the species in the
studbooks are being reproduced in
captivity. Until now, C. bourreti has
been bred the least, with offspring
being produced at only one loca-
tion on a yearly basis since 2008,
resulting in a total of five hatchlings.
Outside of the studbook, five captive
bred individuals have also been
registered.

Cuora galbinifrons has been bred
at six locations, although offspring
have been produced on a regular
basis (> 2 years within a four-year
period) at two locations. In total, 18
turtles have hatched since 2005.

Three breeders are avail-
able for C. picturata, which is a
European Studbooks: Cuora bourreti,
Cuora galbinifrons, and Cuora picturata
Richard Struijk1
34 TSA AUGUST 2010
unique situation. One of the first (if
not the first) captive breedings of C.
picturata worldwide was registered
by one of the studbook participants
in 2001. Today, C. picturata is being
bred on a yearly basis, and males
have been produced. In total, 31
turtles have hatched since 2005.
Conclusions

A positive trend can be seen in
the increasing number of studbook
participants and the sizes of popula-
tions in the studbooks. In addition,
breeding success has also increased.
All three studbooks, however, require
a broader genetic base to achieve
future sustainability. The number
of wild caught C. bourreti and C.
picturata remains small, and thus
new participants for the studbooks
are needed.

The sex of captive bred individu-
als remains uncertain. Although male
C. picturata have been produced, sex
ratios likely will be female biased,
just as in almost all captive bred
Cuora species. Accurate data regard-
ing incubation methods and the sex
of offspring are necessary, as well as
an important consideration.

Furthermore, only unrelated pairs
of individuals should be introduced
to prevent inbreeding. We expect
that the number of people breeding
these species of Cuora will increase
in the future. The owners of captive
bred individuals should house
related turtles of the opposite sex
separately, and make an attempt to
acquire unrelated animals. Main-
taining good records are the key,
especially for the long term.
1Anna Hoeve 29, 2804 HA Gouda, The Netherlands.
Email: richard.struijk@wanadii.nl
richard struijkrichard struijkDorsal (left) and ventral (right) views of
captive bred studbook individuals of Cuora
bourreti (upper, in photo), C. galbinifrons
(lower left), and C. picturata (lower right),
respectively.
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36 TSA AUGUST 2010
TSA
AFRICA
Wedged between Nigeria and
Togo, the small country of
Benin is 750 km long and 300 km
wide, with a surface area of 112,622
km2. Formerly called Dahomey,
in November of 1975 the country
became known as the "Republic of
Benin." Because of my interest in the
turtles of this region, my plans were
to attend a Biodiversity Congress
in Cotonou, as well as to meet the
TSA Africa network's national
representative for Benin, Josea
Dossou Bodjrenou.

The landscape and environment
of Benin shows a high degree of
contrast between the southern and
northern parts of the country. The
lagoon environment along the coast
quickly rises to an area of crystalline
plateaus, which then gradually
rise to an elevation of 800 m at the
Massif of Atakora, the highest point
in the country. The climate in the
different regions of the country is
also variable. During my stay, heavy
rainfall fell at Cotonou Ouidah, in
the south, while at Djougou and in
Pendjari Park, in the north, it was the
dry season. South of the 10th parallel
the climate is considered south-
equatorial, with the temperature
ranging from 23 to 32C during the
four seasons of the year, while in
the north, the thermal fluctuations
increase along with a drought,
more of a Sahelian regime that
encompasses two seasons.

I began my journey with a
three day stay in the capital city
of Cotonou, where I attended the
Regional Biodiversity meeting. Many
of the neighboring countries were
represented, including Burkina
Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone,
and Togo. In a pond at the Benin
government office of Water and
Forestry I saw several live freshwater
turtles (Pelusios castaneus and
Pelomedusa subrufa subrufa), an
adult female Centrochelys sulcata (a
species a ranger indicated exists in
this country, around Parakou, in the
reserve of Alama) and many Kinixys
belliana and K. homeana. Other
reptiles, such as Savanna Lizards and
a Royal Python were held in cages,
as well as small mammals such as
a Spotted Genet and Hedgehogs.
Regrettably, this "biodiversity salon"
was offering the captive wildlife for
sale!

Later, I accompanied Severin
Tchibozo, a biologist at the
University of Abomey Calavi, to the
Dantokpa market on the banks of the
Oueme River, which flows through
the capital city. There, amidst alleys
strewn with garbage and waste, I
found an assortment of bones and
dead animals, including the skulls
Tortoise and Terrapin Survey in Benin,
West Africa
Tomas Diagne1
An adult Pelusios niger basks at the Rembo
Koto Lagoon, Benin.
lucy keith
AUGUST 2010 TSA 37
of monkeys and vultures, as well
as crocodiles, mutilated sea turtle
shells, terrestrial and aquatic turtles,
and so on. Most of these species
are protected by national laws,
but they are still used widely in
pharmacopeias and animist rites. In
the narrow streets of this disturbing
scene, I asked where one could buy
live turtles. "Sure," replied a seller, as
he pulled a dehydrated freshwater
turtle from a tin box. By its dark
shell and accompanying pectoral,
it appeared to be a Pelomedusa
subrufa nigra. Until then, I was not
aware that this subspecies was still
found in Benin! I negotiated to buy
it something I normally would not
do for 1,500 FCFA (approximately
$3 US) in order to photograph and
release it.

Severin showed me some posters
that described the traditional uses of
certain species of turtles. Although
the content of the posters made me
shudder, their text was informative
and reflective of traditional customs.
The first was of Kinixys belliana, with
a vernacular name Logozo (Fon),
and indicated that for medicinal use
one must, "Kill the turtle and take
its entire head, plus the excrement
of a horse and a cow's hoof. Dry
all of these elements in the sun
and crush them into powder. The
powder should then be mixed with
red palm oil. A person suffering from
hemorrhoids should first wash his
anus after using the toilet and then
pass the mixture. This preparation
is made without any incantation." A
second poster listed the Leatherback
turtle, Agbossgu, or Hou (Mina),
and showed that for medicinal use,
"The turtle is killed and its flesh is
consumed to fight against various
malaria fevers, vomiting, and
indigestion. Its shell is recovered
and exposed to sunlight to facilitate
the flow of oil into a container. The
recovered oil is used to massage
people suffering from tetanus
convulsions."

After a few days, I was happy
to leave Cotonou and its barbaric
manners. Accompanied by Severin,
Pascal Dupont, and Martin, we
drove north into the wilder regions
of the country. Our destination
was the small village of Toffo, not
far from the city of Bohicon in the
province of Zou. Pascal, who is an
avid entomologist, picked up one of
his colleagues, a snail farmer named
Daniel Gnanvo, on the roadside at
Attogon. Subsequently, we left the
paved road and went through a
large teak plantation managed by
the National Office of Wood (ONAB).
At Toffo, we briefly surveyed the
neighborhood, but Pascal and I
were disappointed by the paucity of
animals in the vicinity of the village.
From their huts, however, people
brought about 10 turtle shells; the
turtles had bee eaten in old feasts
and I easily recognized Kinixys
belliana and Pelusios castaneus,
common species in the country.

The landscape along our journey
was deep green and hypnotic.
Pineapple vendors sold their fruit
on the roadsides, especially at the
beautiful village of Shou. During
our return, we stopped at a research
station devoted to coffee and cocoa
and I discovered a beautiful and
relatively untouched primary forest,
with ponds in the spongy soils
invaded by large ferns. Although
this appeared like good habitat
for Pelusios, Daniel indicated that
the main species in this area was
Kinixys, a turtle widely consumed
by the local populace. The flesh of
the turtle is used to prepare a sauce
as an accompaniment to white rice
or maize paste. Often, the head
of the turtle is kept and used at
official "voodoo" ceremonies during
mysterious night meetings, but I did
not learn more about these practices.
Back home, Daniel handed me two
large shells of Kinixys, and it was
the first time I had seen such large
individuals; the carapace length of
one was 35 cm long. I asked Daniel
where the shells had come from,
and he replied, "I won them near
Kumasi in Ghana. We find many over
there. They are very popular because
there is a lot of meat inside." Based
on the lack of nuchal and prominent
marginal shape, I immediately
deduced that this was K. erosa, a
species widely consumed in Ghana.
I was beginning to understand the
plight of turtles in this part of West
Africa.

After a brief return to Cotonou,
we prepared for a longer expedition
to Pendjari National Park in the
northern part of the country.
This time I hoped to find some
wilderness, and a larger number
of live turtles. We left the capital
city on April 9th, after experiencing
numerous technical and regulatory
difficulties. Our team consisted
of members of the NGO Nature
Tropicale, and some winners of
Top: Kinixys homeana, a species that resides
in wet forest environments and spends most
of its time amongst the decaying vegetation.
Bottom: What is known today as Pelusios
castaneus in Benin occurs in two forms. The
dark one is likely an undescribed species.
thomas diagnethomas diagne
38 TSA AUGUST 2010
the Marathon of Biodiversity. We
drove to the north, passing through
several towns and villages that
included Bohicon Savalou, Pira,
Bassila, Djougou Natitingou, and
finally Tanguieta, where we spent
the night after having crossed the
mountainous massif of Atakora
and its breathtaking scenery. The
temperature at Tanguieta was
hot and the air was much drier, a
Sudanese climate. In the morning,
we visited an ostrich farm near
Tanguieta, and then entered the
national park at Porga, near the
border with Togo.

Undoubtedly, this park had rich
fauna, a change from the rest of the
country. After a few kilometers, we
saw a raptor that had just captured
a snake and was holding it tightly
in its talons. We saw red monkeys,
baboons, an elephant, and various
species of antelope, including the
famous Roan. I imagined what this
region must have been like before
the presence of humans. We then
stopped at the Pendjari River,
from which the park received its
name. I asked the guards about the
occurrence of turtles in the park,
and they assured me that people
often see two "kinds" of tortoises,
one a "soft tortoise" and the other a
"tortoise." I presumed that they were
referring to Kinixys and Cyclanorbis,
but I wanted to be sure.
We could not afford any delays,
because we were headed for the
outpost of Arli, where our driver,
Chabi, had recommended that we
spend the night. Arbi is located
in the north, near the border
with Burkina Faso. We saw more
wonderful animals, including
bustards, hartebeest, warthogs,
and hippopotamus in a large pond
where we observed them from
the top of a tower. Unbelievable!
How talkative and noisy they are!
Just before nightfall they gave us a
thundering concert in the style of
"Out of Africa." The outpost of Arli
was well equipped with a large,
permanent building and attractive
outdoor facilities. The instructions
provided by the rangers were clear:
do not travel alone at night, and do
not make much noise early in the
morning and be sure to look around
because animals are often out; even
lions cross the encampment. These
instructions were enough to keep us
on our guard, and to sleep lightly.

The next morning, my intuition
led me to search the kitchen waste
left by the guards, and I found several
bones and some of the plastron of
Cyclanorbis sp. Unfortunately, this
proved that the guards consume
some of the animals in the park,
an observation that is not very
comforting. Later, we all traveled to
the Bali pool, an area where animals
such as primates, ungulates, and
birds gather to quench their thirst. Of
course, we did the same by rushing
to the hotel bar at Pendjari to enjoy a
cold beer, after several hours under
the beating sun.

After 12 days, we returned to
Cotonou following a route that
took us to the Tanougou waterfall.
A nice bath in the icy water made
me nostalgic for the conditions of
Senegal, as traveling abroad can
sometimes make you feel better
about your own country. When
I returned to the capital, Pascal
Dupont suggested that I spend the
night so that in the morning we
could travel to the Lokoli swamp
forest. The forest is located 8 km
from the main road between
Cotonou and Bohicon, and extends
for over 500 hectares among three
villages: Lokoli, Koussoukpa, and
Dm. The population of this area
consists of about 1,500 people, all
farmers from the Fon ethnic group.
The climate is Guinean, with an
annual rainfall of about 1,100 mm.
The relative humidity is high, even
in the dry season, which explains the
lush, dense forest, which consists
primarily of Guinean species. The
fauna is also diverse, and you can
find many types of birds and insects
(some-endemic), mammals such as
the extremely rare Sitatunga, fishes,
and tortoises. This time I hoped
to observe turtles active in their
environment.
When I arrived, I met with
Cyprian Edah, a young forester who
works on the forest conservation
project implemented by Nature
Tropicale. He was aware of my
visit, and promised to facilitate my
meeting with Adrian, a hunter and
fisherman who often catches turtles,
here called "logozo." After taking
a canoe with Cyprian across the
marsh and to the edge of a swampy
forest, he explained the issues of
conservation in this region and the
purpose for his work; he is involved
in the preservation of the endemic
Red-bellied Monkey of Benin. I
observed and photographed the rich
aquatic vegetation that surrounded
me, and Cyprian surprised me with
his knowledge of the scientific names
of most plants, which reminded me
of previous courses in botany.

Once I returned from the field,
I met the famous hunter and
fisherman Adrian Salame, who
handed me a beautiful Pelusios
castaneus as if it was a rare treasure.
Adrian is a stocky man, austere and
a bit wild, who does not understand
French very well and who smelled
of raffia alcohol. That day he had
Thomas Diagne, the TSA African Chair, during
a field survey of the Lokoli Forest in Benin.
cyprien edah
AUGUST 2010 TSA 39
already visited his traps, and I
suggested going with him the
following day to see what we would
find. Of course, I told him I would
release any animals after observing
them. Back in the village of Dm,
I left my friend Pascal Dupont and
his family, with whom I spent many
pleasant moments.

Adrian had two kinds of
traps. The first, which were very
sophisticated, were long, 50 cm high
corridors made from palm leaves.
They included 30 to 50 m of trap
with a slip knot. Once an animal, a
bird, rodent, or even a python enters
this device, it follows it, loses its
way through the maze, and ends up
trapped with no apparent exit, which
inevitably leads to its capture. The
second trap was made of a net that
was half submerged in the current
of a small stream flowing between
two marshlands. Adrian was proud
to show me his traps, and to explain
the subtlety of their operation. I
realized that he had placed much
thought into the behavior of animals,
and had adapted his traps to the
different prey. A professional hunter
that lives only from what he catches,
he appears respected by other
villagers in the region. At the edge
of a stream he explained to Cyprian,
who then translated to me that "in
about January, in the good season,
he sometimes trapped two bags
full of turtles as they go upstream."
Two bags could hold about 100 lbs. I
knew these turtles would end up in a
soup, and did not like it.
We moved around in a swampy
area that was particularly difficult to
traverse, and felt like I was walking
with suction cups. In one of the
traps, we found a beautiful Kinixys
homeana. The habitat was suitable
for this species, consisting of woody
vegetation and a low water level, the
same habitat in which the Sitatunga
Antelope is found. By then the turtle
had curled into its shell. This species
is well represented in almost all
the countries bordering the Gulf
of Guinea, and it prefers wet forest
environments where it spends most
of its time in decaying vegetation.
It feeds primarily on earthworms,
insects, and snails, but also has a real
passion for wild mushrooms. Its long
legs enable it to walk easily on a wet
and spongy substrate.

Once back in the village, the
children learned of my interest
in turtles and brought me an
abundance of shells and pieces of
bone. I quickly identified them as
belonging to the three main species:
Cyclanorbis sp., Kinixys homeana, and
Pelusios castaneus. I sat in the shade
of a huge Ironwood Tree and I shared
a glass of palm wine with Adrian,
which he placed in a gourd full of
dust. He told a dark story about the
local turtles in the Fon language,
which Cyprien then translated. The
palm wine, however, prevented me
from understanding everything that
was said.

I returned to Cotonou with a
head full of images and memories of
an authentic forest, not destroyed
by humans, where there still
appear to be many living turtles.
We can only hope that Adrian will
eventually reduce his catch and
that no other hunter will take his
place. The situation of tortoises and
terrapins, of course, is not ideal,
and most species are widely hunted
and consumed. We can expect to
see more chelonians only in a few
isolated parks, and in a restricted
part of the country. Luckily, the main
species are elusive and small, or hide
in the mud, which somewhat reduces
their risk of capture.
My only ambition for writing this
story is to provide some information
about a relatively little-known
country not yet described in this
magazine.

I thank Severin Tchibozo, Josea
Dossou Bojirenou, Adrian Salame,
Cyprian Edha, and all the trackers
and villagers I met during my stay,
who certainly helped me to better
understand this country and the
situation regarding its turtles. I also
thank Rick Hudson and the TSA for
helping to finance my work.
1TSA Africa Chair, Nature Tropicale Senegal, B. P. 657,
25022 Rufisque, Senegal.
Email: africanci@gmail.com or fondsdev@yahoo.fr
Young villagers hold a Pelomedusa subrufa, an abundant turtle in Benin.
thomas diagneA turtle seller shows a juvenile Trionyx triunguis.
thomas diagne
40 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
myanmar
In terms of extinction risk, the
Myanmar Roof Turtle (Batagur
trivittata) is assured a spot in the
top five chelonians considered close
to the brink. Hence, it is imperative
that we safeguard the last natural
population, no matter how small it is,
as it might represent our only chance
to save this species in the wild.

A rather resilient species, B.
trivittata is tenaciously clinging
to existence in the wild. Despite
decades of chronic and intensive
exploitation of both eggs and adult
turtles, this species continues
to survive, albeit now only on
the upper Chindwin River. We
may never be able to return B.
trivittata populations to their
historic numbers, but our goal is to
establish at least three new nesting
populations across the species'
historic range.

The Wildlife Conservation
Society (WCS) turtle team began
protecting this last known breeding
population of B. trivittata in 2005. Of
approximately 600 miles of habitat
along the Chindwin River, only a
small section (1025 km) of the
river, near the village of Linpha, still
supports this turtle. We estimate that
as few as 10 adult turtles remain in
the wild. Further exacerbating the
problems of this small population is
that the sex ratio is female biased,
and each year at least 100 eggs fail
to show any signs of embryonic
development. Perhaps, too few males
are available to properly inseminate
the remaining wild females. Our
hope is, however, that in 2011 a
number of the 5-year-old males
currently being headstarted at the
Yadanabon Zoo can be released
into this population, to increase the
number of hatchlings produced each
year.
We approached the 2010 nesting
season with a sense of dread and
foreboding, knowing that in late
2009 the Myanmar government
had granted leases for large scale
gold extraction on the Chindwin
River, including on the main nesting
beach used by for this species.
We had every reason to believe
the mining activity would prove
highly disruptive to the females'
nesting attempts, not to mention
the associated environmental ills,
and thus we expected very little
nesting to occur. Yet, incredibly, a
record number of hatchlings (118)
were produced from the nest site
protection program.

To date, 376 hatchlings (2006
2010) have been transferred from
riverine hatcheries and in situ
protected nests to the Yadanabon
Zoo for headstarting, as well as
integration into the zoo's assurance
colony. Remarkably, the adult
females in the assurance colony
started to breed just two years
after being introduced into the new
facility, in December of 2006. The
first four hatchlings were produced
Efforts to Conserve the Myanmar Roof Turtle
(Batagur trivittata) Reach a Milestone:
Record Number of Hatchlings Recovered on
the Chindwin River
Win Ko Ko1, Kyaw Moe2, Khin Myo Myo3,
Brian D. Horne4, and Rick Hudson5
Extensive gold mining activity on the upper Chindwin River, near the beaches used by Batagur
trivittata for nesting, was expected to have devastating consequences on nesting success. An
unexpected record number of hatchlings, however, were produced in 2010.
kyaw moe and win ko ko
AUGUST 2010 TSA 41
in late 2008, 17 more hatchlings in
2009, and an additional 16 in 2010,
thereby bringing the total number
of juvenile turtles headstarted at the
zoo to nearly 400 animals.

The B. trivittata assurance colony
at the Yadanabon Zoo has grown
rapidly, and the headstarting facility
is now at full capacity. Additional
housing, however, will be built in
2010 (see adjacent article). The next
critical step in our recovery program
will be to find suitable release
sites that offer some measure of
protection from illegal hunting and
accidental drowning in fishing nets.
Expanding on the surveys conducted
by Brian D. Horne and Win Ko Ko
for suitable reintroduction habitat
for B. trivittata in the Hukaung Tiger
Reserve in 2009, the WCS turtle team
is now conducting additional surveys
in the Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary
and the Alaungdawkathapa Wildlife
Sanctuary.
Many pieces are in place to launch
a monitored reintroduction program
for B. trivittata. Nevertheless, to
advance to the next phase of the
recovery program we must devote
more resources and experienced
personnel to the field research
effort. With this in mind, we hope
that Gerald Kuchling will be able to
guide the recovery process in 2011.
We have reached a crucial juncture
where good science could likely
prove pivotal in our recovery efforts
for B. trivittata, and have come too
far not to devote our best resources
to this program. Although much can
be celebrated, as we have reached
some historic milestones, history
tells us that celebrating too soon can
lead to catastrophic results.

The B. trivittata recovery program
has been a model for collaboration,
capitalizing on the strengths of
both the WCS (in managing in situ
field programs) and the TSA (in
establishing captive programs). The
wild population has, from the start,
supported the assurance colony; now
the time has come for the assurance
colonies to play an integral role in
the survival of B. trivittata, as well
as to support the recovery of wild
populations.
1Turtle Coordinator, Wildlife Conservation Society,
Myanmar Program, Building 1/C Aye Yeik Mon
1st, Yadanmon Housing Avenue, Hlaing Township,
Yangong, Myanmar.
Email: winkoko_wcs@myanmar.com.mm
2 Project Officer, Wildlife Conservation Society,
Myanmar Program, Building 1/C Aye Yeik Mon
1st, Yadanmon Housing Avenue, Hlaing Township,
Yangong, Myanmar.
3Research Assistant, Wildlife Conservation Society,
Myanmar Program, Building 1/C Aye Yeik Mon
1st, Yadanmon Housing Avenue, Hlaing Township,
Yangong, Myanmar.
4Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern
Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460.
5Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo, 1989
Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
A juvenile Burmese Roof Turtle captured by fishermen and turned over to the WCS Turtle
Team, a positive sign that at least some eggs are surviving in nature.
Left: The WCS Turtle Team searches for eggs laid recently by a Batagur trivittata on the upper Chindwin River. Right: Each of the depressions or
"body pits" represents a trial dig by a nesting female Batagur trivittata. Here, the team measures the distance between pits.
kyaw moe and win ko kokyaw moe and win ko kokyaw moe and win ko ko
42 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
The TSA will soon embark on
a major construction phase
in Myanmar, with new facilities
planned for turtles and tortoises
at three locations. The culmination
of many months of planning and
fund-raising, these new facilities will
provide greatly enhanced breeding
and management conditions for
three Critically Endangered endemic
species: the Burmese Roof Turtle
(Batagur trivittata), the Burmese
Star Tortoise (Geochelone platynota),
and the Arakan Forest Turtle
(Heosemys depressa). New enclosures
are also planned at three locations
for groups of Asian Mountain
Tortoises (Manouria emys phayrei).
In August of 2009, a TSA team
led by Rick Hudson that included
Lonnie McCaskill, Dave Manser,
Kalyar Platt and her father Nyunt
Thein a retired Burmese civil
engineer with years of experience
in the construction industry. Over a
period of two weeks, the team visited
numerous sites with an eye on
building a turtle and tortoise rescue
center, while expanding existing
facilities at the Yadanabon Zoo in
Mandalay and the Lawkananda
Wildlife Sanctuary in Bagan. The
TSA will partner with another
conservation group to build facilities
for H. depressa and M. e. phayrei in
the Rakhine region.
The Yadanabon Zoo
Mandalay's Yadanabon Zoo
is set for the most intensive
construction activity, with a vastly
expanded breeding enclosure for
Asian Mountain Tortoises, new
grow-out ponds for Burmese Roof
Turtles, and new rearing ponds for
endemic softshell turtles, starting
with a group of Peacock Softshells
(Nilssonia formosa).

Currently over 240 rapidly
growing B. trivittata, hatched from
2006 to 2009, are maintained here,
with another 115 from a record
hatch on the Upper Chindwin River
soon on the way. Batagur grow at
an astounding rate and they have
quickly outgrown their ponds,
and one group of 2006 hatched
"juveniles" has already been moved
to the adult breeding pond to free
up space. To accommodate the 2010
hatchlings, another group will have
to be moved to the adjacent water
hyacinth filled filtration-pond for
grow out. Plans call for two new
ponds, each 6' 18', and a third pond
that is circular and measures 10'
12'. Each pond is three feet deep in
the center, gently sloping or stair-
stepping up to the edge.
With plans to expand our captive
work with the two endemic softshell
turtles, Chitra vandijki and N.
formosa, we are building a series of
four 10' 20' ponds. This new area
will allow the zoo staff to provide
optimal growing conditions for the
small group of N. formosa, and to
have space for a pilot program for C.
vandijki when the opportunity arises.

The Yadanabon Zoo's group of
65 adult Manouria e. phayrei (see
the 2008 TSA magazine for a full
story) have been living in crowded
and temporary quarters since
Rick Hudson inspects a juvenile Batagur
trivittata. This species grows so rapidly in
captivity, that individuals soon outgrow their
enclosures and new ones must be built.
The TSA Gears Up for New Construction
Projects in Myanmar
Rick Hudson1
Above: Kalyar Platt (center) and her father
Nyunt Thein review design plans for a
proposed rescue facility near Myitkyina, the
capital of the Kachin State.
Below: The Arakan Forest Turtle (Heosemys
depressa) is one of seven chelonian species
endemic to Myanmar, and is the target of new
captive facilities at several sites.
myanmar
kalyar plattrick hudsonrick hudson
AUGUST 2010 TSA 43
being confiscated from traders
in September of 2007 but that
is about to change. A new facility
will triple the size of the existing
enclosure, and will improve
husbandry and management by
allowing smaller breeding groups
to be maintained. Permanent
ponds with drains, earthen mounds
for climbing, and shade retreats
with planted bamboo will also be
featured. This group will soon be
divided among multiple locations
to avoid risk, and one group has
already been placed at the Yangon
Zoo. In August of 2009 we found
the Yadanabon Zoo group to be
remarkably healthy, as evidenced
by their good weight and state of
hydration. The estimated costs for all
of the construction at the Yadanabon
Zoo are approximately $41,000.
Lawkananda Park

Of the four government-run
Burmese Star Tortoise breeding
facilities, Lawkananda is the most
successful and maintains the largest
population. Lawkananda is currently
overcrowded, however, because
they receive the government's
20% share of captive-hatched
tortoises from the nearby foreign-
run commercial facility known as
Griffin Enterprises. The staff here is
concerned about potential theft, so
besides a major expansion we are
including provisions for beefed-up
security measures. The new facility
will include a 60' 88' expansion of
the old facility, with new and secure
grow out enclosures for juveniles
and new breeding areas for adults,
with elevated nesting areas (to avoid
flooding, star tortoises seek high
ground for nesting). In addition,
we will build an adjacent 28' 88'
divided enclosure for Manouria
e. phayrei. The security features
include predator-proof, heavy mesh
wire, a 10' high perimeter fence
with razor wire, a guard tower, and
The staff at the Lawkananda Wildlife Sanctuary were surprised to see captive Burmese Star
Tortoises (Geochelone platynota) feeding on spineless Opuntia, or prickly pear cactus. This
plant is readily available in the central dry zone of the country, and could be cultivated to
provide an inexpensive and nutritious food source.
Left: Burmese Roof Turtles exhibit extreme differences in sexual dimorphism, which become prominent in their third year. These individuals
hatched in 2006 and were photographed in 2009; the male is on the right. Center: Yadanabon Zoo veterinarian Dr. Tint Lwin holds a 312 year old
Batagur trivittata, displaying its impressive growth. Right: The sexes in Batagur trivittata are diagnosable not only by coloration, but also by tail
length. The female is on the left.
rick hudsonrick hudsonrick hudsonrick hudson
44 TSA AUGUST 2010
motion detectors with automatic
lights. The estimated costs for this
facility are $23,000.
Lashio

Located in northeastern Myanmar
on the border with China, Lashio
is a common trade route into that
country and the site of multiple
wildlife confiscations. Consequently,
Lashio was designated as a priority
for a first-response rescue center
for turtles and tortoises seized from
the trade. A Forestry Department
base station just outside the town,
Kho San Tan Park, provides a perfect
setting for the Center: the land
is adjacent to a hillside of moist
tropical forest, has plenty of relief,
and a stream that runs through
it. We designed a broad range of
terrestrial enclosures (14 in total)
to support the diversity of species
seen in the trade, including areas
for Indotestudo elongata, Manouria
emys, and M. impressa. A series of
three stream-fed ponds are designed
that should be suitable for any
number of aquatic turtles, including
large softshells. The staff here is
enthusiastic about having an area
to stage turtle confiscations, and
just the past week handled a large
seizure of Indotestudo and Lissemys.
Lacking adequate facilities, and with
turtles packed tightly, the mortality
was high. After being stored in a
warehouse, the surviving tortoises
were packed in the bed of a pick-
up and taken to a release site. The
Forestry Department wants to do a
better job and welcomes the TSAs
offer for assistance. The estimated
costs for this facility are about
$32,000.

Though the team designed two
additional facilities, those described
above are our top priorities; others
will be completed as funds permit.
The total costs are $96,000. To meet
this challenge, the TSA has been
aggressively fund-raising, and we
have reached about 23 of our goal.
For their generous support, we
thank the following organizations:
Pat Koval/WWF Canada, the Los
Angeles Zoo, the British Chelonia
Group, the Taipei Zoo, Woodland
Park Zoo, Kenneth Tang and the
HATZH Donation Fund, the Detroit
Zoological Society, the Toronto Zoo,
Nature's Own, and Andrew Walde.
1Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo, 1989
Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
Email: RHudson@fortworthzoo.org
Top: Members of the TSA team inspect the
land at Kho San Tan Park near Lashio, the site
of a planned turtle and tortoise rescue center.
Lashio, near the border with China, lies along
a major trade route for illegal wildlife.
Bottom: Yellow Tortoises (Indotestudo
elongata) from a large trade seizure near
Lashio are packed into the bed of a pickup
truck and hauled away for release. Without
adequate holding and treatment facilities,
mortality among confiscated turtles and
tortoises is generally high. Survivors may
not fare much better without better release
protocols.
This juvenile Peacock Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia formosa) was hatched
from a protected nest on the upper Chindwin River and brought to the
Yadanabon Zoo for headstarting. New facilities will soon be built to
manage both of Myanmar's endemic softshell turtle species.
These Asian Mountain Tortoises (Manouria emys phayrei) were part
of a confiscation in 2007 in which 70 individuals were taken to the
Yadanabon Zoo. New facilities are being constructed to better manage
the 65 remaining tortoises.
rick hudsonrick hudsonrick hudsonrick hudson
AUGUST 2010 TSA 45
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
bangladesh
Bangladesh is characterized by
a dense network of over 700
rivers, which produce the third
highest outflow of water of all the
countries in the world. The widest
rivers are the Brahmaputra, Ganges,
and the lower Meghna, with the
latter expanding to around eight kil-
ometers during the wet season and
even more during floods. Together
with slow moving channels, flooded
areas, lakes, and countless smaller
bodies of water, these heterogeneous
aquatic habitats support a high
diversity of freshwater turtles.

A total of 28 species (includ-
ing 15 subspecies) of turtles and
tortoises occur in Bangladesh, which
includes five marine turtles, 14
geoemyds (hard-shelled freshwater
or estuarine turtles), two testudinids
(tortoises), and seven trionychids
(softshell turtles) ) (Khan 1982;
Sarker and Sarker, 1988; Das, 1991;
Rashid and Swingland, 1997; P. Pra-
schag and R. Ghosh, pers. observ.).
None of the species, however, is
endemic to the country.

Local trade in freshwater turtles
increased dramatically in Bangladesh
after the country's independence
in 1971, which opened the door
for commercial exploitation on a
large scale. During the 1980s and
90s, commercial harvesting and
the export of turtles reached a peak
(Rashid and Khan, 2000), with
annual sales of about US $ 600,000
resulting from turtle exports mainly
to China, Japan, and a few other
countries. Fortunately, these exports
have been banned by the govern-
ment, but local consumption and
trade still occur, especially in remote
areas. The harvesting of turtles and
their eggs occurred to such a degree,
however, that the large, hard-shelled
turtles (Batagur baska, B. donghoka,
and Hardella thurjii) are on the brink
of extinction or perhaps already
extirpated (Batagur kachuga). The
collapse of populations of these
highly specialized riverine species
came in the mid-to-late 90s, due
to a change in fishing techniques.
Small rowboats were then replaced
by motorized fishing trolleys, and
fishermen were able to set extensive
nets in rich fishing grounds along the
rivers. These nets were so large that
they sometimes extended across the
width of the rivers.

Today, the turtle market revolves
around relatively abundant species
like the Anderson's Flapshell Turtle
(Lissemys punctata andersoni), the
Indian Roof Turtle (Pangshura tecta),
the Indian Eyed Turtle (Morenia pe-
tersi), and the two of the larger soft-
shell turtle species, the Indian Pea-
cock Softshell (Nilssonia hurum) and
the Ganges Softshell (N. gangetica).
In recent years, a new and profitable
market originating in Bangladesh
is causing the mass harvesting of
softshell turtles throughout southern
Asia. Large softshells are being
harvested in alarming quantities
all over the country to collect their
A Promising Start for Turtle Conservation
in Bangladesh, with an Emphasis on
the Flagship Species Batagur baska, the
Northern River Terrapin
Peter Praschag1 and Rupali Ghosh2
Top: An adult male Batagur baska in
breeding coloration.
Middle: One male and two female Batagur
baska kept in a village pond. The owner
consumes their eggs every year.
Bottom: Rupali Ghosh with an old male
Batagur baska from a village pond. The
owner had the terrapin for more than
50 years.
peter praschagpeter praschagpeter praschag
46 TSA AUGUST 2010
cartilaginous posterior rim of the
carapace and some smaller parts of
the plastron, a product called calipee.
We saw drying calipee on fishing
lines in fishermen's houses through-
out most of the country. All of the
target species are listed on CITES
I (N. gangetica and N. hurum) or
CITES II (Chitra indica and Pelochelys
cantorii). Unfortunately, the dried
calipee, which are often cut into
small pieces, are difficult to identify
as part of a softshell turtle and thus
are transported without difficulty
across international borders on their
way to Hong Kong and mainland
China. A few shipments containing
several hundred kilograms of calipee,
from thousands of softshell turtles,
have been confiscated, but the risk
for traders remains very low and the
demand and profit are very high. In
Dhaka, 1 kilogram of a living Nilsso-
nia sp. is sold for 400 to 600 Tk ($6
to $9 US), a fresh kilogram of calipee
for 2000 Tk ($30 US), and 1 kilogram
of dried calipee for over 6000 Tk
($90 US).

All attempts to find one of the
most Critically Endangered turtle
species, the Northern River Terrapin
(Batagur baska) in the Indian states
of West Bengal and Orissa have
failed, so Bangladesh appears to be
the last stronghold for B. baska. To
our knowledge, only 12 individuals
are being maintained in India (two
at the Madras Crocodile Bank and 10
at the interpretation center in Sanja-
khali, West Bengal) and a few more
in a private collection in Austria. Only
one female remains at Sanjakhali,
and no male has been transferred to
the Crocodile Bank for an attempted
breeding with its two females.

Presently, we are not aware of
any reproducing populations of B.
baska in the wild, so our primary
objective was to locate individuals
of this species in the turtle trade or
in village ponds. After three years of
investigation, with fieldwork accom-
plished primarily by Rupali Ghosh, a
few individuals were spotted in fish
breeding ponds in disparate areas
of southern Bangladesh. All of the
individuals identified have been held
in captivity for at least 15 years. As
a result, we now have a remarkable
opportunity to assemble a breeding
group for a species that is function-
ally and ecologically extinct in the
wild due to overexploitation for
human consumption.

In collaboration with CARINAM
(Center of Advanced Research in
Natural Resources and Manage-
ment, S.M.A. Rashid) and the Forest
Department, the TSA is supporting
the establishment of a breeding
facility for the Northern River Ter-
rapin. We are attempting to obtain
several individuals from different
fish ponds to establish a breeding
group. The permitting process is
finished, but financial hurdles must
now be overcome. The facility will
have the capacity to house and breed
other endangered freshwater turtle
species found in Bangladesh, such
as the Indian Narrow-head Softshell
Turtle (C. indica), the Black Softshell
Turtle (Nilssonia nigricans), the Giant
Softshell Turtle (P. cantorii), and also
a few hard-shelled species of the
genera Batagur and Hardella.

Next to the Yangtze Giant
Softshell Turtle, Rafetus swinhoei, no
freshwater turtle is likely in more
danger of rapid extinction than Bat-
agur baska. The next few years will
be critical for this species, as we rush
to build holding and breeding ponds
in Bangladesh and secure long-term
captive specimens. This endeavor
promises to be costly, but the TSA is
committed to securing the funds. We
thank the Beneficia Foundation for
supporting some of our field work,
and Pat Koval and WWF Canada for
generously providing the funds for
pond construction.
Literature Cited
Das, I. 1991. Colour guide to the turtles and tortoises
of Indian Subcontinent. R and A Publishing
Limited, Portishead, Avon, United Kingdom.
Khan, M. A. R. 1982. Chelonias of Bangladesh and
their conservation. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 79:
110116.
Rashid, S. M. A., and I. R. Swingland. 1997. On
the ecology of some freshwater turtles in
Bangladesh. Pp. 225242 In J. V. Van Abbema
(Ed.), Proceedings: Conservation, Restoration,
and Management of Tortoises and Turtles: An
International Conference. New York Turtle and
Tortoise Society, New York.
Rashid, S. M. A., and S. M. M. H. Kahn. 2000. Trade
and Conservation of Freshwater Turtles and
Tortoises in Bangladesh. Pp. 7785 In P. P. Van
Dijk, B. L. Stuard, and G. J. Rhodin (Eds.), Asian
Turtle Trade. Proceedings of a Workshop on
Conservation and Trade of Freshwater Turtles
and Tortoises in Asia. Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
14 December 1999.
Sarker, S. U., and N. J. Sarker 1988. A Systematic
List of Wildlife of Bangladesh. Privately printed
(50 pp.).
1Am Katzelbach 98, 8054 Graz, Austria.
Email: Peter@prashag.at
2Shant Kamal Kunj, 1, Shakti Colony Rajkot 360001,
Gujarat, India.
Top: The Friday market in Old Dhaka, where
turtles are slaughtered and sold openly on
the street. Pictured here are the bodies of
Lissemys punctata andersoni, Nilssonia
hurum, and Pangshura tecta. Bottom: The
slaughtering of Morenia petersi in Old Dhaka.
peter praschagpeter praschag
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48 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
india
Since its inception in 2005, the
Indian Turtle Conservation
Program, a joint endeavor of
the Turtle Survival Alliance, the
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, and
the San Diego Zoo's Institute for
Conservation Research has expanded
greatly to better aid in the recovery
of India's imperiled turtles. Originally
a single species conservation project,
it has grown to become a larger,
multi-species program. Through
this project, we are currently
conducting natural history research,
in-situ headstarting, community-
based education programming, and
poacher rehabilitation activities
for five of India's most endangered
turtles. By addressing various
social and economic issues in
the communities associated with
India's diverse turtle fauna, we have
made great strides in halting the
downward spiral of many turtle
populations throughout the region.
Our turtle conservation program
is now considered one of the most
socially integrated of its kind in Asia.
Many of our activities in 2009
included educating and training
various groups on issues of turtle
conservation, which created
dialogue with government and
non-government organizations, and
policy makers, in an effort to build
sustained advocacy for freshwater
turtles and their associated habitats
in India. These activities will help
us continue our current efforts
in the Chambal River and Upper
Ganges River System (central India),
and expand our program in four
additional turtle priority areas: the
Terai Region (northern India), the
state of Assam (northeastern India),
the Sunderbans of West Bengal
and the state of Orissa (eastern
India), and the Western Ghats and
the state of Tamilnadu (southern
India). Our goals are to conserve as
many remaining wild populations
of chelonians as possible, and to
establish multiple assurance colonies
of the regions' Critically Endangered
turtle species within the next five
to 10 years. We are optimistic that
we can achieve these benchmarks
by garnering help and support from
regional partners, international
donors, and local stakeholders and
communities.
TSAs Indian Turtle Conservation Program: A
Ray of Hope for an Imperiled Turtle Fauna
Shailendra Singh1, 2, Brian D. Horne3, and Rick Hudson2
A male Red-crowned Roof Turtle (Batagur kachuga) in full breeding coloration. Ranked as
Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, this species is emblematic of the Turtle Conservation
Program and serves as its flagship species.
brian d. horne
AUGUST 2010 TSA 49

Herein, we are presenting a few
of our key achievements from 2009,
which we hope will be the building
blocks for long-term chelonian
conservation in India.
The Indian Narrow-headed
Softshell Turtle Conservation
Initiative

The Indian Narrow-headed
Softshell Turtle (Chitra indica) is
hunted extensively throughout its
wide distribution in India. The outer
cartilaginous rim of its carapace is
used as delicacy in Southeast Asian
cuisine, as well as an aphrodisiac in
traditional Chinese medicine.

In 2006, we began to assess the
population status of this turtle. Our
surveys revealed steep population
declines, and that less than 20%
of the habitat reported for this
species 20 years ago continued to
support populations. These declines
were mainly due to unsustainable
harvesting, along with habitat
degradation and fragmentation.
We had limited success during
our initial nesting surveys and
it was not until 2008, when we
engaged former turtle poachers as
field assistants, that we identified a
few surviving but isolated breeding
populations. One population along
the upper Ganges River (herein
referred to by the Indian name
"Ganga") near the confluence of the
Ganga and Ramganga rivers, in the
state of Uttar Pradesh, is of particular
interest. Here, we studied the nesting
biology of C. indica via an in-situ nest
protection program.

Encouraged by these results, we
expanded our surveys to include
the middle and lower stretches of
the Yamuna and Chambal rivers. In
September, we found two C. indica
nests (351 eggs) along the Ganga
River nesting site, and two more
in October (195 eggs) near the
village of Kundpura. Only one of the
four clutches produced hatchlings,
however, and only at a 12% hatching
rate. We believe the poor hatching
rate was caused by a sudden
decrease in nest temperatures in
early November. After collecting
standard morphological
measurements and injecting a small
decimal coded wire under the skin
of a hind limb of the hatchlings for
future identification, we released
them all at the original nesting site.

During the surveys along the
Ramganga River, we found four nests
destroyed by predators (presumably
jackals) and two more in which the
eggs had been poached by locals for
human consumption. This year the
low water level in the river rendered
historically favorable nesting habitat
along the hatchery unsuitable.
Previously, we observed C. indica
nesting on high and steep riverbanks,
yet this year we found all 10 nests on
low and flat sandbanks.

Since the main channel of the
Ganga River along the project site is
under intense fishing pressure, we
assume that this nesting population
of C. indica originated either from
upstream or from other tributaries of
the Ganga (e.g., the Ramganga River,
which flows through the Corbett
Tiger Reserve). Within the next year,
we hope to use radio-telemetry to
determine whether female C. indica
exhibit nest site fidelity. Additionally,
we hope to initiate a survivorship
study of post-release headstarted
individuals, but this project will
have to be postponed because of last
year's disappointing headstarting
results. Despite efforts at intensive
care, no hatchlings survived the
cool winter months at our soft-
release site or outdoor captive
facilities. This year, we released
all of the C. indica hatchlings after
taking the standard morphological
measurements, and retained none
of them for headstarting. Our new
goal is to build an indoor rearing
facility specifically for C. indica,
which will allow for better control
the environmental temperatures. We
Top to Bottom: We collected the eggs of
Chitra indica mostly from unprotected
stretches of the Yamuna River and incubated
them naturally through hatchery programs.
Hatchling Chitra indica before being
processed and released at one of the in situ
hatcheries.
A hatchling Chitra indica stretches its neck in
front of our green headstarting facility.
Ashutosh Tripathi, Project Officer with the
India Program, processes a hatchling Chitra
indica for a rearing program at the Garhaita
Turtle Centre.
ashutosh tripathi shailendra singh shailendra singh shailendra singh
50 TSA AUGUST 2010
plan to build this facility at our turtle
center in the village of Garhaita, once
we raise the necessary funds.
We initiated a mark-recapture
study on the Yamuna River, just
outside of the National Chambal
Sanctuary, to quantify the C. indica
population at the sanctuary. The
primary results show that C. indica
moves in and out of the sanctuary,
and especially during the monsoon
floods (July to September). We also
expanded the nesting surveys on the
Yamuna and Chambal rivers, along
our B. kachuga project lines in the
Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh
(UP). Here, we found one clutch
(141 eggs) along the Yamuna and
two clutches (257) on the Chambal,
near the Garhaita Turtle Centre. We
translocated these eggs to another
in-situ hatchery established near
the village of Garhaita. Of these,
only two nests from the Chambal
River hatched, with an 85% success
rate, while the clutch from Yamuna
River failed to develop. In addition,
we recorded observations on three
natural nests on the Chambal
River near Garhaita; the eggs from
these nests hatched in October and
November, with a 96% success rate.
Protecting the C. indica nests in situ
would seem to be a preferable option
over translocating them to remote
hatcheries, although this option
might not always be feasible due to
manpower issues.

Finally, we developed a modest
turtle incubation chamber (3.3
3.3 m) at the Garhatia Turtle Centre,
under the water tower of the green
rearing facility for Batagur kachuga.
This chamber will be insulated and
used for artificially incubating C.
indica clutches from the Chambal
River, which will avoid the loss of
developing eggs during unexpected
cold spells.

This year we collected significant
data on the ecology and biology of
C. indica, and this information could
be important for the conservation
management of this species as
we expand this initiative in other
priority areas. The preliminary
studies indicate our need to enhance
research efforts to better understand
the ecology and reproductive
biology of this species one that
is constantly forced to adapt to the
myriad of habitat fluctuations and
unpredictable climatic conditions
imposed by this harsh region.

This project was supported,
in part, by a grant from Cleveland
Zoological Society.
The Batagur Conservation
Program on the Chambal River

In 2006, the project team started
implementing the Conservation
Action Plan recommendations
for the Endangered Red-crowned
Left, top to bottom: Individuals of Chitra
indica sometimes wander outside of the limits
of the National Chambal Sanctuary and are
vulnerable to accidental or intentional killing.
Dr. Gowri Mallapur, a veterinarian for the
Crocodile Bank Trust, inspects Decimal Coded
Wire tags placed in newly hatched Chitra
indica at one of the in situ hatcheries.
Chitra indica juveniles sampled from the
Yamuna River as part of a species migration
and dispersal study.
Fishermen are given an incentive to rescue
and release individuals of Chitra indica that
they accidentally capture in unprotected
stretches of the Yamuna River.
ashutosh tripathiashutosh tripathi shailendra singh shailendra singh
AUGUST 2010 TSA 51
Roof Turtle (Batagur kachuga) and
the Three-striped Roof Turtle (B.
dhongoka) in the National Chambal
(River) Sanctuary, located in the
states of UP and Madhya Pradesh
(MP). The Red-crowned Roof Turtle
conservation program was chosen
as the flagship project for this
region, as well as for the country,
because this turtle is charismatic
and shows a high probability for
quickly securing a viable population
of the turtles while serving as a
model for other turtle conservation
programs throughout India and
abroad. With fewer than 400 adult
females remaining in the wild (based
on yearly nesting surveys), decisive
conservation actions were clearly
warranted.
We completed the fifth field
season (20062010) by conducting
a recovery program in Chambal
for the above two sympatric turtle
species. During this time, more than
380 nests of B. kachuga and over
2,150 nests B. dhongoka have been
protected through the establishment
of 14 in-situ riverside hatcheries (3
or 4 per year) along the Chambal
River.

Last winter, we started various
conservation and research activities
in the middle and lower stretches
of the Chambal River. Again, we
established three in-situ turtle
hatcheries, two in the state of UP and
one in the state of MP. We protected
77 nests (1,330 eggs) of B. kachuga
and 436 nests (9,120) B. dhongoka.
The eggs began hatching in early May
of 2010, a process that continued
throughout the month. We released
most of the hatchlings within 24
hours, once they were permanently
marked. This procedure entails the
injection of a decimal coded wire tag
under the dermis of a hind limb and/
or a colored plastic cable tie attached
to the trailing edge of the rear shell.
By surveying for marked turtles,
we hope to estimate hatchling
survivorship and dispersal distances
in this population. This crucial part
of the project is a standard means of
gauging the success of a hatch-and-
release program in augmenting the
wild population.
We surveyed the entire lower
course (ca. 400 km) of the Chambal
River and determined the abundance
of chelonians, habitat conditions,
and suitable nesting habitats from
January through March. We also
collected data on various habitat
parameters and anthropogenic
disturbances, to develop a nesting
habitat suitability index. A
comparison among the previous
years' data showed continued
marginalization of the nesting areas
due to the various anthropogenic
disturbances, especially riverside
agriculture and cattle intrusion
along the riverbanks. Historically,
the low water levels in the river have
been regarded as one of the major
threats to the nests, since most of
the previous turtle nesting islands
became accessible to terrestrial
predators. For example, in the lower
100 km of the Chambal , 34 major
nesting islands that historically were
isolated from the riverbanks became
continuously connected to them.

At present, we are rearing over
1,500 B. kachuga of various age
groups (from 0 to 5 years of age) in
two headstarting facilities along the
Chambal River. In early 2011, we will
initiate movement and survivorship
studies by using sonic-telemetry
with headstarted B. kachuga.

In the spring of 2010, the state
forest department released about
400 turtles of various age groups
(20062008) from our Deori
facility in MP, at various locations
near the middle Chambal River. To
expand this effort, we have been
searching for suitable habitats to
release headstarted B. kachuga and
B. dhongoka. We identified the Son,
Ken, Betwa, and Ghaghara rivers
as possible reintroduction sites.
The Son River, in the Son Gharial
Sanctuary, might be the next possible
reintroduction site for B. kachuga,
whereas in our surveys we are
encountering moderate populations
of B. dhongoka along the middle
stretch of the Ghaghara River, 200
km downriver from the Katerniaghat
Wildlife Sanctuary.
We completed the green
headstarting enclosure to rear
endangered turtles (especially B.
kachuga) at the Garhaita Turtle
Conservation Centre, on the lower
ashutosh tripathikhem b. bhadauria anasua roy shailendra singhBelow, top to bottom: A riverside hatchery for
Batagur dhongoka and B. kachuga along the
Chambal River.
A group photo of the turtle project team at
the Uttar Pradesh riverside hatchery.
Turtle team members collect eggs from a
Batagur nest for relocation to a riverside
hatchery.
A clutch of Batagur kachuga eggs is ready for
transport to a riverside hatchery.
52 TSA AUGUST 2010
Chambal River, with partial support
from the Turtle Conservation Fund.
This (51 16 m) enclosure is close to
2 m deep and contains floating and
stationary basking platforms, and
the entire structure is covered with
predator-proof iron mesh. We also
added a four-chambered biofiltration
unit powered by a solar water pump.

The rearing enclosure currently
houses over 200 juveniles (three
or four years old) of B. kachuga.
Additionally, we renovated the
original hatchling facility at the
Garhaita Turtle Conservation Centre
by creating four deeper pools with
wider ramps, to hold turtles of
various age classes separately for
growth and temperature related
studies.
Education and Socio-economics

This year's greatest
accomplishment was the
construction of a Conservation
Education Centre. We upgraded
our humble education facility, aptly
named the "Makeshift Hut" at the
Garhaita Turtle Centre into a modest
(15 10 m), permanent structure.
The center was named after the
late Dr. John Thorbjarnarson, a
well-respected herpetologist who
made lasting contributions to
crocodile and turtle conservation.

This education and interpretation
facility was built with the generous
support of the Disney Worldwide
Conservation Fund and the Beneficia
Foundation. We can now accommo-
date over 100 children/community
members for educational events. In
the near future, the building will be
equipped with four internal display
panels dedicated to the region's
endangered freshwater turtles,
threatened aquatic biodiversity,
freshwater ecosystems, and socio-
cultural features. In addition, a
live animal aquatic exhibit will
be added, along with interactive
animal models. Though the prime
objective of this facility is to cater
to the turtle conservation aware-
ness needs of the local/riparian
community, it will also facilitate the
conservation (education, awareness,
and training) initiatives involving
other regional threatened aquatic
animals, ecosystems and protected
areas, issues, and target groups.
Mrs. Patricia Koval, of the TSA
Board of Directors and Chair of
WWF Canada, inaugurated the
center on World Earth Day (22 May
2010), with over 200 villagers and
government officials in attendance.
To mark the occasion, the villagers
of Garhaita sang traditional songs
invocating the Chambal River as a
deity, and the local children performed
a short play enacting the depletion of
the sanctuary's flora and fauna.
We began to utilize a mobile
education exhibit featuring the
region's biodiversity. The exhibit
was based on the area's traditional
camel-drawn cart and inaugurated
by Mr. Neeraj Kumar, a Divisional
Forest Officer of the Chambal, and it
traveled throughout the sanctuary
during National Wildlife Week
(17 October 2009). Various color
posters depicting the sanctuary's
wildlife were displayed, along with
conservation slogans in Hindi.
Additionally, a puppet team was
hired to perform shows atop the
cart. The theme centered around
the greater conservation of natural
resources and the plight of aquatic
wildlife. This mobile exhibit now
travels from village to village
along the Chambal River, creating
awareness of freshwater turtles and
other aquatic wildlife in riparian
communities.
We also assembled over 50
outreach educational programs for
over 2,000 villagers and primary
school children living within the
Chambal National Sanctuary. We
organized these programs using such
education tools as lectures, ecological
based games, drawing competitions,
and live demonstrations and
ashutosh tripathiashutosh tripathiashutosh tripathi shailendra singhAbove, top to bottom: A female Batagur
dhongoka found early on the morning, shortly
after nesting.
The hatchery staff releases tagged turtles
along the Chambal River.
A bucket of tagged hatchling Batagur
dhongoka about to be released at the in situ
hatchery.
Renovations to the original headstarting
facility are now complete, with the
construction of deeper pools and basking
ramps.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 53
skits on the relevant dates of the
environmental calendar (e.g., Water
Day, World Wetland Day, Earth
Day, World Biodiversity Day, World
Turtle Day, World Environment Day,
and National Wildlife Week). We
also distributed turtle calendars
and posters portraying wildlife
and associated laws to the various
schools within the sanctuary. We
are now planning to hold a series
of teachers training workshops
in association with the nationally
recognized Centre for Environmental
Education.

The school education and
awareness programs made us realize
that many of the participants lacked
a general knowledge of the flora in
the protected area. Perhaps, this
lack of knowledge is due to the fact
that most native plants in the region
have been outcompeted by the exotic
and invasive Prosopis juliflora (a
Mexican mesquite tree). In order to
raise awareness of the region's floral
diversity, we developed a small plant
nursery (13 7 m) in the campus
of the turtle center to demonstrate
native plants to the local children, as
well as to encourage their use.

This year, on World Wetland Day,
we conducted two major trainings
sessions for the MP frontline
forestry department staff. The topics
included aquatic wildlife survey
methodology, turtle diversity and
nest protection, and wildlife laws
regarding freshwater turtles. In
November, we conducted another
training workshop, at the Kukrail
Gharial Centre, for turtle/crocodile
keepers and fishermen. The objective
of this workshop was to train these
people to safely capture and handle
aquatic reptiles. We also accepted
two student research trainees
from the state of West Bengal, who
were trained in all aspects of turtle
conservation and research in the
Chambal and Terai regions.
We continued to conduct
socio-economic surveys in the
villages along the Chambal River.
We evaluated approximately 200
villages along the lower section of
the river and the accompanying
buffer zone, near the confluence of
the Chambal and Yamuna rivers, and
assessed their interaction with the
sanctuary's threatened biota. This
information was critical because
it could help us develop additional
livelihood and social/civic programs.
To sustain the momentum of this
initiative, we hired several students
that previously had volunteered
as part-time educators. We also
employed fishermen from various
fishing hamlets to assist with the
turtle surveys and guard the in-situ
riverside turtle hatcheries around-
the-clock. In addition, we contracted
local village masons and laborers to
build the education center described
above. Paying the local people for
their involvement with the project
has garnered great community
support.
We are currently expanding
our goals and aim to conduct our
social/education programs in over
600 villages along the entire length
of the sanctuary. The information
collected from the present education
and awareness initiatives will help
us design educational and social de-
velopment programs for the various
ashutosh tripathi brian d. horneashutosh tripathi shailendra singhgowri mallapurRight, top to bottom: Pat Koval introduces a
juvenile Batagur kachuga into the new green
headstarting facility.
Brian D. Horne, Pat Koval, and Shailendra
Singh (middle front row, left to right) at the
inauguration of the new education center.
Pat Koval reveals the commemorative name
plaque on the new education center on the
Chambal.
A camel-powered mobile education cart. The
cart traveled across rough terrain to reach
rural villages along the Chambal River, to
broadcast the turtle conservation message.
Shailendra Singh demonstrates the proper
techniques for capturing turtles to zoo
keepers and the forestry department staff
at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Centre in
Lucknow.
54 TSA AUGUST 2010
target groups (e.g., fishermen, sand
miners, riverside agriculturists, and
turtle poachers) that are adversely
impacting the biota of the sanctuary.
Ideally, the implementation of these
specialized programs can convert
our conservation philosophy into
action, so that wildlife and tradi-
tional societies can survive along-
side one another!
Assam in Northeastern India

Located at the junction of
the Himalaya and Indo-Burma
biodiversity hotspot, northeastern
India is regarded as a major turtle
conservation priority area. This
region supports a remarkable
23 species of chelonians, making
it the world's greatest area for
turtle diversity. In 2008, a group of
students from Guwahati University
started an awareness project for
the various threatened species
inhabiting the Brahamaputra
River basin, with financial support
provided by the Rufford Small
Grant Foundation and technical
support by the TSA India Program.
In 2010, the TSA became an active
participant in the program, and
initiated conservation projects for
safeguarding the region's turtles.
Presently, we are targeting four
turtle species for conservation
efforts: the Assam Roof Turtle
(Pangshura sylhetensis), the Black
Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia nigricans),
the Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo
elongata), and the Asian Brown
Tortoise (Manouria emys).

An elusive species, P. sylhetensis
is now found only in a few protected
areas, including the Kaziranga,
Nagawan, and Nameri national
parks in the Brahamaputra River
basin. We beagan our preliminary
surveys and community awareness
programs for P. sylhetensis along the
chars (islands) of the Brahmaputra
River, near the Nameri and Nagawan
national parks. We also established a
hatchery on an island in the district
of Morigawan in order to protect a
few clutches of P. sylhetensis eggs, as
people in these river communities
often poach turtle eggs for human
consumption. Although we did not
locate any P. sylhetensis nests, we
protected over 50 nests of P. tentoria
and multiple clutches of N. nigricans.
Many of the rescued P. tentoria
clutches failed to hatch, however,
perhaps due to previous mishandling
of the eggs by poachers, but the N.
nigricans clutches are still incubating
in the hatchery.

Although this year we used the
hatchery as an experiment, it helped
to create awareness among the river
communities on the diversity of
turtles using this island as a nesting
area. Additionally, it helped impart
egg translocation methodology,
hatchery construction techniques,
and management ideas to our new
field assistants. The decision to use
the hatchery will likely prove to be
of vital importance in the future
protection of P. sylhetensis eggs.

In late March of 2010, we visited
various locations along the Bra-
hamaputra to determine the current
status of P. sylhentensis. During our
surveys, we interviewed a wide
range of fishermen and riparian
community members as to the occur-
rence of the species at Vishwanath
(opposite bank of Kaziranga National
Park) and Ghahigaon, in the Sonitpur
district. According to the fishermen
and previous unpublished research
accounts, these locations were
known to support robust popula-
tions of P. sylhetensis, but after the
weeklong surveys it was obvious that
a population of P. sylhetensis remains
only in reduced numbers along the
upper stretch of the river. We plan to
return to these locations this fall in
hopes of finding our first P. sylheten-
sis nests.
We also identified a project
site, Chandavi, along the Assam
and Meghalaya state border. This
area consists of a complex of bheels
(lakes) along the Kulsi River, in the
Kamrup district, and holds high
numbers of softshell turtles (i.e., C.
indica and Nilssonia hurum) with
the possibility that N. nigricans is
found there as well. We conducted
several education programs for the
local villages and the Rabha tribal
communities, to create awareness
regarding the area's turtle diversity
and how unsustainable turtle
harvesting will negatively impact the
aquatic ecosystem that many local
livelihoods depend on.

The other regional target species,
the Black Softshell Turtle (N.
nigricans), has only recently been
reported in the wild; previously, it
was only known to survive in a few
Hindu temple ponds. The majority of
these ponds in Assam are governed
by the Mandir Pujo Samiti (Temple
Worship Committees), and in the
shailendra singh shailendra singhFar left: Batagur kachuga yearlings at
the Deori EcoCentre headstarting facility.
These turtles will be studied to examine
the dispersal capabilities and threats to
headstarted individuals.
Left: Construction of the new green
headstarting facility at the Garhaita Turtle
Conservation Centre is complete, and includes
a solar powered biological filtration system.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 55
past it has been difficult to convince
the temple worship committees
that improvements to the ponds
are necessary for the long-term
survival of these "sacred" turtles.
Consequently, we are planning
a meeting to generate dialogue
among the temple authorities, the
district administration, conservation
organizations, and the forestry
departments. We aim to create
a construction blueprint for the
needed improvements to the temple
ponds, in an effort to improve their
husbandry and survival. Our goal is
for these populations to reproduce
and become self-sustaining
assurance colonies.
We visited the temples of Hazo
and Kamakhya and a few other
smaller temples in the region,
searching for more captive N.
nigricans. At Hazo, we saw a
moribund female on a masonry
bank of the temple pond, which died
shortly after our arrival possibly
from a severe infection on a front leg.
We also saw several other individuals
that showed signs of a severe fungal
infection on their shells. Surprisingly,
we found a few N. nigricans nests
under ornamental bushes bordering
the masonry banks of the pond.

Although the death of the female
N. nigricans was disheartening, it
proved to be the needed motivational
factor for the temple authorities
to grant us permission to improve
the basking and nesting areas. We
added sand to a large nesting area,
and built basking platforms and
shade structures in two corners of
the pond. What we lack, however, is
financial assistance from the regional
turtle program to assist the temple
committee in hiring a full-time staff
member to monitor the turtles. The
responsibility of this staff member
would be to prevent the future loss
of valuable adult N. nigricans, and to
protect their nests from predators.
An additional juvenile grow-out
facility is also needed, as the pond
currently contains numerous large
predatory catfish that could easily
consume the younger turtles.

Our plans are to initiate a captive
conservation program with the
Assam State Zoo and Botanic Garden
to develop assurance colonies of
regional target species, and toward
this end we had several lengthy
discussions with the zoo's director,
Mr. Narayan Mahanta. We agreed
to work together to design and
construct enclosures for holding
endangered turtle species, which
include Indotestudo elongata,
Manouria emys, and P. sylhetensis.
These enclosures are scheduled for
construction under their new master
plan. We also created dialogue
with such regional conservation
organizations as Aranyak and the
Centre for Environmental Education,
as well as with local researchers, in
an effort to build strong partnerships
and networks for a wider turtle
conservation program in the region.
Orissa

In April of 2010, we completed
a rapid survey along the Mahanadi
River to gather preliminary
information on turtle diversity
and abundance in the state, as
previous reports indicated that
the river was a major area for
trapping turtles. We visited Binka,
Chaurpur, and Durgapalli (near
the town of Sambalpur) to inquire
about the softshell turtle trade,
and gathered a large amount
of information regarding the
composition, location of trade routes,
modes of transportation, location
of the collection centers, and final
destination of the catch. During
interviews with the local fishermen,
we confirmed the occurrence of
the Asian Giant Softshell Turtle
(Pelochelys cantorii) and the high
abundance of C. indica in the area.
We also surveyed the mouths
of various rivers along the eastern
coast of Orissa, to gather information
on the past and present status the
River Terrapin (Batagur baska). We
interviewed over 50 fishermen along
the Devi and Kathjodi rivers, but
found no evidence of recent sightings
or nests of B. baska in the area.
Furthermore, we arranged meetings
with several local conservation
organizations, forestry department
biologists, researchers, and interest
groups to discern the feasibility of
future collaborative projects with
TSA India.
We concluded our surveys and
meetings with a positive outlook
for initiating a turtle conservation
project in the state. Partners like the
Wildlife Society of Orissa, Utkal State
University at Cuttuck, and the state
chittaranjan baruah shailendra singhAbove: The Nilssonia nigricans facility
improvement project for creating nesting
beaches is underway. The project is being
conducted in association with Guwahati
University and Temple committees in the state
of Assam.
Right: A trained turtle guard collects Nilssonia
nigricans eggs at the Hazo Temple pond. The
eggs are incubated in a safe environment.
56 TSA AUGUST 2010
forestry departments appear willing
to collaborate on turtle conservation
projects.

Although this year the B. baska
project progressed slowly due to
a lack of required permits from
the state forestry department, we
completed the first phase of the
statewide survey on the present
and historical status of B. baska. We
presented our findings and future
conservation plans to various high-
level research advisory committees,
in an effort to obtain permission to
launch nesting population surveys
deeper into the Sunderbans. Hope fully,
permission will be granted to improve
the breeding facility at the Sajnekhali
field station, in the Sunderbans Tiger
Reserve. As reported in 2009, eight
males, three females, and one juvenile
were in the pond, but, sadly, two
females were lost during a recent
"Aila" (sea storm) when floodwaters
inundated the facility.
Acknowledgments. We
graciously acknowledge the Turtle
Survival Alliance for spearheading
conservation programs on India's
endangered turtle fauna. We thank
the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust
for their logistic and administrative
support for this nationwide
conservation program, the San Diego
Zoo's Institute for Conservation
Research for technical assistance
for various projects and critical
financial support for the Central
India project, and the Beneficia
Foundation for backing our work
since 2007. We acknowledge the
generosity of the Disney Worldwide
Conservation Funds for supporting
the Turtle Conservation Education
and Awareness Initiative. For various
critical components of the program,
we are especially grateful to the
Cleveland Zoological Society, Pat
Koval/WWF Canada, the Detroit
Zoological Institute, Sedgwick
County Zoo, Nature's Own, the
Turtle Conservation Fund, British
Chelonia Group, and Andrew and
Angela Walde of Walde Research &
Environmental Consulting. For aiding
with various logistical problems
and permits, we thank the Ministry
of Environment and Forests, the
Government of India, and the
Forestry Departments of UP, MP,
West Bengal, and Assam.
We acknowledge the TSA board
of Directors for their interest,
encouragement, and necessary
approval for various projects, and
the MCBT Trustees and staff for their
support of the program. We cordially
thank Scott Davis, Anders Rhodin,
Hugh Quinn, Patricia Koval, Romulus
Whitaker, Patrick Aust, Jeffery W.
Lang, B. K. Patnaik, Pradeep Vyas,
Neeraj Kumar, Eva Sharma, B. C.
Brahma, Anjan Guha, U. S. Dohare,
and Dhruvjyoti Basu for their
various suggestions, assistance, and
support. Samir Whitaker, Heather
Lowe and Gowri Mallapur provided
administrative support for the
project.
We are grateful to various
partner organizations, including
the Centre for Environmental
Education, the Zoology Department
of Guwahati University, the Terai
Environmental Foundation, the
Katerniaghat Foundation, and the
Gharial Conservation Alliance, for
joining hands with us in taking
the turtle conservation mission
forward. Finally, we appreciate the
help provided by the conservation
team members, Ashutosh Tripathi,
Khem B. Bhadauria (Chambal),
Nikhil Whitaker (MCBT/South
India), Pradeep Saxena and Bhasker
Dixit, Anasua Roy (Terai region),
Chittaranjan Baruah (Assam), Rupali
Ghosh (Eastern India), and all of the
students and volunteers; without
their tireless efforts, this program
would not have been possible.
1TSA India, Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile
Bank Trust, Post Bag 4, Mamallapuram, 603 104,
Tamil Nadu, India.
Email: shailendra_env@rediffmail.com
2Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo, 1989
Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
3San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research,
15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, California
92027.
brian d. horneA boy at a fisherman's home along the Mahanadi River, near the town of Sambalpur in the
state of Orissa, shows the bony carapace of a recently eaten Giant Softshell Turtle (Pelochelys
cantorii).
AUGUST 2010 TSA 57
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
The joint TSA/MCBT/San Diego
Zoo Indian Turtle Conservation
Program (ITCP), in association
with the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Forest
Department, is organizing a national
level workshop dedicated to turtle
conservation entitled "Indian
Freshwater Turtle and Tortoises
Conservation Priority Areas
Initiatives." The workshop will
be held from the 22nd to the 24th of
October 2010 in Lucknow, the capital
city of Uttar Pradesh. The main
objectives of the workshop will be to:
Review the implementation of the
2005 "Conservation Action Plan
for Indian Endangered Turtles and
Tortoises" developed at the Kukrail
Gharial Rehab Centre in Lucknow by
the MCBT and TSA.
Discuss and prioritize important
turtle areas for conservation action
across India, and review their po-
tential to support new programs.
Identify competent local partners
and collaborators for key turtle
conservation initiatives.

After five years of executing the
2005 Conservation Action Plan for
Endangered Freshwater Turtles and
Tortoises of India, there is a need for
a rigorous review of ongoing turtle
conservation projects. Based on the
success of the Chambal River-based
program, and given the rapidly in-
creasing level of threats that Indian's
turtle face, we believe that it is time to
expand our program to other regions
in India that support endangered or
endemic species in need of conserva-
tion attention. India is a large country
with a diversity of habitats, cultures,
and chelonian species. In order to
focus our efforts and develop an
organizational strategy, we mapped
out a system (see map) that will pro-
vide extensive coverage to as many
key species and critical habitats as
possible.

Five priority turtle areas in India
have been identified: the Chambal
River and Upper Ganges River System
(central India), the Terai Region
(northern India), the state of Assam
(northeastern India), the Sunderbans
of West Bengal and the state of Orissa
(eastern India), and the Western Ghats
and the state of Tamilnadu (southern
India). When combined, these five
regions support India's most highly
endangered and charismatic turtles.
Priority areas were selected on the
basis of species richness, endemism,
proportion of endangered turtles, and
our ability to initiate conservation
programs. This alignment encompass-
es much of the Ganges-Brahmaputra
river basin drainages (excluding
Bangladesh), an area that supports
the world's greatest diversity of turtle
species. Containing 18 species, includ-
ing 12 of the 14 Indian species in need
of conservation, the Lower Gangetic
Plain was designated as a global
Turtle Priority Area (Buhlmann et al.,
2009).

The workshop aims to synchronize
as well as capitalize on the efforts
of the various organizations and
individuals working to conserve che-
lonians in India. By bringing together
over fifty national and international
frontline biologists, conservationists,
educators, socio-economists, manag-
ers, and policy makers, the workshop
seeks to develop regional conserva-
tion action plans and identify immedi-
ate needs for the five Turtle Priority
Areas. Participants will evaluate past
priorities with respect to changes in
national and international conserva-
tion priorities. The ITCP and other re-
gional partners will implement these
action plans through mobilizing and
facilitating conservation teams. The
workshop and action plan will also
seek enhanced participation of the
central and state governments in the
turtle conservation effort as part of
nest year's activities associated with
the "International Biodiversity Year."

The program's vision is to conserve
as many of the remaining wild popula-
tions of turtles as possible and to
establish multiple assurance colonies
of Critically Endangered turtle spe-
cies within the next five to 10 years.
Funding for this workshop is being
provided by the Turtle Survival
Alliance.
Literature Cited
Buhlmann, K. A., T.S.B. Akre, J. B. Iverson, D.
Karapatakis, R. A. Mittermeier, A. Georges, A. G.
J. Rhodin, P. P. van Dijk, and J. W. Gibbons. 2009.
A Global Analysis of Tortoise and Freshwater
Turtle Distributions with Identification of Priority
Conservation Areas. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 8:
116149.
1TSA India, Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile
Bank Trust, Post Bag 4, Mamallapuram, 603 104, Tamil
Nadu, India. Email: shailendra_env@rediffmail.com
2Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo, 1989
Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
Strategic Planning Workshop for
Endangered Indian Turtles
Shailendra Singh1 and Rick Hudson2
India Turtle Priority Regions.
india
58 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
World Turtle Day in India
was again a success, when a
cadre of 35 turtle poachers, prima-
facie, gave-up on the commercial
harvesting of turtles along the
Ghaghra-Sarju river system in the
Terai (foothills of the Himalaya's
along Indo-Nepal border). They
reached a decision after long
hours of discussion regarding the
losses and benefits of poaching
and killing turtles, as well as after
weighing the possibilities of eco-
friendly livelihood options available
through a turtle project. The turtle
poachers and fishermen involved in
non-commercial turtle harvesting
took a week of convincing to
gather at a conversion workshop
in Ghaghraghat, along the Ghaghra
River, to discuss these issues and
find ways of working together for the
benefit of turtle conservation in the
area.

The Ghaghra-Sarju river system
along the Terai supports one of
the few healthy populations of the
Crowned River Turtle (Hardella
thurjii), the Indian Narrow-headed
Softshell Turtle (Chitra indica),
the Indian Eyed Turtle (Morenia
petersii), and the Spotted Pond
Turtle (Geoclemys hamiltoni), in
addition to two other softshell
turtles, Nilssonia gangeticus and N.
hurum. On both rivers, softshells
are hunted extensively for the
commercial trade of calipee (the
outer cartilaginous rim) and meat,
while hard-shelled turtle species like
Hardella and Geoclemys are killed
for local consumption. Furthermore,
each year a significant number
of turtles throughout the region
drowns accidentally in nets and
traps used for community fishing.
Besides involvement in species
status and trade assessments,
the TSA-MCBT India Program has
been working through such meetings
to convert regional turtle poachers
by finding ways to provide them
with alternative livelihood training
by setting-up various eco-friendly
micro-enterprises.

Thirty-five people participated at
the last meeting. After hours of long
discussion and the presentation of
opposing views, most (80%) of the
participants agreed to work with the
project team for at least next three
years. During this time they would be
involved with protecting turtles and
other aquatic wildlife in the region,
along with other converted poachers
and conservation teams. In addition,
these people signed a pledge that
prohibits them from commercially
harvesting freshwater turtles in the
area.

A series of follow-up meetings are
planned in near future, in an effort
to form several "River Conservation
Committees" along critical stretches
of the entire river system. Under the
auspices of the TSA-MCBT program,
such committees will include ex-
turtle poachers, fishermen who use
eco-friendly fishing methods, local
but influential community members,
and regional conservation NGOs.
These committees will advise the
regional turtle project on turtles
and habitat protective measures,
the feasibility of creating livelihood
options for poachers, the availability
and need for candidates for a
rehabilitation program, and the long-
term costs associated with turtle
protection and habitat conservation
in the area.
1TSA India, Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile
Bank Trust, Post Bag 4, Mamallapuram, 603 104,
Tamil Nadu, India.
Email: shailendra_env@rediffmail.com
india
World Turtle Day in India Commemorated
with a Poacher Conversion Workshop
Shailendra Singh1
Most participants of the Terai poacher
conversion workshop agreed to work with
the project team for the next three years, and
signed a pledge to give up the commercial
harvesting of freshwater turtles.
Shailendra Singh (white hat) collects data for
a recently launched study on the population
dynamics and reproduction of Hardella thurjii,
conducted with the help of ex-poachers and
fishing communities.
pradeep K. saxenapradeep K. saxena
AUGUST 2010 TSA 59
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
The Madras Crocodile Bank
Trust (MCBT) has maintained
an Assurance Colony of the Red-
crowned Roof Turtle (Batagur
kachuga), with 2: 4 adults arriving
in 2001 and successful breeding
(i.e., the production of viable eggs)
beginning in 2004. The details of
previous reproductive success,
husbandry and management, and
enclosure design for this species
have been described by Basu et
al. (2006) and Whitaker (2009).
Here, I present captive breeding
observations for the 2010 season,
and report on the growth rates of
hatchlings produced in 2009.

Six clutches of B. kachuga eggs
were deposited in 2010, and since
six others were deposited in 2009,
this information again implies that
females produced multiple clutches.
Egg laying in 2010 occurred between
25th January to 4th March. The clutch
size ranged from one to 30 eggs, for
a total of 89 eggs. The same meth-
od of sweeping the banks clean of
turtle tracks every evening was em-
ployed in 2010, ensuring that for the
most part (5/6 nests) the eggs were
collected the night after laying. The
time of oviposition appeared to be
unrelated to the ambient tempera-
tures (average temperature = 26.5
C), but deviations from the average
were high at this time and there was
a large difference between minimum
and maximum temperatures. Inter-
estingly, all six clutches were laid
within a circle with a diameter of ca.
2 m, but the temperatures at the time
of egg collection varied considera-
bly, as well as the depth of the nests
(from 15 to 23 cm). The overall via-
bility of the eggs was 56 %, with the
hatch rate of the viable ones at 62 %.
The viable eggs that did not hatch
were subjected to the same medium
(vermiculite) and approximately the
same humidity, so the reasons why
they failed to hatch remain unclear.

The low hatching rates in the
clutches are confusing, given the
high proportion of viable eggs that
were produced. Clutch 3/Box 1, with
a range from 25 to 31 C (average =
27.54 C), did not produce any live
hatchlings; however, this clutch did
not deviate significantly from those
that produced a large number of
hatchlings. For example, the tem-
perature in Clutch 4 ranged from 27
to 32 C (average = 29.3 C) and in
Clutch 6 from 24 to 32.5 C (average
= 29.9 C). Some eggs showed no
calcification, particularly at or near
the poles, and they had low hatching
success; others showed punctures
into the shell membrane, and these
were repaired with surgical tape but
failed to hatch.

The growth rates for 29 hatch-
lings produced in 2009 were higher
than expected. The hatchlings gained
an impressive amount of weight
from the time of hatching until
they reached one year of age (total
= 238 g, an increase of 83%). The
hatchlings were maintained in glass
aquaria measuring 4' 1' 18" 1'
18", with a square land area and fish
bio filters (Body Guard AP2200F).
The aquaria were equipped with logs
for the animals to climb onto, and
with half broken clay pots that they
could use for shelter.

The juveniles were transferred
to a much larger enclosure with a
gravel bed filtration system on 5th
August 2009 (at six months of age),
and implanted with PIT tags on their
india
Red-crowned Roof Turtle (Batagur
kachuga) Breeding at the Centre for
Herpetology/Madras Crocodile Bank, an
Update on the 2010 Breeding Season
Nikhil Whitaker1
Left: A clutch of Red-crowned Roof Turtle eggs deposited the previous evening. Middle: Clutch 4 of Batagur kachuga hatched en masse.
Right: At six months of age, the juvenile Batagur kachuga were transferred to a much larger enclosure.
painting auCtion
right hind limbs on 15 January 2010
(at 10 months of age).
Work at the MCBT is presently
underway to collaborate with the
TSA in obtaining an endoscope,
so the animals that hatched with
known incubation temperatures
can be sexed; this information
would provide Temperature Sex
Determination patterns in this
species. Also of interest is that the
turtles produced at the MCBT in
2005 now show the cephalic and
neck pigmentation of adult males,
suggesting that sexual maturity is
reached at around five years of age.
Acknowledgments. I thank
Rick Hudson, Brian Horne,
Shannon Ferrell, Lonnie McCaskill,
Rom Whitaker, Gowri Mallapur,
Soham Mukherjee, Gangadurai,
Pindey, Seth, and our in situ field
scientist, Shailendra Singh, who
helped the project in a number
of ways. The large gravel filter
systems were funded by the TSA,
with support from the Turtle
Conservation Fund, British
Chelonia Group, and Walter
Sedgwick.
Literature Cited
Basu, D., H. V. Andrews, S. P. Singh, R. Singh, K. Devi,
and S. Mundoli. 2006. First captive breeding
record of the Indian Painted Roofed Turtle,
Kachuga kachuga. Herpinstance 3(2): 7 9.
Whitaker, N. 2009. Update on captive breeding of
the Red-crowned Roof Turtle (Batagur kachuga)
at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. TSA 2009:
7475.
1Curator, Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile
Bank Trust, P. O. Box 4, Tamil Nadu, 603 104, South
India. Email: nikhil.whitaker@gmail.com
This original painting by noted wildlife artist Carel Brest van Kempen, entitled Radiated Tortoise Browsing, will be
auctioned at the 2010 TSA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. Proceeds will directly benefit conservation efforts
for the Radiated Tortoise in Madagascar.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 61
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
madagasCar
The dry-spiny ecoregion of
southern coastal Madagascar
supports the highest rates of
endemism in this island country
and is an important environment
for many locally-endemic reptiles
(Gardner et al., 2009), including the
Madagascar Spider Tortoise (Pyxis
arachnoides). This tortoise, one of
the world's smallest, is so-called
because the intricate pattern of its
carapace resembles a spider's web.
From 1970 to 2000, the habitat of
the Madagascar Spider Tortoise
has undergone levels of forest loss
averaging 1.2%/yr. (Harper et al.,
2007) as a result of subsistence
agriculture, especially from charcoal
production (rjan et al., 2006) and
livestock herding (Harper et al.,
2007; Walker, 2009). Coupled with
suspected illegal poaching activities
for the pet trade (Walker et al.,
2004) and the local food market, the
pressures exerted on this species
threaten its long-term survival. Not
surprisingly, the Madagascar Spider
Tortoise has become one of the TSAs
focal species.

To date, range estimates for the
Madagascar Spider Tortoise have
been made using dated information
and limited field records. Historically,
P. arachnoides was thought to inhabit
a continuous strip of coastal dry
forest that covered approximately
560 linear kilometers along the
southwestern coast of Madagascar
(Fig. 1; Bour, 1981); this range,
however, might be contracting
(Pedrono, 2008). Three subspecies of
this tortoise are recognized: (1) P. a.
brygooi inhabits the northern extent
of the range between Morombe
and the Manombo River (Pedrono,
2008); (2) P. a. arachnoides is found
to the south as far as the Menarandra
River; and (3) P. a. oblonga inhabits
the extreme southern reaches of the
range (Pedrono, 2009). The three
subspecies are characterized by
the presence of a plastral lobe that
shows clinal variation in mobility
(Prichard, 1979), with the mobility
increasing from north to south.
Establishing the population density
and range of any threatened species
is essential if effective and well-
directed conservation efforts are to
be implemented. Therefore, during
2008, a three-year survey program
was initiated by a team of British,
North American, and Malagasy field
biologists, aimed at establishing
where the last remaining strongholds
of the Madagascar Spider Tortoise
occur. With two out of the three
field seasons (JanuaryMarch 2009;
JanuaryMarch 2010) completed,
106 km of transects have been
traversed using a Distance Sampling
methodology (Buckland et al., 2004;
Walker, 2009a) across approximately
87% of what is thought to be the
species' coastal range (Fig, 1).
The results of the 2009 field season,
which documented the extent of
the range of P. a. brygooi within the
Mikea forests (Fig. 1) were reported
in the 2009 TSA Magazine (Walker,
2009b). Three population centers
are thought to exist for this northern
subspecies, with sparse numbers
found north of the Manombo River,
a concentrated population north
of the Baie de Fanamotra, and a
small population around the forests
east of Morombe at the northern
extremity of the range (Fig. 1). The
resulting data from the 2010 field
work suggests that P. a. arachnoides
is likely to be extirpated between
the Onilahy and the Fiherenana
rivers, probably due to habitat
Distribution of the Madagascar Spider
Tortoise, Pyxis arachnoides
Ryan C. J. Walker1,2 and Tsilavo H. Rafeliarisoa3,4
An adult Pyxis a. arachnoides forages in Tsimanampetsotse National Park.
ryan c. j. walker
62 TSA AUGUST 2010
removal to the north and east of
Toliara and the ease of collection
for poachers from Toliara to the
south. A reasonably unfragmented
population of P. a. arachnoides,
however, still inhabits the coastal
dry forests south of the Onilahy
River, within the narrow coastal
strip west of the Mahafaly Plateau
to the Linta River (Fig. 1). An area of
approximately 72 km along the coast,
south of Ampalaza and through the
Marolinta and Menarandra regions,
appears to be devoid of tortoises;
this situation is similar to the large
expanses of habitat within the range
of P. a. brygooi where the tortoises
are apparently absent. A small,
isolated population of the Southern
Spider Tortoise (P. a. oblonga) was
discovered approximately 40 km
north of Cap Sainte Marie, and
moderate numbers were found in
the Cap Sainte Marie Special Reserve
(Fig. 1).

Among the subspecies of
P. arachnoides, the plastron
morphology of the populations
within the transitional zones
is interesting. The population
occurring between the Fiherenana
and Manombo Rivers supports a
mixture of individuals displaying a
plastron hinge consistent with the
morphological traits of P. a. brygooi,
P. a. arachnoides, and also examples
of individuals showing a combination
of the two (Fig. 1). This mixture of
characters suggests intergradation
between the two subspecies. A
zone of intergradation was also
recorded during 2010 around the
Linta River area, stretching south
for approximately 26 km along the
coast, where tortoises displaying
morphological characteristics
consistent with intergradation
between P. a. arachnoides and P. a.
oblonga were found (Fig. 1). Overall,
the current range of P. arachnoides
has been reduced as much as 68%
of the historic range reported in the
literature.

Pyxis a. arachnoides and P. a.
oblonga occur in moderate numbers
in each of the regions' protected
areas, Tsimanampetsotsa National
Park and Cap Sainte Marie Special
Reserve respectively. The protected
areas, however, fail to encompass
the healthiest population for each
respective region. For example,
populations of tortoises inhabiting
the dunes 5 km to the west of
Tsimanampetsotsa National Park
occur at levels of approximately 23
times the densities of populations
within the park. Also, the historic
range of P. a. brygooi lies outside of
any formally recognized protected
area. Two new protected areas,
Ranobe PK32 and Northern Mikea,
however, have been proposed for
the region. Unfortunately, because of
the fragmented nature of the range
between the subspecies, none of the
remaining populations fall within the
boundaries of those newly proposed
protected areas.

The above data will be
incorporated into the TSAs GIS
database. This database provides
a "real time" map of the current
distribution of the remaining
Madagascar Spider Tortoise
populations. Our recent work
represents the only comprehensive
survey of the distribution and
population size of P. arachnoides. One
more field season of data collection
remains, which will provide a better
understanding of the current range
and distribution of this Critically
Endangered species.
Acknowledgments. Financial,
logistical, or other support for this
work was generously provided by
the following organizations: The
EZA/Shell Shock Turtle Conservation
Fund, The Turtle Survival Alliance,
The Royal Geographical Society,
The British Chelonia Group, The
Mohammed Bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund, The Leicester
Tortoise Society, Conservation
International Madagascar, The
Open University, Henry Doorly
Zoo Madagascar Biodiversity and
Biogeography Project, Madagascar
National Parks and Blue Ventures
Conservation. The following
individuals provided logistical
Top: A survey vehicle in the Anakoa
region. Middle: An adult female Pyxis a.
arachnoides. Note the worn carapace scutes,
possibly caused by the hooves of livestock.
Bottom: A Pyxis a. arachnoides rests under
a tree to escape the midday sun in the Cap
Sainte Marie region of southwestern, coastal
Magagascar.
ryan c. j. walkerryan c. j. walkerryan c. j. walker
AUGUST 2010 TSA 63
support or assisted with fieldwork:
Inge Smith, Solomonbana Vitantsoa,
Charlie Gardner, Alice Ramsay,
Harrison Randrianasolo, Hery
Rasolohery, Al Harris, Brian Horne,
Richard Razatimanatsoa, and Juln
Bruchard.
Literature Cited
Bour, R. 1981. Etude systematique du genre
endemique Malagache Pyxis Bell, (1827)
(Reptilia Chelonii). Bull. Mens. Soc. Linn. Lyon
50: 154174.
Buckland, S. T., D. R. Anderson, J. L. Laake, K. P.
Burnham, D. L. Borchers, and L. Thomas. 2004.
Advanced Distance Sampling. Oxford University
Press, New York.
Gardner, C. J., D. Kidney, and H. Thomas. 2009.
First comprehensive avifaunal survey of PK32-
Ranobe, a new protected area in south-western
Madagascar. Phelsuma 17: 2039.
Harper, G., M. Steininger, C. Tucker, D. Juhn, and F.
Hawkins. 2007. Fifty years of deforestation and
forest fragmentation in Madagascar. Environ.
Conserv. 34: 325333.
rjan, B., M. Teng, A. Norman, J. Lundberg, and
T. Elmqvist. 2006. The value of small size: loss
of forest patches and ecological thresholds in
southern Madagascar. Ecol. Appl. 16: 440451
Pedrono, M. 2008. The Tortoises and Turtles of
Madagascar. Natural History Publications
(Borneo), Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Pritchard, P. C. H. 1979. Encyclopedia of Turtles.

T. F. H. Publications, Inc., Neptune, New Jersey.
Walker, R. C. J. 2009a. Comprehensive survey of
Spider Tortoise distribution in Madagascar gets
underway in the north. TSA News. 2009: 811.
Walker, R. C. J. 2009b. Preliminary results of a
population range and density survey for Pyxis
arachnoides brygooi in Madagascar. TurtleLog
No. 2. DOI:10.3854/tln.002.2009 (http://www.
iucn-tftsg.org/turtlelog_online_newsletter/
tln002/. Viewed 22 June 2009).
Walker, R. C. J., C. Rix, and A. Woods-Ballard. 2004.
The legal and illegal trade in the Madagascar
Spider Tortoise Pyrix arachnoides, for the exotic
pet trade. Herpetol. Bull. 90: 29.
Walker R. C. J., A. J. Woods-Ballard, and C. E. Rix.
2007. Population density and seasonal activity
of the threatened Madagascar Spider Tortoise
(Pyxis arachnoides arachnoides) of the southern
dry forests; South West Madagascar. African J.
Ecol. 46: 6773.
1Nautilus Ecology, 1 Pond Lane, Greetham, Rutland,
LE15 7NW, United Kingdom.
2Department of Life Sciences, Open University, Milton
Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Kingdom.
E-mail: ryan@nautilusecology.org
3Departement de Biologie Animale, Universite
d'Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
4Madagascar Biodiversity and Biogeography
Project, Henry Doorly Zoo, Grewcock's Center for
Conservation and Research, 3701 South 10th Street,
Omaha, Nebraska 68107.
Fig. 1. Left: Forest cover in southwestern Madagascar deduced from shapefiles derived from LandSatTM data, with locations of the 106 km of tortoise
survey transects undertaken in phases 1 and 2 of the project (JanuaryMarch, 2009 and JanuaryMarch, 2010). Right: Suspected historical area of
occurrence of Pyxis arachnoides as described by Bour (1981) and later by Pedrono (2008), with current range of the three subspecies overlaid.
The survey team in February of 2010, two
months into the range wide population survey
of Pyxys a. arachnoides in the Anakoa region.
Tsilavo Rafeliarisoa, Richard Razatimanatsoa,
and Ryan Walker (left to right) collect
morphometric data to better understand
population variation in the subspecies of
P. arachnoides.
ryan c. j. walkerbrian horne
64 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
madagasCar
The Radiated Tortoise Project
(RTP), part of Omaha's Henry
Doorly Zoo (HDZ) and the Madagas-
car Biodiversity Partnership (MBP),
was initiated in 2000 to facilitate the
conservation of the Radiated Tor-
toise (Astrochelys radiata), a flagship
species emblematic of the dry spiny
forests of southern Madagascar.
Categorized as Critically Endangered,
several factors have contributed
to the vast decline of this species,
including the loss and alteration of
natural habitat and the lack of en-
forcement against illegal harvesting
that has intensified due to current
political instability in Madagascar.
Based in Lavavolo, Madagascar,
the RTP is a multifaceted program
that addresses both environmental
and anthropogenic threats to the
Radiated Tortoise (see August 2009
Rafeliarisoa, Pp. 7677).

The results of a recent survey
reveal several conservation chal-
lenges in Lavavolo. Radiated Tortoise
declines are associated with the loss
of habitat from slash and burn activ-
ity, fuel wood and charcoal produc-
tion, and the subsequent overgrowth
by an invasive Opuntia cactus. Four
years of extreme drought have lead
to a severe lack of water in the region
affects both the tortoise and human
populations. Additionally, the lack
of a strong educational foundation
in the region magnifies these issues.
Many children stop attending school
because they do not want to continue
to endure the daily 20+ kilometer
walk in such extreme heat. Further-
more, due to limited educational
tools, students are not engaged or
motivated to continue their scooling
past the first few years.

Therefore, in addition to the
RTPs research programs of habitat
Innovative Solutions to Conservation
Challenges for the Radiated Tortoise
(Astrochelys radiata) Project at Lavavolo
Classified Forest, Madagascar
Tsilavo H. Rafeliarisoa1, Gary D. Shore2,
Susie M. McGuire3, and Edward E. Louis, Jr.4
tsilavo rafeliarisoabrian d. horneryan c. j. walkerTop left: Tsilavo Rafeliarisoa documenting
a Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) in
Madagascar.
Far left: Tsilavo Rafeliarisoa, Richard
Razatimanatsoa, and Ryan Walker collecting
morphometric data on tortoises during a
range-wide survey.
Left: Jean Claude Rakotoniaina, a Madagascar
Biodiversity Partnership field assistant,
notches an identification pattern
on the marginals of a Radiated Tortoise.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 65
evaluation and restoration, tortoise diets in pristine
versus impacted habitats and population genetic
monitoring, community based pilot programs have been
initiated to empower the local people. Conservation
education plays a vital role in changing attitudes toward
the intrinsic nature of wildlife. The first task completed
and already transferred to Madagascar involves use of
the Radiated Tortoise as a conservation tool. The MBP
purchased Gopher Tortoise puppets, which were painted
to resemble Radiated Tortoise shell patterns. These
puppets are ambassadors and mascots to the project, and
will aid in the introduction of all RTP programs. Through
the use of presentation equipment provided through a
2010 TSA grant, environmental education workshops
are held in schools that incorporate new environmental
lessons into their curriculum. In addition to conservation
education as a means to address community based
challenges, the HDZ and MBP have also developed
several pilot programs that provide solutions to the
conservation challenges of the Lavavolo region. These
prototype initiatives include evaluating the effectiveness
of desalination technologies, potential for cash and food
crops, and biofuel methodology using local resources.

First, a prototype solar desalination unit has been
constructed at the HDZ and is being evaluated for its
efficiency to produce potable water from saltwater.
Substantial rainfall has not occurred in Lavavolo for
the past four years, and the water currently utilized
for drinking or watering the local cattle herds by the
community is "brackish." Moreover, the community well
is located over 500 meters from the village, requiring
the local residents to invest a significant amount of their
time to water collection. Therefore, a program to involve
Hippo Rollers to transport water and create community
crops will be implemented, solving the problem of
the water accessibility, which should also improve
inconsistent agricultural productivity.
With the introduction in the 1800s of Opuntia cactus,
raketa in Malagasy, the landscape of the original spiny
forest has been dramatically altered. One of four species
anne trumbleanne trumbleanne trumbleanne trumbleTop: Susie McGuire demonstrates the use of puppets at a primary
school in Madagascar. Bottom: Malagasy primary school students
learn about tortoise conservation.
Ventral and dorsal views of the new Radiated Tortoise Project mascot.
66 TSA AUGUST 2010
of raketa in Lavavolo, raketa mena,
is a highly invasive species that
impedes the growth of agricultural
gardens. Furthermore, during the dry
season the people of Lavavolo only
use the fruit portion of the raketa as
a source of food and water, for them-
selves and their cattle. The MBP is
evaluating the utility of this invasive
species as a key component in bio-
fuel briquettes. To aid in the drying
of the biofuel material, a working
prototype solar desiccator has been
developed using supplies readily
available in Madagascar. Two ap-
proaches for making the briquettes
from the Opuntia cactus pads are
being tested as part of a preliminary
pilot study in Omaha prior to trans-
ferring the results and information
to Lavavolo, Madagascar. The first
method involves drying the Opuntia
before the cactus is processed with
other biofuel material (sawdust and
cattle dung). The second method
involves the direct grinding of fresh
Opuntia cactus prior to briquette
production. To facilitate this proc-
ess, a prototype grinder built from
lawnmower blades that chopped
the Opuntia pads will be further
"field" tested by a local high school
mentoring program. Using non-dried
pads straight from the Opuntia plant,
as in method two, would allow the
solar desiccator unit to be used
solely for drying the briquettes.
Both approaches will be tested in
rocket stoves here in Omaha, with
the biofuel briquettes evaluated for
their use and efficiency depending
on the percentage of cactus, sawdust,
and cattle dung. Other alternatives to
sawdust such as ground leaves will
also be tested. When combined with
other activities, such as research,
access to alternative food resources
increases the standard of living,
which ultimately reinforces behav-
ioral changes needed to effectively
protect endangered species.

This project was funded, in part,
through grants from the Turtle Sur-
vival Alliance.
1Doctoral candidate, University of Antananarivo,
Faculty of Sciences, Animal Biology Department,
and Field Supervisor of Omaha's Henry
Doorly Zoo Radiated Tortoise Project, ONG
Madagascar Biodiversity PartnershipVO 12 BIS A
Manakambahiny, Antananarivo, Madagascar. Email:
rafelykely@hotmail.com or genetics@omahazoo.com
2Laboratory Technical Advisor, Omaha's Henry
Doorly Zoo, Center for Conservation and Research,
3701 South 10th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68107.
3CEO/Program Manager, 5820 Spring Street, Omaha,
Nebraska 68106.
4Director of Conservation Genetics, Omaha's Henry
Doorly Zoo, Center for Conservation and Research,
3701 South 10th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68107, and
General Director of the ONG Madagascar Biodiversity
Partnership VO 12 BIS A Manakambahiny,
Antananarivo, Madagascar.
lisa kimmellisa kimmellisa kimmellisa kimmellisa kimmelRight: A prototype water desalination unit.
Far right, top to bottom: A solar desiccator
unit; racks of Opuntia pads drying in a
solar desiccator; a grinder prototype; and,
briquettes of sawdust, cattle dung, and
freshly ground Opuntia are set out to dry.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 67
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
madagasCar
The sacred forest of Ankirikirika
is located less than 300 km west
of the port-city Ft. Dauphin in
southern Madagascar. Known for its
splendid and pristine gallery forest,
it is also legendary for supporting
a huge population of Radiated Tor-
toises (Astrochelys radiata). Leuteritz
(2002) estimated that A. radiata
occurred at a density of more than
1,000 individuals per km2. Nearly a
decade later, we visited Ankirikirika
to obtain a current estimate of A.
radiata density, assess the popula-
tion's trend, and compare it to other
locations across this species range.
What we encountered at
Ankirikirika was not what we
expected. We uncovered few
tortoises despite long days spent
searching. The trees in the forest
had been illegally harvested, and
we discovered fire pits at old
harvesters' camps that contained
burned tortoise shells. Most shells
had been hacked open from the top
of the carapaces and the plastrons
were ripped-off with visible hatchet
marks on their bridges. The villagers
told us that strangers enter the forest
to harvest the timber and live off
tortoise meat during their stay. Dried
tortoise limbs are a delicacy among
outside tribes that do not respect
the taboo, or fady that prevents the
local people from harming them.
Indeed, the local tribes consider the
tortoises dirty and prefer not even
to touch them. From our surveys,
we estimated the mean density of
Radiated Tortoises at Ankirikirika to
be 465 individuals per km2, which is
a significant decrease from earlier
estimates.

The local community, including
the King and his extended family are
the traditional stewards of the forest
at Ankirikirika. We interviewed
the brother of the King, a 70-year
old goat herder, and his son aged
35 to determine the causes of the
local habitat destruction and the
mass disappearance of tortoises.
They agreed that in the past outside
people were unafraid to collect
tortoises from the forest, but now
they run from the police. Those
that still collect them have been
suffering through a prolonged
Slaughtered: Scenes from a Radiated
Tortoise Poaching Camp
Christina M. Castellano1, J. Sean Doody2,
Riana Rakotondrainy3, William Ronto3,
Tantely Mahamasina3, Julio Duchene4, and Zigzag Randria5
Our 4-wheel drive rocks side to side in the sun as we lumber over the rugged,
white ground beneath us. We are lost in delighted memory of the previous
evening's celebration a feast of roasted goat, hearty rum, and traditional
song with the gracious and vibrant community at Ankirikirika. They opened
their home to us while we searched for tortoises, and now the smiling Prince
is guiding us away from their sacred forest to our next destination. The road
quickly narrows; we are just meters from the muddied waters of the Menaran-
dra when a camp comes into view through the barbed and prickly trees of the
forest. As we inch closer the staggering details become crystal-clear. Bloodied
tortoise shells, tangles of entrails, disjointed limbs. Grinding halt, doors tear
open, hearts racing, shouts heard; now we are in hot pursuit of fleeing poachers,
breathless they vanish into thin air.
christina castellanoRadiated Tortoise limbs are considered to
be a delicacy by outside tribes. Here, they
dry in the sun in preparation for transport to
markets.
68 TSA AUGUST 2010
drought and have had little success
with their crops. The two men
were sympathetic, because the
tortoise hunters are apparently
in need of food for their families
and have very little else to sustain
them. Having both been born in the
forest, the men have witnessed the
decline in tortoises over the years.
Consequently, they have imposed
a law to punish collectors, which
stipulates that if someone is seen
slaughtering a tortoise they must
purchase a six-year-old zebu for
about 200,000 Ariary ($90 US),
spread its blood at the site where it
was killed, and present the meat to
the villagers. Moreover, the event
is documented and the poachers'
names are sent to the police.

Despite the disappointment of
locating few tortoises, we completed
our stay at Ankirikirika with a
celebration to thank the community
for graciously hosting us. We left the
next morning for our next survey
location, which was just east of the
fishing village of Itampolo. About
11 km south of Ankirikirika, we
inadvertently entered a functioning
tortoise poaching camp. The
poachers were just as startled as
we were and fled anxiously into the
surrounding forest. On the road were
old, tattered blankets covered with
cooked tortoise limbs. They were
being dried in the sun for transport
to market for sale. We estimated that
each blanket had over 150 limbs,
or the meat of about 40 tortoises.
Together, the meat on all of the
blankets represented more than 250
individuals.
When we arrived the poachers
were in the process of slaughtering
tortoises, cleaning shells, and
removing entrails. There were
dozens of small, charcoal pits that
were being used for cooking. Cast
iron pots filled with diced vegetables
sat in the sand along with pieces
of burned shell. Primitive metal
hatchets used for the slaughter
were also lying beside tall, plastic
bottles filled with liver oil. One living
tortoise was hanging in a tree a
rope sewn through a hole in its shell
we swiftly cut it loose. Three sacks
filled with dried tortoise meat were
also discovered, each sack containing
the meat of about 100 tortoises.
The sacks were tied to timber poles,
or carry sticks, used for transport.
Twenty-eight carry sticks were left
in the camp, suggesting that about
thirty poachers had been present.

At the urging of our
accompanying Malagasy
environmental officer we destroyed
the camp before leaving by tossing
the meat, weapons, and cooking
utensils into the Menarandra River.
Our drive out of the site was at a
snail's pace due to the rocky road,
and we were filled with fear and
anxiety at the thought of enraged
poachers returning to their camp
and discovering the losses to
their livelihood. Once clear of any
danger our moods turned somber
as we traveled to Itampolo. There
we submitted a police report and
provided several hatchets and
bottles of liver oil to the police as
evidence of this crime. The long
drive and silence among our group
forced reflection and the images of
dismembered turtles are now forever
burned in our minds.

Acknowledgments. We thank
Mr. Andy Sabin, the Wildlife
Conservation Society, and
Conservation International for
supporting this program.
1Threatened Species Unit, Healesville Sanctuary-Zoos
Victoria, Healesville, Victoria 3777, Australia.
Email: ccastellano@zoo.org.au
2School of Biological Sciences, Monash University,
Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
3 Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of
Sciences, University of Antananarivo, P. O. Box 906,
Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
4University of Tulear, 601 Tulear, Madagascar.
5Forestier Betioky-sud, C. P. 612, Madagascar.
We located tens of fire pits with burned tortoise shells throughout the
poaching camps.
Primitive hatchets are used to slaughter tortoises and oil is collected in
old, plastic bottles and later used for cooking
christina castellanochristina castellano
AUGUST 2010 TSA 69
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
vietnam
On March 28th of 2010, the Asian
Turtle Program (ATP) of the
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo organized
the first Turtle Football (Soccer) Cup
in the village of Nghia Son, in the Son
Tay district of Hanoi. The matches
involved teams from four villages,
and were organized to promote
awareness and conservation of the
Critically Endangered Swinhoe's
Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), a
species known to occur in Dong Mo
Lake but recognized as one of the
world's most Endangered Species.
Presently, only four animals are
known to exist globally.

Swinhoe's Soft-shell, also known
as the Hoan Kiem Turtle in Vietnam,
is important to Vietnamese culture
and history due to a 15th century
legend about a mystical turtle living
in a lake at Hanoi.

Presentations were made
between the matches to highlight
the need for community support
in protecting the Dong Mo Turtle,
and the lake it lives in, for future
generations.

Following some closely played
matches, one of which went to
penalty kicks, the Youth Union team
of the village of Ngia Son II emerged
as the champions of the day. Because
of the success of the first Turtle
Football Cup, Mr. Pham Van Thong,
the Rafetus project coordinator,
intends to expand the games in 2011
to include additional communities.

The first Turtle Football Cup for
Rafetus swinhoei was supported
by the Columbus Zoo, Critical
Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF),
as well as the Cleveland Metroparks
Zoo (CMZ).
For additional information please
contact:
Asian Turtle Program
P. O. Box 179
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (0) 437737858
Email: ATCNnetwork@fpt.vn
or visit
the Asian Turtle
Conservation Network
website:
www.asianturtlenetwork.org
1Program Coordinator, Asian Turtle Program (ATP)
of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, P. O. Box 179, Hanoi
Central Post Office, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Email: Turtle.Conservation@gmail.com
First "Turtle Cup" Soccer Match Held for
Dong Mo Lake in Vietnam
Timothy McCormack1
Below: T-shirts: "Turtle Cup" T-shirts carried
the awareness message, "Let's protect the
legend of Vietnam. Protect the Hoan Kiem
Turtle."
Right: The winning team: the youth team of
Ngia Son II received sports equipment for
their village.
Timothy McCormackTimothy McCormack
70 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
vietnam
Historically, dogs (Canis lupus
familiaris) have been used to
hunt many taxa, from elephants
and lions to birds and, yes
turtles. The well evolved olfactory
system in dogs allows for much
greater sensitivity in detecting and
distinguishing a wide variety of
odors than our own (MacKay et al.,
2008). This fact means that in the
hands of a proficient hunter, man's
best friend could be considered the
worst enemy of many turtle species,
especially terrestrial ones that are
most vulnerable to detection by
hunting dogs. In Southeast Asia, dogs
have long been used for hunting. For
example, in Vietnam, dogs will often
follow their owners into the forest,
individually or in packs. With a
natural hunting instinct, they follow
a lead dog and chase wild pigs, deer,
squirrels, civets, or almost anything
they see. They either catch, corner, or
chase their prey until it is exhausted,
which allows the hunters to pick
off the animals with a stick, knife,
gun, or crossbow. If they encounter
turtles, their barking, scratching, and
biting quickly alerts the hunters to
an easy catch.

During interviews with
Vietnamese hunters, they often
reminisce about the hunting heyday.
In the 1980's, when turtles and
other wildlife were abundant in the
forests and the Asian Turtle Crisis
was just emerging, they would take
their dogs into the forest with three
or four friends. The turtles were so
common and the dogs would find
so many that additional friends
were brought along to carry out
rice sacs full of turtles that they
collected in a matter of days. Today,
some terrestrial species (the ones
most vulnerable to dogs) have all
but disappeared, especially those
with a high commercial value
such as the Chinese Three-striped
Box Turtle (Cuora trifaciata) and
the Indochinese Box Turtle (C.
galbinifrons) (Spinks and Shaffer,
2007). Because of this decline, the
number of dedicated turtle hunters
has dwindled and, instead, hunters
take dogs into the forest to catch
anything they can. If they find a
single turtle per day, they are doing
Training Detection Dogs for Research and
Conservation of Tortoises and Freshwater
Turtles in Southeast Asia
Timothy McCormack1
Timothy McCormack A local hunting dog in northern Vietnam,
with an Indochinese Box Turtle.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 71
well; some weeks they find none.
Such reduced turtle populations
pose a serious challenge for
researchers, as surveys are
sometimes exhausting and
demoralizing. Increasingly, graduates
from the university, who have
studied forestry or a biological
science, are interested in the
conservation and research of the
25 species of native chelonians.
More turtle-focused fieldwork is
being conducted in Vietnam each
year, which is helping to increase
our knowledge of these animals
and is promoting conservation. For
aquatic species, non-lethal trapping
is possible and requires little
effort other than setting, baiting,
and checking traps. For terrestrial
turtles, pit-fall traps and drift fences
can work, but they require time
for construction and a placement
in good locations to be successful.
Time search, walking line transects,
or covering grid squares has proved
successful, but these require
extensive man hours. One example
is the survey work performed on the
Keeled Box Turtle (Cuora mouhotii)
at Cuc Phuong National Park, in
Ninh Binh Province. During a two
year study, in 2008 and 2009, time
search was conducted in an area
where radio-tracking studies on this
cryptic species had already identified
a sizable population in good habitat.
Despite selecting the best seasons
of the year for encountering active
turtles, the capture rate was only
0.029 turtles per man hour (H. Van
Ha and T. McCormack, unpublished).
Because such efforts are required, its
not surprising that some researchers
have opted to use hunters and local
dogs to form a more efficient team,
and to lower the costs. But the risks
associated with this method are
often overlooked, as local dogs are
difficult to control, especially if they
run in packs, and then there's the
risk they might kill other wildlife.
Hunters finding valuable species
of turtles, pangolins (Manis sp.),
or other species could potentially
chose those animals over payment
for work. Also, if good populations
are identified, the hunters will come
back when the research team or
Forest Protection Department (FPD)
is not present.

Because of the need for greater
efficiency in surveying Critically
Endangered species such as the
Indochinese Box Turtles (Cuora
bourreti, C. galbinifrons, and C.
picturata; see Stuart and Parham,
2004), for which their distribution
and occurrence in many protected
areas remains unclear, we decided to
utilize the incredible olfactory sense
of dogs. Their sense can be trained
to detect a wide variety of items,
from finding drugs and explosives
to invasive ant species, and even
whale scat or mobile phones in
private schools (Smith et al., 2003;
Rolland et al., 2007; Parker and Hurt,
2010). With a detection accuracy
greater than experienced by humans,
dogs have been used in wildlife
conservation for over 100 years
(Smith et al., 2003; Parker and Hurt,
2010). The Asian Turtle Program
(ATP) at the Cleveland Metroparks
Zoo, in cooperation with the Centre
for Resources and Environmental
Studies (CRES), organized training
with the Barking Mad Dog Training
School (BMDTS) to professionally
train the dogs to allow for a safer,
more efficiently controlled, and
the use of a scientific approach in
conducting turtle surveys. Surveys
on Desert Tortoises (Gopherus
agassizii) have shown much greater
efficiency when performed by
teams using dogs, especially in thick
undergrowth (Nussear et al., 2008).

Rather than importing popular
breeds, such as Labradors, or
pre-trained dogs, however, we
selected six local dogs, all without
prior training. Two were a special
breed known as Phu Quoc dogs,
from a small island in southern
Vietnam, renowned for their hunting
capabilities and agility. Some came
Timothy McCormackTimothy McCormackLeft: A Cuora mouhoti at Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam. Right: Searching for turtles without dogs requires large teams, long hours, and hard
work. Pictured here is the team assembled to search for Cuora mouhoti.
72 TSA AUGUST 2010
from local villages where they were
destined for the dinner table, since
dog meat is considered a speciality
dish in Vietnam and eaten at the
end of the lunar month. Local dogs
were selected, as these were already
acclimatised and adapted to life in
a tropical environment, as well as a
local diet that some imported dogs
have struggled with. Using local dogs
also reduced the significant cost of
purchasing and transporting animals
and, from a welfare standpoint, this
decision rescued these animals and
presented an opportunity to show
that all dogs have an ability to be
trained.

In May of 2010, we held a two
week intensive training course for
the dogs and their six handlers. The
course was conducted by Richard
Clarke, the director of training
for BMDTS, and four qualified
volunteer trainers from the United
Kingdom with decades of combined
experience in training drug,
explosive, and security dogs, as well
as tiger scat detection dogs. Training
was held in Cuc Phuong National
Park, where animals from the Turtle
Conservation Center (TCC) were
used to introduce turtles scents to
the dogs. For some of the dogs that
were raised in the urban sprawl of
Hanoi, it was their first experience in
forest.

Training started with basic
handling, care, and grooming,
and rapidly progressed to basic
obedience and encouragement in
their search for turtle scents, which
was accomplished by using cloth
bags scented with the desired turtle
species, with meat treats inside the
bags. Gradually, over the weeks, the
treats were removed and eventually
we used live turtles in small cages,
and harnessed the dogs so they
could work on long lines. As the dog
training progressed the harnesses
were removed, which allowed them
greater movement through the thick
undergrowth.

Indications of success varied with
each dog, as some would bark and
bite at the turtles but others were
more passive, sniffing or showing
excitement when they detected
them. Although the dogs displayed
different strengths and weaknesses,
after only two weeks each was able
to locate and indicate the presence
of four concealed animals within a
25m2 grid square.

Following the course, additional
training will focus on the dogs'
fitness and scent-building capacity,
to prepare the them for summer
surveys in northern and central
Vietnam. Field testing the team to
gain practical experience for both
the handlers and hounds will be
important for their development
through 2010. By 2011, therefore,
a more experienced team will be
conducting fieldwork in Vietnam,
which will greatly reduce the risk
to wild turtles and the duties will
be performed with more scientific
methodology. We also would like to
diversify our agenda by using the
dogs in enforcement activities. The
dogs can be used by the FPD and
the environmental police to check
buses and trains along major trade
routes in Vietnam and China for
illegal wildlife, since shipments often
contain turtles.

The training was conducted
with the support of the Critical
Ecosystems Partnership Fund
(CEPF), The Mohamed bin Zayed
Species Conservation Fund, and
the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
The Ocean Park Conservation
Foundation, Hong Kong, supported
the radio-tracking and time search.
We would also like to thank the
personnel at Cuc Phuong National
Park and the Turtle Conservation
Center (TCC) for hosting the training
program.
Literature Cited
MacKay, P., D. A. Smith, R. A. Long, and M. Parker.
2008. Scat detection dogs. Pp. 183222 In R. A.
Long, P. MacKay, W. J. Zielinki, and J. C. Ray (Eds.),
Noninvasive Survey Methods for Carnivores.
Island Press, Washington, D. C.
Nussear, K. E., T. C. Esque, J. S. Heaton, J. B. Cablk, K.
K. Drake, C. Valentin, J. L. Yee, and P. A. Medica.
2008. Are wildlife detector dogs or people better
at finding Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)?
Herpetol. Conserv. Biol. 3: 103115.
Parker, M., and A. Hurt. 2010 Canine detection
teams and conservation. In State of the
Wild 20102011: A Global Portrait. Wildlife
Conservation Society and Island Press,
Washington, D. C.
Rolland, R. M., P. K. Hamilton, S. D. Kraus, B.
Davenport, R. M. Gillet, and S. K. Wasser.
2007. Faecal sampling using detection dogs to
study reproduction and health in North Atlantic
Right Wales (Euhalaena glacialis). J. Cetacean
Res. Manag. 8: 121126.
Smith, D. A., K. Ralls, A. Hurt, B. Adams, M. Parker,
B. Davenport, M. C. Smith, and J. E. Maldonado.
2003. Detection and accuracy rates of dogs
trained to find scats of San Joaquin Kit Foxes
(Vulpes macrotis mutica). Anim. Conserv. 6:
339346.
Spinks, P., and H. Shaffer. 2007. Conservation
phylogenetics of the Asian box turtles
(Geoemydidae, Cuora): mitochondrial
introgression, numts, and inferences from
multiple nuclear loci. Conserv. Genet. 8:
641657.
Stuart, B., and J. Parham. 2004. Molecular
phylogeny of the Critically Endangered
Indochinese box turtles (Cuora galbinifrons).
Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 31: 164177.
1Program Coordinator, Asian Turtle Program (ATP)
of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, P. O. Box 179, Hanoi
Central Post Office, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Email: Turtle.Conservation@gmail.com
Timothy McCormackLocal dogs trained to hunt for turtles.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 73
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
China
After moving the last Chinese
female Yangtze Giant Softshell
Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) from the
Changsha Zoo to be with the last
Chinese male at the Suzhou Zoo, the
female laid over 100 eggs in 2008
(two clutches) and over 200 in 2009
(four clutches; see TSA Newsletter
2008, 2009). Unfortunately, none of
the eggs hatched. Egg candling in July
of 2009 indicated that about 25%
of the eggs showed early embryonic
development, with the terminal sinus
of the vitelline circulation visible
after one week of incubation; none
of the eggs, however, showed further
development. As suggested in the
TSA Newsletter of 2009, nutritional
deficiencies in the long-term captive
female (over 70 years in captivity)
were the most likely cause for this
setback.
Although nutrition in these turtles
has been discussed extensively
with the Chinese stakeholders since
2007, drastic improvements to
the previously mainly meat-based
diet (chicken and pork) were only
implemented since July of 2009,
when it became apparent, like in
2008, that the eggs deposited in
2009 again would not hatch. In
the summer of 2009, however, the
female Rafetus began filling up on
"junk food" (e.g., bread, crackers, and
chips) thrown into her pond by zoo
visitors, a situation that seriously
jeopardized the attempts to improve
her diet. To address this problem,
immediately after last year's TSA
meeting in St Louis TSA Board
members Chuck Landrey, Pat Koval,
Walter Sedgwick, and Anders Rhodin
generously made funds available
for a glass barrier to better separate
the public from the breeding pond.
The barrier was built in late August
of 2009. To follow suit, the Chinese
government is presently funding a
similar glass barrier for the second,
larger Rafetus pond.
The male and female Rafetus
were maintained together during
August and early September of
2009, but due to bites from the male
during mating attempts the female
received skin abrasions and scarring
on her neck and front feet. Because
of an unsuccessful attempt by
veterinarians to catch and restrain
the female for examination and
treatment in mid-September of 2009,
the female became shy and wary of
people, a situation that continued
into the spring of 2010. The female
still will not accept food from hand
feedings as readily as before, which
has made the monitoring of her
supplement intake more difficult.
The improved diet is now mainly
based on whole shrimp, freshwater
crayfish, fishes, freshwater snails,
frogs, quail, pigeons, and occasionally
chicken heads and wings that contain
vitamin and calcium supplements.
An additional food item is Mazuri
Croc Chow, donated by Disney's
Animal Kingdom.
On 6 June 2008, the female laid
her first clutch of eggs. After an
unusually hot spring in Suzhou in
2009, she nested for the first time
on the 31st of May. In 2010, however,
the spring and early summer were
unusually cool and rainy, and the
female did not nest for the first time
until the 16 st of June. Due to the late
nesting date, it was not possible for
us to report on the development of
the eggs.
The Rafetus swinhoei breeding
program still has hurdles to
overcome, and those problems might
increase if hatchlings are produced.
A Third Attempt at Breeding
Rafetus swinhoei in China
Gerald Kuchling1, Lu Shunquing2, and Emily H. King3
gerald kuchlingA female Rafetus basks at the Suzhou Zoo.
74 TSA AUGUST 2010
The water quality is a concern, since
in the spring of 2010 the eyes of the
male became infected and the female
developed skin lesions. The Rafetus
ponds are connected to a lake and
channel system in Suzhou in which
the water quality is dubious. Due to
the chemicals used to treat the water,
the water in Suzhou might not be
suitable for raising baby softshell
turtles. Currently, we are planning
to install reed bed filters in both
ponds to improve the water quality
and its clarity, and to use this filtered
pond water for the future rearing of
hatchlings.
We thank the Suzhou Zoo, the
Changsha Zoo, and the China Zoo
Society for facilitating the breeding
program and for their collaboration.
The 2010 breeding attempt
was again funded by the Turtle
Survival Alliance, with generous
financial support from the Turtle
Conservation Fund/Shellshock
campaign, the Cleveland Zoo/Wade
Foundation, and Pat Koval/WWF
Canada.
1Chelonia Enterprises, 154 Bagot Road, Subiaco,
Western Australia 6008, Australia.
Email: kuchling@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
2WCS-China Program, c/o East China Normal
University, Shanghai 20062, China.
3College of Life Sciences, Room 516, Sichuan
University, 24 South Section 1, Yihuan Road,
Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China.
Top left: Several mediums for incubating Rafetus eggs are being tried this year, including vermiculite, pearlite, and sand. The eggs are divided
among three incubators with varying temperature regimes. Bottom left: A mating attempt by the pair of Rafetus occurred on May 3rd of this year,
shortly after they were introduced.
Top right: Veterinarian Dr. Gu (left) and Rafetus keeper Di Min (right) excavate the first nest of the 2010 season. A total of 63 eggs were recovered
on June 17th. Bottom right: Sponsored by the TSA, the glass barrier pictured here was installed to prevent zoo visitors from throwing trash or junk
food into the pool. The video surveillance camera used to monitor nesting activity, mounted on the house wall, was donated by David Shapiro.
The female Rafetus is seen basking on the shoreline.
gerald kuchlinggerald kuchlingemily kingemily king
AUGUST 2010 TSA 75
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
malaysia
The second half of 2009 through
May of 2010 has been an
eventful time for Chan and Pelf of the
Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC)
in Terengganu, Malaysia. Initially
named the Turtle Institute with
tentative operations under the Sultan
Mizan Foundation, the TCC will likely
be established as an independent
body that seeks patronage from the
Sultan of Terengganu, the current
King of Malaysia. The location of the
center will also change, in view of
pending developments in the Setiu
area.

In September of 2009, a TSA
team comprising of Rick Hudson,
Bill Zeigler, and Lonnie McCaskill
arrived in Malaysia to brainstorm on
the physical facility requirements
for the TCC. Designs were also made
for breeding and headstarting ponds
for the government-run Terrapin
Conservation Centre at Bukit Paloh,
in Terengganu, and these were
submitted to the State Department
of Wildlife and National Parks for
evaluation.

In the interim, the TCC rented
a house in the village of Mangkuk
to use as a base for the ongoing
Southern River Terrapin (Batagur
affinis) research and recovery project
at the Setiu River. A mini turtle
museum is being assembled in the
house, featuring shells and skeletons
of various species of freshwater and
marine turtles, stuffed hatchlings
emerging from sand-nests, preserved
specimens, and posters depicting
the current projects at the TCC
and showing the various species of
freshwater, marine, and terrestrial
turtle species found in Malaysia. Life
exhibits of Southern River Terrapin
hatchlings will also be displayed,
with a program for adopting one-
year old terrapins for the purpose of
release. The objective of the TCC is
to draw tourists returning from the
resort islands of Terengganu to the
museum, where they can learn about
the conservation of local turtles.
A small grant is being requested
from the TSA to further develop
the exhibits and produce outdoor
posters for display in the compounds
of the house.

Since the inception of the TCCs
Southern River Terrapin project at
the Setiu River in 2004, 1,814 eggs
have been incubated and 1,181
hatchlings produced. A total of 920
Southern River Terrapins have been
headstarted and released into the
Setiu River, ranging from newly-
emerged hatchlings to three-year old
individuals. The growth and survival
of these terrapins is being monitored
through a fortnightly sampling
program that includes help from
local fishermen. Recapture rates of
about 18.7% have been attained, and
the information gathered on capture
locations is providing a better
understanding on the distribution
of terrapins after their release. The
simultaneous capture of Painted
Terrapins (Batagur borneoensis)
that share the same habitat with
the Southern River Terrapins will
enable a determination of the
Southern River Terrapin Research and
Conservation in Terengganu
Eng-Heng Chan1 and Pelf-Nyok Chen1
Left: Pelf and Chan putting up the TCC logo outside of their base in Mangkuk Village, Setiu. Right: The centerpiece of the mini turtle museum.
k. f. change. h. chan
76 TSA AUGUST 2010
population size and structure of
this species, by use of the mark and
recapture technique. To date, a total
of 172 Southern River Terrapins
and 256 Painted Terrapins have
been captured and monitored.
Collaborative work on Temperature
Sex Determination (TSD) with
Gerald Kuchling continues, and
in May of 2010, 66 one-year-old
Southern River Terrapins were
sexed. These terrapins hatched in
outdoor sand nests where incubation
temperatures had been monitored.
Subsequently, the terrapins were
head-started with the help of Malek
Yunus, a local villager.

In 2010, additional work on the
population status of the Southern
River Terrapin will be extended to all
other river systems in Terengganu
where the status remains unknown.
A grant of $30,000 (USD) secured
from the project from the U. S. Fish
and Wildlife Service will allow us
to conduct in-depth interviews
with local fishermen in seven river
systems in Terengganu, assess the
threats to the turtles, determine the
feasibility of initiating egg protection
programs, and provide a turtle
awareness camp in selected schools
along the rivers. A strategy for the
conservation of the Southern River
Terrapins in Terengganu is the goal
of this project.

A website for the TCC has
been established (http://www.
turtleconservationcentre.org), in
addition to a Facebook Fan page. Our
objective is to make the website a
one-stop portal for information on
Malaysian turtles, and it presently
contains write-ups on research and
conservation projects at the TCC,
as well as educational materials,
fact sheets, a bibliography, and
a directory of turtle volunteer
programs in Malaysia. The website
also features a frequently-updated
blog that is used as a means of
communicating with the public. On
October 25th of 2009, the website
was visited intensely (863 visits and
45,000 hits) when we organized a
24-hour Turtle Blogathon to raise
awareness and funds for the TCC.
Turtle-related blog posts appeared
on the website every hour, and these
have been archived on the website
for future reference (http://www.
turtleconservationcentre.org/
category/turtle-blogathon-2009).

Future research activities on
the turtles of this region will likely
intensify, as Pelf has expressed an
interest in pursuing a Ph.D. degree,
focusing his studies on the Southern
River Terrapins and Painted
Terrapins in the Setiu River. Outreach
activities will also continue, as we
understand the need to educate
the local people so we can recruit
as many ambassadors as possible
in our effort to save the terrapins
from extinction. We will be seeking
funding, the most critical factor in
the development of the TCC and the
organization's crucial conservation
work on the terrapins.
1Turtle Conservation Centre, 56-2/1, Pangsapuri
Cerong Lanjut, Jalan Cerong Lanjut, 20300 Kuala
Terengganu, Malaysia.
E-mail: enghengchan@gmail.com
Top left: Measuring, weighing, and preparing
our first clutch of Southern River Terrapin
eggs in 2010 for incubation. Top right: Local
children are ready observers as we weigh and
measure the terrapins. Bottom left: Gerald
using laparoscopy to determine the sex of a
10-month old terrapin. Bottom right: Malek
Yunus, a villager who has assisted in head-
starting terrapins.
edie. h. chane. h. chane. h. chan
AUGUST 2010 TSA 77
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
Cambodia
The Sre Ambel project is working
to conserve Indochina's last
known population of the Critically
Endangered River Terrapin, or
Batagur (Batagur affinis), in the
Sre Ambel and Kaong rivers of
southwestern Cambodia. The project
activities are designed to protect
wild populations of the Batagur,
through guarding nesting beaches
and implementing law enforcement
patrols in the two rivers, as well
as rearing a captive population in
a conservation hatchling center.
This program is administered by
the Wildlife Conservation Society's
(WCS) Cambodia program, with
technical and financial support
provided by the TSA.

The hatchling center focuses on
rearing turtles to a size where the
likelihood of mortality is lowered,
and it has received significant
support from the TSA since its
construction in 2006. Hatchlings
are raised from eggs collected on
nesting beaches by the patrol staff,
and these are grouped in a number
of tanks according to age and size
class. Support from the TSA in 2009
funded infrastructure improvements
at the hatchling center, including
improved water and electricity
supply and the construction of an
additional kitchen building. The
water supply was improved with the
construction of a new and deeper
well, and the installation of a solar
pump and water tank. The water
tank has a capacity of 3,000 liters,
and has been installed on a tower
that allows the water to flow freely
through a system of pipes above the
holding tanks. Water flows into the
tanks continuously, with overflow
pipes allowing excess water to drain
from the tanks. The solar pump is
powered by two 87 watt solar panels,
and the well has been dug to a depth
of 12 meters to ensure that water
is available throughout the year,
including during the dry season.

Further improvements to the
hatchling center, however, will soon
be necessary, as the population of
animals continues to increase. Two
nests were located and protected
by project rangers during the 2010
Turtle Conservancy and Behler Chelonian
Center Annual Report 20092010
Far left: New water tanks at the Sre Ambel
Hatchling Center. Left: Hatchlings at the
center, from the 2010 nesting season.
Bottom: Two additional holding tanks
installed at the center.
mark gatelymark gatelymark gately
78 TSA AUGUST 2010
nesting season; one nest contained
a total of 11 eggs, of which 10
individuals hatched in early May,
and the second a total of five eggs,
although only one individual hatched,
in early June. Thus, there are 11 new
arrivals at the center, in addition to
the 118 animals that were already
held (47 hatchlings from 2006, 47
hatchlings from 2007, one animal
estimated at four years of age
captured by a fisherman and handed
to the conservation team in early
2008, and 23 hatchlings from 2009).
Two new plastic tanks have been
purchased to increase the capacity
of the center in the short term, but
a new and larger facility will likely
have to be constructed over the next
12 to 18 months, if a suitable site can
be located in the vicinity of the Sre
Ambel River.

This program represents another
outstanding example of the WCS/
TSA partnership that is working
throughout Southeast Asia to protect
populations of Critically Endangered
chelonians. Additional financial
support has been provided by the
Turtle Conservation Fund and the
Critical Ecosystems Partnership
Fund.
1Fisheries Administration, Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries, Norodom Boulevard, Phnom
Penh, Cambodia.
2WCS, P. O. Box 1620, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Email: mgately@wcs.org
Protecting a Batagur nest on the Sre Ambel River, the only known nesting site for this species
in Cambodia, through the use of chicken wire. Ten turtles hatched from this nest in 2010.
Left: The nesting beach on the Sre Ambel River is guarded 24 hours per day during the nesting and hatching seasons. Pictured here is the guard
coming to shore to transport biologists to the nesting beach. Middle: New solar panels will serve to power pumps for moving water from the well
to water storage tanks, where the water will be gravity fed into the headstarting facility. Right: Three wild caught River Terrapins (Batagur affinis),
some of the last of their kind in Indochina, held in captivity for over 10 years at a facility in Koh Kong. These turtles represent valuable genetic
additions to the captive program. Major improvements at the Sre Ambel faciity are required before these turtles can be moved.
brian d. hornebrian d. hornebrian d. hornebrian d. horne
AUGUST 2010 TSA 79
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
belize
The Central American River
Turtle (Dermatemys mawii) is
found along the coastal lowlands
of southern Mexico, northern
Guatemala, and Belize (Alvarez del
Toro, 1979; Iverson and Mittermeier,
1980; Iverson, 1986; Ernst and
Barbour, 1989; Lee, 1996) and is the
lone surviving representative of the
family Dermatemydidae (Iverson
and Mittermeier, 1980). Throughout
its restricted range, Dermatemys
has been intensely harvested for its
meat and, to a lesser extent, for its
eggs and shell (Moll, 1986; Polisar,
1994, 1995). As a result, Dermatemys
has been virtually eliminated from
much of its former range in southern
Mexico, while its status in Guatemala
remains unclear (Polisar, 1994).
Currently, Dermatemys is considered
one of the world's most heavily
exploited turtles and is classified as
Critically Endangered by the IUCN,
listed as Endangered under the U. S.
Endangered Species Act, and listed
on Appendix II of CITES (CITES,
2009; IUCN, 2009; USFWS, 2009).
In Belize, a countrywide survey of
Dermatemys (locally known as "hick-
atee") conducted in 1983 and 1984
found that the species was still com-
mon to abundant in areas sparsely
populated by humans, but declining
in more developed areas where the
turtles were more accessible to hunt-
ers (Moll, 1986). Additional research
conducted in north-central Belize
from 1989 through 1991 indicated
that the exploitation of Dermatemys
persisted in more populated areas,
and that the level of harvesting
was not sustainable (Polisar, 1992,
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997; Polisar and
Horwich, 1994). As a result, in 1993
the Belize Fisheries Department
drafted nationwide comprehensive
legislation for the protection and
management of Dermatemys that
included year-round possession
limits, a brief closed (non-hunting)
season, a complete prohibition on
selling and purchasing Dermatemys,
and a series of protected zones in
the major waterways of northern
Belize (Polisar, 1994, 1995, 1997;
Polisar and Horwich, 1994). Surveys
conducted in north-central Belize
in 1998 and 1999 suggested that
Dermatemys was still common to
abundant in some remote localities,
but that the species was still declin-
ing in more developed areas (T. Garel
and D. Collins, unpublished).
Since that time, the status of
Dermatemys in Belize remained un-
examined until April of 2010, when
the TSA initiated a countrywide
survey to assess the species' current
status in what is believed to be its
last stronghold. The core survey
team included Thomas Rainwater
(TSA) and two Belizean research-
ers, Tom Pop (Belize Foundation
for Research and Environmental
Education; BFREE) and Octavio Cal
(Ya'axch Conservation Trust). The
primary objectives of the survey
were to: (1) re-survey localities
previously surveyed in the early
1980s so that general comparisons
of turtle abundance could be made,
(2) survey other areas not included
in previous surveys, particularly in
southern Belize, (3) train Belizean
team members in basic survey and
data collection techniques so they
could return and conduct more
intensive surveys, and (4) work with
the Belizean government and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs)
to stimulate a countrywide interest
in Dermatemys conservation.
Catalyzing Conservation Action in Belize
for Central America's Imperiled River Turtle
Thomas Rainwater1, Tom Pop2, Octavio Cal3,
Steve Platt4, and Rick Hudson5
Top: Belizean team member Tom Pop holds
an adult Dermatemys captured in the Temash
River, southern Belize.
Bottom: Thomas Rainwater displays two Der-
matemys shells. The turtles were harvested
from the Belize River around Easter of 2010.
thomas ishimthomas rainwater
80 TSA AUGUST 2010
Surveys were conducted during
April and May, which in Belize is
generally the peak of the dry season.
During this period, turtles are easier
to locate because the water levels
are low, water bodies are relatively
clear due to reduced turbidity from
rain and high flow, and turtles
are more concentrated in smaller
areas (Polisar, 1995). Consistent
with previous surveys (Moll, 1986;
Polisar, 1995; T. Garel and D. Collins,
unpublished), the team employed
multiple survey methods, including
nocturnal spotlight searches,
trammel netting, and diving (free
and scuba). When possible, the team
also interviewed hunters, fishermen,
and other knowledgeable individuals
regarding the natural history and
local occurrence of Dermatemys, the
hunting methods employed, and
the levels of exploitation (Platt et
al., 2004). Each turtle captured was
measured, permanently marked, and
its location was noted before being
released at the point of capture.
From 12 April through 31 May,
the team traversed more than 6,200
km of Belize, surveying localities
from the deep south to the extreme
north of the country. As in the mid-
1980s, a wide range of habitats was
surveyed, including estuarine rivers
(brackish to fresh water sections);
brackish rivers, creeks, and lagoons;
inland (fresh water) rivers, creeks,
lagoons, and ponds; a mountain
(foothills) river, and a coastal
bay (Moll, 1986). The associated
topography and vegetation varied
widely among these habitats,
from coastal mangrove swamps to
evergreen broadleaf forest along the
lower slopes of the Maya Mountains
(Stafford and Meyer, 2000).
The team surveyed approximately
30 localities, including 18 areas
previously surveyed during the
early 1980s (Moll, 1986). Overall,
the results of the survey indicate
that Dermatemys is heavily depleted
in most of Belize, but healthy
populations remain in a few remote
areas, especially those receiving
some level of protection. While
this mirrors the trend observed in
surveys conducted during the 1980s
and 90s, the current findings are
particularly alarming in that the
number of localities where turtles
were seen, and the number of turtles
at these localities, were both much
reduced compared to previous
surveys. In addition, interviews with
fisherman and hunters indicate that
the laws and regulations enacted
in 1993 for the protection and
management of Dermatemys are
largely ignored by locals, as broad-
scale enforcement is difficult to
impossible. For example, multiple
individuals contend that hundreds
of adult Dermatemys are still taken
from relatively small sections of
the Belize River each year, and that
hickatee continues to be served in
rural village restaurants around the
time of Easter.
On a more positive note, the
occurrence of Dermatemys at
multiple, previously unsurveyed
localities in southern Belize is
encouraging. More comprehensive
surveys of these and other areas
where Dermatemys populations
appeared to be secure during
the 2010 survey will be vital in
developing new conservation
strategies, potentially including
prioritization of areas for more
intensive (and enforceable)
protection. In addition, the
interest and support the survey
team received from the Belizean
government, as well as several
NGOs, villages, and individual
conservationists, guides, and
fishermen, was outstanding and
ensured the success of the project.
The level of local knowledge,
concern, and enthusiasm regarding
Dermatemys conservation in Belize is
promising, and plans to bring these
interested parties together to discuss
an updated national conservation
plan are currently underway.
Vision for a Long-term
Conservation Strategy
Since 2004, the TSA had
prioritized Dermatemys for
immediate conservation action and
tried to launch a program in Mexico,
first in Tabasco and then in Veracruz.
thomas rainwaterSurvey team members Tom Pop and Octavio Cal (from left) and local fisherman display adult
Dermatemys captured in the Belize River.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 81
Unable to sustain momentum there,
a decision was reached to shift
focus to Belize, one of the species'
strongholds. Recently, one of us (RH)
traveled to Belize and met with Mr.
Jacob Marlin, the co-founder and
director of the Belize Foundation
for Research and Environmental
Education (www.bfreebz.org), to
discuss the possibility of establishing
a pilot program to test the feasibility
of breeding and rearing Dermatemys
in outdoor ponds. Mr. Marlin is very
interested in the project and pledged
his support. The pilot study would
be conducted on BFREE property,
which encompasses 1,200 acres
of forest at the base of the Maya
Mountains in central Belize and is
surrounded by two protected areas.
This pilot study would be a low
maintenance operation focused on
generating Dermatemys food plants
(Moll, 1989), while working out such
husbandry details as egg laying and
incubation (Polisar, 1996). Currently,
various pond designs are being
discussed so as to provide multiple
management options. Filtration
will likely be passive and biological,
utilizing plants that can be fed back
to the turtles. Aeration will require
solar power. Start up funds for this
phase of the operation are available
from a Batchelor Foundation grant to
the TSA.
The program would generate
hatchlings that can be headstarted
and released to help restore
depleted wild populations. Once the
husbandry techniques are worked
out, and the species can be reliably
reproduced in good numbers in
captivity, the project could then be
expanded. The ultimate goal is to
take pressures off local populations.
The conservation potential of this
initiative, if implemented over the
long-term, is exciting and provides
a vision that this can develop into
a model program and, ultimately, a
sustainable future for Dermatemys.
Not surprisingly, the Belize Fisheries
Department, under which the
purview of Dermatemys resides, has
endorsed this concept and offered
encouraging support (G. Myvett,
pers. comm.). Indeed, the idea to
build the TSA captive management
component upon wild survey
results just completed by Thomas
Rainwater and his local team was
first advanced by Fisheries.
This initiative is exciting for the
TSA, and we are encouraged by the
outpouring of support and interest
by the conservation NGO community
in Belize. Looking forward, we
believe that this survey work will
prove to be catalytic, not only in
Belize but for the region, and we
look forward to bringing together
the various groups interested in
Dermatemys to begin discussing an
overall recovery strategy for this
highly threatened and unique turtle.

Acknowledgments. This project
would not have been possible
without the support of George
Myvett and James Azueta of the
Belize Fisheries Department. We
also thank the following groups
and individuals in Belize for their
support during this project: Alton
Jeffords and Oceanic Society
Expeditions; Benjamin Cruz; Bill
Hasse; Bruce and Carolyn Miller;
Bruce Cullerton (Rainforest
Mechanic); Karl Tillett; Celia
Mahung, Elmar Requena, Santiago
Cucul, Luis Ishim, Chris Hamley, and
the Toledo Institute for Development
and Environment (TIDE); Chrissie
and Anita Tupper; Clifton and Nancy
Bailey (Manatee Lodge); Derrick
Hendy and the Belize Audubon
Society; Dion Andrews; Doyle
Forman, Egbert Valencio, Thomas
Ishim, Narco Nakin, and the Sarstoon
Temash Institute for Indigenous
Management (SATIIM); Eddie
thomas rainwaterthomas rainwaterAdult male (left) Dermatemys from the Belize River, and an adult female (right) from Irish Creek in north-central Belize. Male Dermatemys
characteristically display yellow (although sometimes cream or reddish-brown) coloration on the dorsal surface of the head, whereas the heads of
females are typically uniform brown, olive, or gray.
82 TSA AUGUST 2010
Romero (Programme for Belize);
Elma Kay (University of Belize);
Frank Mazzotti; Geraldine and
Lionel Fermin (Community Baboon
Sanctuary); Giovanni Fernandez
and Black Rock Lodge; Graham
Sampson; Isabelle Paquet-Durand
(Galen University); Jacob Marlin
and BFREE; Jan Meerman; Jerry
Larder and Nikki Buxton (Belize
Bird Rescue); Kevin Andrewin;
Lloyd and Walter Cassosola;
Leonard Myers; Marcelo Windsor,
Andre Lopez, Rasheeda Sampson,
and the Belize Forest Department;
Marga Miller, Anna Zabrowksi, and
Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary;
Mark Howells, Ruben Arevalo,
and Lamanai Outpost Lodge; Nick
Wicks, Ginny Fuhs, Lee McLoughlin,
and Ya'axch Conservation Trust;
Paul Walker (Wildtracks), Percy
Flowers, Jr.; Reynaldo and Sergio
Gorosica; Richard and Carol Foster;
Robin Brockett; Sharon Matola
and the Belize Zoo; Steve Usrey;
Tamara Sniffin (San Pedro Sun);
Tony Garel (Belize Herpetarium and
Aquarium Park); Udell Forman; and
Vince and Cherie Rose (American
Crocodile Education Sanctuary
[ACES]). Finally, we are grateful to
the Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF),
the Mohammed bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund, and the Delta
Foundation for generously providing
financial support for this project.
Literature Cited
Alvarez del Toro, M., R. A. Mittermeier, and J. B.
Iverson. 1979. River Turtle in danger. Oryx. 15:
170173.
CITES. 2009. Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES). (http://www.cites.org).
Ernst, C. H., and R.W. Barbour. 1989. Turtles
of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press,
Washington, D. C.
IUCN. 2009. International Union for Nature
and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of
Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. (http://
www.iucnredlist.org).
Iverson, J. B. 1986. A Checklist with Distribution
Maps of the Turtles of the World. Paust Printing,
Richmond, Indiana.
Iverson, J. B., and R. A. Mittermeier. 1980.
Dermatemydidae, Dermatemys. Catalog of
American Amphibians and Reptiles. Society for
the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles 237: 14.
Lee, J. C. 1996. The Amphibians and Reptiles of
the Yucatn Peninsula. Comstock Publishing
Associates, Cornell University Press, Ithaca,

New York.
Moll, D. 1986. The distribution, status, and level of
exploitation of the freshwater turtle Dermatemys
mawei in Belize, Central America. Biol. Conserv.
35: 8796.
Moll, D. 1989. Food and feeding behavior of the
turtle, Dermatemys mawei, in Belize. J. Herpetol.
23: 445447.
Platt, S. G., Kalyar, and T. R. Rainwater. 2004. Inle
Lake turtles, Myanmar with notes on Intha and
Pa-O ethnoherpetology. Hamadryad. 29: 514.
Polisar, J. 1992. Reproductive biology and
exploitation of the Central American River Turtle
Dermatemys mawii in Belize. Unpublished M. S.
thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Polisar, J. 1994. New legislation for the protection
and management of Dermatemys mawii in Belize,
Central America. Herpetol. Rev. 25: 4749.
Polisar, J. 1995. River Turtle reproductive
demography and exploitation patterns in Belize:
implications for management. Vida Silvestre
Neotrop. 4: 1019.
Polisar, J. 1996. Reproductive biology of a flood-
season nesting freshwater turtle of the northern
Neotropics: Dermatemys mawii in Belize.
Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 2: 1325.
Polisar, J. 1997. Effects of exploitation on
Dermatemys mawii populations in northern
Belize and conservation strategies for rural
riverside villages. Pp. 441443 In J. Van Abbema
(Ed.), Proceedings: Conservation, Restoration,
and Management of Tortoises and Turtles: An
International Conference, 11 to 16 July 1993,
State University of New York, Purchase, New
York. Bronx, NY: New York Turtle and Tortoise
Society.
Polisar, J. and R.H. Horwich. 1994. Conservation
of the large, economically important turtle
Dermatemys mawii in Belize. Conserv. Biol. 8:
338342.
USFWS. 2009. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Endangered Species Program. (http://www.fws.
gov/Endangered/wildlife.html).
1Contract Biologist, Turtle Survival Alliance, 619
Palmetto Street, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 29464.
Email: trrainwater@gmail.com
2Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental
Education (BFREE), P. O. Boc 129, Punta Gorda,
Toledo District, Belize.
3Ya'axch Conservation Trust, P. O. Box 177, Punta
Gorda, Toledo District, Belize.
4Department of Biology, Sul Ross State University,
Alpine, Texas 79832.
5President, Turtle Survival Alliance, Fort Worth Zoo,
1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110.
Top: A sign posted along the Ro Grande,
in southern Belize, indicating the legal size
limits and hunting season for Dermatemys.
Middle: Survey team members Octavio
Cal (left) and Tom Pop (right) weigh a
Dermatemys (in bag) captured in the Ro
Bravo, northwestern Belize.
Bottom: Octavio Cal (left) and Tom Pop
(right) collect shell measurements from an
adult Dermatemys captured in the Ro Bravo,
northwestern Belize.
thomas rainwaterthomas rainwaterthomas rainwater
AUGUST 2010 TSA 83
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
brazil
In 1988, the Instituto Nacional de
Pesquisas da Amaznia (INPA;
National Institute of Amazonian
Research) extended me an invitation to
spend my sabbatical year in the jungles
of the Amazon. The purpose for my visit
was to provide guidance to Master's
students with an interest in turtle
ecology, and to teach a course on field
methods used to study aquatic turtles.
Back then few professionals in Brazil,
and particularly in the Amazon region,
were interested in turtle ecology, and
the researchers who had published the
most about Amazonian turtles lived in
So Paulo (Paulo Vanzolini) or Braslia
(Cleber Alho).

For centuries, freshwater turtles in
the Amazon have played an important
role in the economy of the region, and
their demand eventually caused many
populations to become extirpated from
many areas and placed others on the
verge of extinction. Thus, in 1975, the
Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente
(IBAMA: the Brazilian equivalent of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service)
initiated efforts to protect and
manage some of the most important
nesting beaches used by turtles of
the genus Podocnemis. This project
has grown to become the largest for
freshwater turtles in the world, and
each year from two to four million
hatchlings are released. Because most
of the people initially involved with
this project were forest engineers
and few biologists were on the staff,
another purpose for my involvement
was to provide these people with
training.
The following year, I began working
as an outside advisor to this project.
In time, however, I became more of an
inside advisor due to my understanding
and management of conservation
practices on a shoestring budget. Today,
a few people from IBAMA participate
in the courses, as well as graduate
students from INPA and other Brazilian
universities, and from other South
American countries. A few graduate
students from Australia, Canada, and
the United States have also participated.

I taught the first course, in 1989,
with financial assistance provided by
the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and
two of my students completed their
Master's theses on the topic of turtles.
Some students continued their careers
by studying turtles, but those that did
not gained an understanding of the
techniques needed to conduct basic
ecological research with aquatic turtles,
where to find the literature, and what
could be done with a little perseverance.
Later, many of these students dispersed
to other universities, government
offices, field stations, or NGOs, equipped
with the necessary information to
advise their own students, write grant
proposals, review permit requests,
and edit papers dealing with turtles.
One of these people, Tibisay Esculenta,
became a post-doctoral student with
Nicole Valenzuela; Olga Castano became
the director of Federico Medem's lab
in Colombia; and, Ronis de Silviera
went on to become one of the leading
Melanosuchus experts of the world and
a Professor at the Universidade Federal
do Amazonas (Federal University of
Amazonas) in Manaus. In total, over 350
students have attended the course since
its inception.

I taught the course annually,
migrating back and forth from Mexico,
until I moved to Manaus permanently
in 2000 and became the curator of
the amphibian and reptile collection
at INPA. I have taught the course at
the following field sites: Trombetas
Biological Reserve (6 years), So
Lus Maranho, Rio Doce in Minas
Gerais (where Glaucia Moreria [of
Phrynops hogei fame] was captured),
Rio Negro, Rio Tapajs, Mamirau
Sustainable Development Reserve (8
years), Reserva Ducke, and Balbinas
Hydroelectric Dam Project.
We now have a boat for teaching the
course, the Enigma, and a permanent
base at the biological station of the Rio
Trombetas. Although from time to time
I offer the course in other areas, the
Rio Trombetas station has proven to be
optimal because of the amount of turtle
diversity in the region, which incluides
the Pleurodires (Podocnemididae)
Peltocephalus dumerilianus, Podocnemis
expansa, P. sextuberculata, and P. unifi-
lis, and just outside of the reserve, on
the way back to Manaus, we can also
observe P. erythrocephala. Additionally,
two Cryptodires, Kinosternon scorpio-
ides (Kinosternidae) and Rhinoclemmys
punctularia (Geoemydidae), occur in
the area. The course, however, revolves
Field Methods for Studying Freshwater
Turtles: Research, Management, and
Conservation in the Brazilian Amazon
Richard C. Vogt, Ph.D.1
The Enigma, a 24 m boat, is used as a base of
operations.
84 TSA AUGUST 2010
around the podocnemids because of
their abundance and time of nesting,
and the ongoing research on these
species at this site for over two dec-
ades. The infrastructure at the reserve
includes a lecture room, a laboratory,
wireless internet, dormitories, a dining
room, and a location opposite one of the
nesting beaches on the Rio Trombetas.
A smaller field station also near nesting
beaches, at Lago do Erepecu (Erepecu
Lake), contains a laboratory, dormitory,
dining room, and kitchen. In addition,
IBAMA has another large (30 m) region-
al boat, aluminum boats with outboard
motors and canoes, and experienced
regional turtle technicians available to
assist with the course.

Over the years, funding for the
course has been provided by the Con-
selho Nacional de Desenvolvimento
Cientfico e Tecnolgico (CNPq; The
National Council for Scientific and
Technological Development), IBAMA,
INPA, Minerao do Rio Norte (MRN; a
mining company in Brazil), the TSA, the
Turtle Conservation Fund, Conservation
International, the Chelonian Research
Institute, the Chelonian Research
Foundation, the Wildlife Conservation
Society, Mamirau, Maurice Rodriguez,
Brett Stearns, and the first year from
the WWF. The TSA, through the enthu-
siasm of Rick Hudson, has been a strong
supporter of the course for the last six
years, and Conservation International,
through the generous support of Russ
Mittermeier, has also helped out an-
nually. Brian Horne has attempted to
run a similar field course in Southeast
Asia, but he explained that it is a dif-
ficult challenge to accomplish because
enough turtles cannot be located in a
couple of weeks to demonstrate the
various trapping methods or marking
techniques. Thus, he suggested that
students from Southeast Asia should
come to Brazil to work with turtles, and
return to their home countries and ap-
ply what they have learned. The course,
however, would not be able to exist
without the financial support provided
by the TSA and other foundations.

The course is registered for four
graduate credit hours in the depart-
ments of Ecology and Aquatic Biology at
INPA. Its purpose is to focus the general
biology and ecology of freshwater tur-
tles and the methods used to conduct
field and laboratory research, so stu-
dents will be able to design and imple-
ment field or laboratory projects to de-
termine management plans, conserva-
tion strategies, and basic research. The
idea is for students to learn first-hand
the use of techniques and equipment in
the field, rather than from books. The
course consists of two days of lectures
on board the Enigma, a 24 m boat with
Left: Rosana, a Master's student at INPA, checks the trammel nets for a long-term study on the demography of Podocnemis unifilis at Lago Erepecu on the
Trombetas Reserve. Center: Dick Vogt shows technicians from INPA and IBAMA how to calibrate Pesola scales to weigh turtles. Right: Hatchling Podocnemis
expansa are released with the help of local school children and other people along the river as part of a hand's-on environmental education program.
Left: A female Podocnemis expansa, equipped with a transmitter and data logger, is about to be released along with the hatchlings to record their
migration patterns and temperature preferences. Center: Camila Ferrara, on board The Enigma, just after collecting data on a Podocnemis erythrocephala in
2009. Right: Juvenile Podocnemis expansa exhibit two color phases, depending on their age. Paler individuals blend in with the lighter sand on the beach
and in shallow water, but darken after about a week in captivity. In nature, the darker color allows them to blend in with the rotting leaves on the flooded
forest floor. This rapid ontogenetic color shift is a good reason for releasing the hatchlings immediately.
richard c. vogtrichard c. vogtrichard c. vogtrichard c. vogtrichard c. vogtsatya caldenhof
AUGUST 2010 TSA 85
air-conditioned cabins for sleeping, a
lecture room, and lab facilities, which
travels downstream from Manaus to the
Rio Trombetas. In addition to the two
field stations in the reserve, we use the
boat as a base of operations.

Topics covered in the lectures and
discussions include taxonomy and
evolution, distribution, economic and
cultural importance, biology (physiol-
ogy, anatomy, and embryology), and
ecology (life tables, reproduction, feed-
ing, predation, growth, movements,
and predation,). Laboratory techniques
include egg incubation, ethology, anato-
my, stomach content analysis, digestive
efficiency, and blood extraction. Field
techniques include collecting methods
(traps, trammel nets, basking traps,
baited traps, and fyke nets), mark-
ing methods (notching, drilling holes,
toe clipping, numbered tags, painted
numbers, photos, and pit tags), the use
of radio-transmitters, data loggers for
recording nest temperatures and adult
core temperatures, oviposition induc-
tion with Oxytocin, the incubation of
eggs in the laboratory and in nature, un-
derwater sound recordings of turtle
vocalization, and blood collection.

For turtle conservation, the main
benefit of the course is in training
students and project managers to con-
duct field research and to analyze the
various conservation and management
measures being used. The course also
makes students aware of the problems
associated with turtle conservation, in-
troduces them to the current literature,
and provides information on conserva-
tion-related research projects through-
out the world. Currently, two former
students are working for Conservation
International and five for IBAMA.

In 2009, students had an opportu-
nity to participate in the course both
during the nesting season in October
and the hatching season in December.
During October, students collected the
three species of Podocnemis common to
the area (expansa, sextuberculata, and
unifilis), using trammel nets or captur-
ing the females while nesting. We used
these turtles to practice different meas-
uring and marking techniques, stomach
flushing, blood extraction, and the
induction of oviposition with Oxytocin.
We placed temperature data log-
gers in nests, and transferred some of
the nests to protected areas. Students
had the opportunity to see, first hand,
the recapture of P. expansa through the
use of satellite transmitters (after four
years) and a VHF transmitter (after
one year). Photographs show that after
the transmitters had been placed for
four years, no erosion or damage was
evident on the carapace of the turtles.
Transmitters can be easily removed by
sliding the blade of a Swiss Army knife
between the hardened Turbolit (a bond-
ing material that can dry underwater
and is used to fix holes in ocean-going
ships) and the carapace. Students also
attached VHF and temperature data
loggers on adult female P. expansa, and
followed them. In December, students
were able to follow hatchlings equipped
with miniature VHF transmitters, and
along with people from local communi-
ties, also participated in the release of
thousands of hatchling turtles. Finally,
students accompanied graduate student
Camila Ferrara as she recorded under-
water vocalization in P. expansa.
The 21st Year of the Course

This year, the course will be taught
at the Trombetas Biological Reserve,
Para, Brazil, from 27 September to 6 Oc-
tober. Although the course is designed
primarily for graduate students at INPA,
it is open to anyone who wishes to
participate. Students wishing to obtain
official graduate school credits from
INPA must register as a special student.
More space is available for the course
in December than in October, and the
dates are more flexible in December. A
total of 18 people can participate in the
course, which starts on the boat leaving
from Manaus. With regard to fees, INPA
covers the cost of its registered gradu-
ate students; the fee for students from
Latin America and other parts of the
third world is $500US; that for students
from Australia, Europe, and the United
States is $1,000 US; and, professional
participants are charged $1,500 US.
The fees help offset the costs associ-
ated with operating the boat, including
salaries for the crew, food and lodging,
and boat repairs. Groups interested in
specific turtle courses are welcome to
contact me. Rental of the boat is also
available for any course or excursion in
the Amazon Basin, but times must not
conflict with courses or research expe-
ditions.

To date, the TSAs support for the
course is its only conservation project
in South America. Because the course
reaches so many students, however, it
is an excellent way to broadly impact
turtle conservation in the region.
1Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, National Institute
for Amazonian Research (INPA), Caixa Postal 478,
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil 69083-000.
Email: vogt@inpa.gov.br
Left: Graduate Student Paulo Andrade lectures on the advantages and disadvantages of transplanting
nests of Podocnemis sextuberculata. Right: Hatchling Podocnemis expansa, equipped with
transmitters, are about to be released.
richard c. vogtrichard c. vogt
86 TSA AUGUST 2010
RANGE COUNTRY UPDATES
philippines
Since 2009, the TSA has supported
work by the Katala Foundation,
Inc. (KFI), toward the conservation of
the Critically Endangered Philippine
Forest Turtle, Siebenrockiella
leytensis. In 2007, the KFI established
the only range-country assurance
colony of this species in Narra,
Palawan. The captive husbandry of
this species has proved challenging,
and the TSA is working with the KFI
to improve its captive facilities. In
February of 2010, the TSA granted
the KFI financial support to construct
a water treatment/filter system to
improve its water quality, and, in
March of 2009, the project received
counter financing from the Turtle
Conservation Fund (TCF). A report
on the progress of this project is
scheduled to be made as it reaches
a more advanced stage, so in this
paper I intend to focus on the general
husbandry of S. leytensis.
Introduction

Siebenrockiella leytensis (Taylor,
1920), formerly known as Heosemys
leytensis, is one of the least known
freshwater turtles in the world
(Diesmos et al., 2005). This species
is listed as Critically Endangered by
IUCN (2010), and its international
trade is regulated under Appendix
II of CITES (CITES, 2009). The
Philippine Forest Turtle has never
been bred in captivity, and as
early as 1994 the Philippine CITES
Management Authority had banned
the export of wild caught individuals.
Then, in 2001, the collection of this
species other than for research
purposes was prohibited under the
Philippine Wildlife Act (Anonymous,
2001). Accordingly, all captive
individuals that appeared in the
commercial market and in zoos
soon after its rediscovery in 2004
were collected illegally. In fact, the
illegal collection of S. leytensis for the
international pet market constitutes
the main threat to most populations.
The Philippine Forest Turtle is
widely maintained by hobbyists,
herpetoculturists, and zoos inside
and outside of the country. As a
result of a number of confiscations
in the Philippines, several rescue
centers in the country now house
this species.

Due to the limited distribution of
S. leytensis, its rarity, and the fact that
it was only recently rediscovered,
very little is known about its biology,
ecology, and husbandry. I obtained
individuals of this species before
the Wildlife Act was implemented;
these are now registered with the
authorities, and for the past eight
years I have maintained them in
outdoor enclosures in Palawan.
Furthermore, the KFI maintains
an assurance colony consisting
of individuals confiscated since
2007. Herein, I provide some of the
information known for this species,
in an effort to improve husbandry
conditions in places where it is
already maintained; however, I
discourage the acquisition of new
individuals, since no legal source
is available where they can be
obtained.
Synonyms

Heosemys leytensis (Taylor 1920),
Geoemyda leytensis (Mertens 1934).
Taxonomy

Heosemys leytensis was described
by E. H. Taylor in 1920. A morpho-
logical and molecular phylogenetic
Husbandry Guidelines for the Philippine Forest
Turtle, Siebenrockiella leytensis (Taylor, 1920)
Sabine Schoppe1
An adult male Siebenrockiella leytensis.
An adult male Siebenrockiella leytensis.
Hatchling (left) and juvenile (right) Forest River Turtles. This species has not been reproduced in
captivity. ALL PHOTOS KATALA FOUNDATION, INC.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 87
study showed that leytensis is the
sister lineage to the previously
monotypic Sundaic turtle genus Sie-
benrockiella (Diesmos et al., 2005).
Nonetheless, high genetic divergence
exists between S. leytensis and S.
crassicollis, hence Diesmos et al.
(2005) erected the subgenus Pany-
aenemys to accommodate the distinct
Philippine lineage. No subspecies of
S. leytensis are currently recognized.
Conservation Status

IUCN 2010 Red List: Critically
Endangered (A2d, B1+2c); CITES
Appendix II (CITES 2009); Philippine
Republic Act 9147 or Wildlife Act
(Anonymous, 2001).
Distribution

Siebenrockiella leytensis is
endemic to the Philippines and is
restricted to the Palawan group of
islands in the western region of the
archipelago.
Natural Habitat and Captive Housing

Siebenrockiella leytensis inhabits
lowland forest at elevations from
near sea level to about 300 m
(Diesmos et al., 2004 a, b). Although
the primary habitat of this species is
pristine lowland forest, it also thrives
in disturbed and fragmented forests.
This species is nocturnal, secretive,
and does not bask (Schoppe, 2006).
Adults are semi-aquatic and spend
the day on land and the night in
water, whereas hatchlings and juve-
niles may be fully aquatic (Schoppe,
2006). Philippine Forest Turtles hide
in retreats and do not bask during
the day, but they eventually expose
themselves on logs at night (D.
Acosta, pers. comm.). In its habitat,
this species occurs in streams that
contain water temperatures ranging
from 23.3 to 26.7C, with the lower
water temperatures preferred (S.
Schoppe et al., unpublished). Stream
water pH ranges from 7.4 to 9.1,
alkalinity (as CaCO3) from 40 to 220
mg/l, and hardness (as CaCO3) from
17 to 154 mg/l.

High intra-specific aggression
occurs in the Philippine Forest
Turtle, especially among the males
(Schoppe and Fernando, 2009), and
no more than one male and one to
three females should be housed in an
enclosure with a size of about 2 2
m. For proper housing, adults must
be provided with areas of land and
water (see Yuyek, 2004). The water
area (or pond) should measure about
1 2 m, with a minimum depth of
0.5 m, and contain a slope on at least
one side. Rough surfaces must be
avoided, since the plastron and nails
of the turtles can easily get abra-
sions that may result in infections
and shell rot. Keeping the pH at 8
or lower appears to be crucial. A
substantial amount of driftwood or
other objects for the turtles to hide
under should be placed in the water.
On land, a dark tunnel or den-like
structure should be placed for the
turtles to use as a retreat during the
day. The land area should be densely
vegetated to provide shade and
darker areas. The entire enclosure,
however, should be shaded to avoid
direct sunlight. Male Philippine For-
est Turtles are sexually aggressive
and continuously pursue females,
so plenty of furnishings and hiding
spaces (logs and a den) in the water
are necessary to allow females places
to escape.

Juveniles can be maintained in
aquaria. An aquarium of about 0.5
1.2 m with a water depth of about
1520 cm can house, depending
on their size, a maximum of four
to six individuals. No land area is
necessary, just some driftwood for
the turtles to hide. The substrate can
be sand or small gravel; they prefer
mud, but it produces turbid waters.
The water in the aquaria and ponds
should be filtered or completely
changed on a weekly basis.

Individuals larger than 12
cm in carapace length should be
maintained in outdoor enclosures.
Intra-specific aggression develops in
larger juveniles or young sub-adults,
at which time males should be
separated from each other and kept
only with females.
Left: Siebenrockiella leytensis inhabits streams in lowland forest. Center: The distribution of Siebenrockiella leytensis is restricted to southern
Leyte and Palawan Province in the Philippines. Right: A tunnel or den-like structure should be made available for the turtles to hide during the
day.
88 TSA AUGUST 2010
Diet

The Philippine Forest Turtle is
an omnivorous, but predominantly
herbivorous species. Juveniles,
however, appear to be more
carnivorous in nature. In the wild,
S. leytensis preys upon fish, crabs,
shrimp (genus Macrobrachium),
and freshwater gastropods of the
family Thiaridae (Schoppe, 2006).
It also feeds on algae and wild fruit,
especially on ripe figs (Diesmos et
al., 2008). This turtle may also feed
on Golden Apple Snails (Pomacea
canaliculata), an invasive alien pest
species found in rice fields, as well
as on saprophytes and decomposing
wood.

In captivity, hatchlings and small
juveniles can be easily raised on a
diet of turtle pellets and/or small
slices of fish, shrimp, meat, and
shellfish. Adults accept various
fruits (e.g., apples, bananas, papaya,
and watermelon), vegetables
(e.g., kangkong and cucumber),
gastropods, fish, shrimp, meat,
dry dog food, and hard boiled
eggs (Schoppe, 2006). They also
feed on avocados, cashews, guava,
earthworms, crabs, and they are
especially fond of freshwater or land
snails. The latter should be crushed
slightly to allow small individuals to
also have a bite. Additional calcium
should be supplied by providing
cuttlebone or a commercial calcium
supplement. The Philippine Forest
Turtle prefers to feed in the water,
but individuals can get used to
feeding from a plate placed along
the water's edge, which will prevent
contamination of the water. Food
should be provided at dusk, since the
animals will not feed during daylight
hours, and leftover food items should
be discarded the following morning.
I recommend feeding the turtles
animal protein only once a week, the
day before the water is changed. In
addition, fruit should be offered once
a week and leafy vegetables once
or twice a week. No food should be
provided on the remaining days.
Reproduction

The reproductive biology and
natural history of S. leytensis remains
poorly understood, and this spe-
cies has never been reproduced in
captivity. The eggs of S. leytensis
are brittle-shelled, oblong, and pale
pink in color (Diesmos et al., 2004b).
Nineteen eggs laid in captivity had
a mean length of 49.6 mm, a mean
width of 26.5 mm, and they weighed
an average 24.0 g (A. C. Diesmos et
al., in progress). Hatchlings and juve-
niles have been encountered in the
wild during the dry months (Wid-
mann et al., 2004; Schoppe 2006,
2008). The growth rate decreases
with increasing body size (Schoppe,
2006, 2008). The age at maturity is
unknown, but it is estimated to be at
least eight years when the animals
are 200 mm in carapace length
(S. Schoppe et al., unpublished).
Sub-adult individuals (150170 mm
CL) start to develop external sexually
dimorphic characteristics. Males
develop a slightly concave plastron
and a longer and thicker tail, and are
generally larger than females.
Health issues
Under stressful conditions, such
as poor water quality (like a high
pH), the overstocking of male
individuals, high temperatures, and
a lack of hiding spaces, S. leytensis
is prone to bacterial and fungal
infections that can lead to shell rot
or respiratory infections. To avoid
nematode infestations or other
internal parasites, the turtles should
be de-wormed twice a year with
Fenbendazole (Panacur ).

Acknowledgments. The
assurance colony of Siebenrockiella
leytensis maintained in Narra,
Palawan, by the Katala Foundation,
Inc., is financially and technically
supported by the European
Association of Zoos & Aquaria
(EAZA) Shellshock Campaign, the
Loro Parque Fundacin, the North
of England Zoological Society
Chester Zoo, the Zoological Society
for the Conservation of Species
and Populations, Conservation
des Espces et des Populations
Animales, ZooParc de Beauval, the
IUCN Turtle Survival Alliance, the
Turtle Conservation Fund, the Turtle
Conservancy, the IUCN Tortoise and
Left: Captive Siebenrockiella leytensis should be provided with plenty of hiding space. Center: Siebenrockiella leytensis is especially fond of
snails. Pictured here are snails passed in their feces. Right: Philippine Forest Turtles feed on a variety of fruits.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 89
Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group,
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
Hong Kong, and Ocean Park in
Aberdeen, Hong Kong. The KFI also
wants to acknowledge the support of
local partners like the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources,
especially its Protected Area and
Wildlife Bureau and the Environment
Management Bureau, the Palawan
Wildlife Rescue and Conservation
Center, the Palawan Council for
Sustainable Development Staff, the
Provincial Government of Palawan,
the local government of Narra and
Antipuluan, and the Philippine
Associate of Wildlife Veterinarians,
Inc.

I especially thank Diverlie Acosta
for sharing her observations on the
species, and the Doguiles couple
for taking a significant part in the
maintenance of my turtles at home.
Literature Cited
Anonymous. 2001. Republic Act 9147. An act
providing for the conservation and protection
of wildlife resources and their habitats,
appropriating funds therefore and for other
purposes. Republic of the Philippines, Congress
of the Philippines, Eleventh Congress.
CITES 2009. Appendices I, II, and III valid from 22
May 2009. (www.cites.org).
Diesmos, A. C., G. V. A Gee, M. L. Diesmos, R. M.
Brown, P. J. Widmann, and J. C Dimalibot,
2004a. Rediscovery of the Philippine
Forest Turtle, Heosemys leytensis (Chelonia;
Bataguridae) from Palawan Island, Philippines.
Asiatic Herpetol. Res. 10: 2227.
Diesmos, A. C., R. V. Sison, M. dG. Pedregosa, and Ma.
J. C. Cenisa. 2004b. The Conservation Status of
Heosemys leytensis Taylor, 1920. A project report
(31 pp.), Manila, Philippines.
Diesmos, A. C., J. F. Parham, B. L. Stuart, and R.
M. Brown. 2005. The phylogenetic position
of the recently rediscovered Philippine Forest
Turtle (Bataguridae: Heosemys leytensis). Proc.
California Acad. Sci. 56: 3141.
Diesmos, A. C., R. M. Brown, A. C. Alcala, and R.
V. Sison. 2008. Status and distribution of non-
marine turtles of the Philippines. Chelonian
Conserv. Biol. 7: 157177.
Diesmos, A. C., J. Buskirk, S. Schoppe, M. L. L.
Diesmos, E. Y. Sy, and R.M. Brown. In Progress.
Siebenrockiella leytensis (Taylor, 1920)
Philippine Forest Turtle. In A. G. J. Rhodin, P. C.
H. Pritchard, P. P. van Dijk, R. A. Saumure, K. A.
Buhlmann, J. B. Iverson, and R. A. Mittermeier,
R.A. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater
Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project

of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater
Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research
Monographs No. 5. (http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/
cbftt/).
IUCN 2010. 2010 IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species. Version 2010.1. (www.iucnredlist.org;
viewed 1 February 2010).
Schoppe, S., 2006. Notes on the biology of the
Philippine Forest Turtle Siebenrockiella leytensis
(Taylor, 1920). Poster presentation, 15th WCSP
Annual Philippine Biodiversity Symposium,
Legend Hotel Palawan, Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan, 48 April 2006.
Schoppe, S., 2008. Erste Informationen zum
Wachstum der Philippinischen Waldschildkrte
(Siebenrockiella leytensis). Marginata, 18, 5(2):
5257.
Schoppe, S., and N. Fernando. 2009. A range country
colony for the Philippine Forest Turtle. Turtle
Survival Alliance 2009: 9697.
Taylor, E. H. 1920. Philippine turtles. Philippine J.
Sci. 16: 111114.
Widmann, P., K. Lachenmaier, I. L. Widmann, S.
Schoppe, R. M. Dumalag, J. D. Matillano,
D. F. Villafuerte, S. H. Diaz, and M.
Cervancia, 2004. Wirbeltiergemeinschaften in
Rotsteisskakadu-Habitaten in Nord-Palawan.
ZGAP Mitteilungen 20(2): 37.
Yuyek, M. 2004. A Perilous Life. The natural history
and ecological status of the Philippine Forest
Turtle, Heosemys leytensis from Palawan, with
emphasis on care and feeding requirements in
captivity. Animal Scene 4(7): 8082.
1Katala Foundation, Inc., Puerto Princesa City,
PH-5300 Palawan, Philippines.
E-mail: Sabine_schoppe@web.de
Left: A Philippine Forest Turtle feeding on banana. Right: Placement of the food dish along the
bank of a pond will prevent the water from becoming contaminated.
A pair of Siebenrockiella leytensis copulating in the water.
90 TSA AUGUST 2010
Chelonian natural history
The Red-necked Pond Turtle (Maur-
emys [Chinemys] nigricans) is a
small, semi-aquatic turtle known to
occur in southern China (Guangdong
Province) and perhaps in extreme
northern Vietnam (Bonin et al., 2006;
Fig. 1). This species is found in a variety
of habitats, including "watercourses in
hills and mountains, up to 1,200 m alti-
tude, as well as in calm, mud-bottomed
waters and sometimes fast-flowing,
clear torrents" (Bonin et al., 2006).
Despite being featured in the pet trade
and Asian food markets for many years,
little natural history information has
been documented for M. nigricans. As a
result of its relatively restricted range,
ongoing exploitation, and a lack of natu-
ral history data, M. nigricans is listed
as Endangered on the IUCN Redlist of
threatened species (IUCN 2009). Maur-
emys nigricans and its sister species,
M. reevesi, were originally placed in
the genus Chinemys but hereby are
referred to in the genus Mauremys,
based on the work of Honda et al.
(2002) and Spinks et al. (2004).
A breeding population of 15 adult
M. nigricans has been maintained at the
Savannah River Ecology Lab (SREL),
located on the Upper Coastal Plain of
South Carolina, where for several years
the turtles were housed in an outdoor
pond system. The pond is plastic-lined,
rectangular (30 15 m), and with water
depths ranging from 0.12.2 m. The edg-
es of the pond contained emergent veg-
etation, with the bottom sediment deep
with muck and log and stick debris. We
used well water to maintain a constant
water level. The pond was fenced and
the turtles had access to a terrestrial
perimeter area that ranged from 4.5
to 7.5 m in width. The substrate of the
terrestrial area was predominately red
clay, with sparse ground cover consist-
ing of grass clumps and pine straw.
The male and female M. nigricans
differed in size and coloration. The
adult male (N = 9) mean carapace
length (CL) was 150 mm (range =
133172 mm), and the mean plastron
length (PL) was 122 mm (range =
110139 mm). The adult female (N
= 6) mean CL was 195 mm (range =
187200 mm), and the mean PL was
163 mm (range = 154170 mm). The
female mean weight was 955 g (range
= 8281091 g), while males averaged
452 g (range = 363594 g). The head
coloration for males and females
differed. Females tend to have a pale
yellow stripe down the side of their
heads, and males tend to have bright
red or orange beaks, heads, and legs, in
conjunction with a yellow head stripe
(Fig. 2). The females nested naturally in
their enclosure. Here, we discuss obser-
vations on the captive nesting behavior,
nest characteristics, and the results of
egg incubation in M. nigricans.
The female M. nigricans constructed
their nests at night, during rain events
from 22 May to 4 August 2006 (Fig.
3). During mornings following noc-
turnal rain events, we found partially
constructed and abandoned nesting
attempts, as well as completed nests.
We observed one female digging a nest
at night on 25 June 2006. We discovered
and excavated several completed and
covered nests, measured the nest cham-
ber characteristics, and transported the
eggs to indoor incubators.
Female M. nigricans apparently
search for suitable nesting sites after
emerging from their aquatic habitat
during nocturnal rains. They preferred
the north-facing slope (< 20%) of the
pond, and used areas of red clay soil
surrounding the pond for digging. On
25 June 2006, we observed a female
removing the surrounding vegetation
with her hind limbs, and she began
digging with her hind feet. The nesting
female a two egg chambers simultane-
ously. She used her left hind limb to
remove dirt from what would be the left
nesting chamber, and then alternated to
use the right hind limb to dig the right
nesting chamber. This pattern contin-
ued until she created two adjacent egg
chambers.
For each of five nests discovered the
day subsequent to night-time nesting,
female M. nigricans had distributed the
clutch among both egg chambers (Fig.
4ce). On 4 August 2006, however, one
female deposited four eggs in just one
of the two available chambers (Fig. 4f).
The separation between the adjacent
nest chambers averaged a distance of
77 mm (range = 60110 mm, N = 7
nests; see Fig. 4). The nest chamber
depth was 80 mm and 100 mm,
Nesting Behavior of the Red-necked Pond
Turtle (Mauremys [Chinemys] nigricans) in
Captivity
Andrew M. Grosse1, Kurt A. Buhlmann1, and Cris Hagen1
Range of the Red-Necked Pond Turtle (Mauremys
nigricans) (Buhlmann et al., 2009).
AUGUST 2010 TSA 91
respectively, for two chambers we
measured.
The mean clutch size of these five
nests was 4.4 eggs. The mean egg length
measured 39.1 mm (range = 37.440.6
mm), the mean egg width 22.6 mm
(range = 20.123.9), and the mean egg
mass was 11.9 g (range = 10.013.6 g).
The female camouflaged the nest site
after egg deposition was completed,
although an oval pattern was still
visible on the ground. Following the
completion of the nest by the female,
we excavated the known nests and in-
cubated the eggs indoors; however, we
also found two hatchlings in the pond
the following autumn, indicating that
some nests escaped our observations
and that the eggs had hatched outdoors.
We artificially incubated all of the
eggs collected in Styrofoam incubators
set at a temperature of 82oF (28oC), us-
ing a medium of vermiculite. Although
we could not find any data in the litera-
ture for egg incubation temperatures in
M. nigricans, Du et al. (2006) incubated
M. reevesii (a known TSD species)
at temperatures from 24 to 33oC and
found that more females were produced
at higher and more males at the lower
temperatures, but that temperatures
of 2728o C produced equal sex ratios.
The incubation times varied, but they
averaged 69 days (range = 6275; N =
4). We measured the midline carapace
and plastron lengths (mm) and weighed
(g) the hatchling turtles once they
emerged. At the SREL, we hatched 48
M. nigricans that measured an average
of 31.7 mm PL (range = 26.336.5 mm;
SD = 2.04 mm), 37.9 mm CL (range =
32.243.2 mm; SD = 2.34 mm), and
weighed 10.4 g (range = 714 g; SD =
1.93). As hatchlings, M. nigricans have
uniquely-colored red plastrons that
remain vibrant for approximately one
year, after which they begin to darken to
a drab black color (Fig. 2).
Nesting strategies in which more
than one nest chamber is excavated
have been observed in other turtle spe-
cies. The Suwannee Cooter (Pseudemys
concinna suwanniensis), Florida Cooter
(P. f. floridana), and Peninsular Cooter
(P. f. peninsularis) have all been docu-
mented digging multi-chambered nests
(Carr, 1952; Franz, 1986; Jackson, 1988;
Aresco, 2004; Ernst and Lovich, 2009).
Two aspects of the two-hole nests of M.
nigricans, however, set them apart from
the three Pseudemys taxa. First, al-
though Pseudemys spp. will dig multiple
nests, the main nest chamber is much
deeper and more distinct than the side
chambers or satellite nests (Carr, 1952;
Franz, 1986). Additionally, although
it is not uncommon for Pseudemys
spp. to lay one or two eggs in the side
chambers or satellite nests, the majority
of each clutch is typically found in the
primary nest chamber (Carr, 1952;
Franz, 1986; Ernst and Lovich, 2009),
whereas M. nigricans generally deposits
the eggs equally between the two
chambers. Secondly, M. nigricans will
dig both nest chambers simultaneously,
while Pseudemys spp. will dig each nest
chamber separately (Ernst and Lovich,
2009). Although M. nigricans is not the
only turtle species known to dig multi-
chambered nests, to our knowledge, it is
the first to be documented digging two
equivalent nest chambers simultane-
ously, one with each hind limb.
The evolutionary reasons for using
satellite nests are currently unknown,
although it was initially thought that
these nests acted as predator "decoys"
to keep the main nest chamber from
being depredated (Carr, 1952). Cople
and Pilgrim (1993) suggest, however,
that the satellite chambers provide
little protection for eggs in the primary
nest chamber. For M. nigricans, their
construction of adjacent two-holed
nests may simply represent a unique
digging methodology, rather than for
evolved predator deterrence. The width
between the chambers is likely corre-
lated with the size of the nesting female.
Further studies of these unusual turtles
are warranted, and captive populations
can shed light on ecological behaviors
that are difficult to observe in the wild
for many Asian turtle species.

Acknowledgments. The animals
used in this study were provided by
the Tewksbury Turtle Institute and are
part of Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA)
Assurance Colony Programs. The SREL
Vibrant red plastron of hatchling Red-necked Pond Turtles (M. nigricans; left) and differences in male
(center) and female (right) head markings.
92 TSA AUGUST 2010
(a) An unfinished two-holed nest (4 June 2006) with chambers 60 mm apart; (b) a covered two-holed nest (4 June 2006); (c) excavating a two-
holed nest (4 June 2006) with chambers 90 mm apart, one egg in left chamber and three eggs in right chamber; (d) excavating a two-holed nest
(10 June 2006) with chambers 110 mm apart, two eggs in left chamber and three eggs in right chamber; (e) an excavated 2-hole nest (4 June
2006) with chambers 60 mm apart, two eggs in left chamber and three eggs in right chamber; and (f) a two-holed nest (4 August 2006) with all
four eggs in the right chamber.
(a) Female Mauremys nigricans on nesting
foray, and (b) finishing covering a two-holed
nest, 25 June 2006.
A
A
B
D
B
E
C
F
allowed us to use their facilities for
this project. Tracey D. Tuberville
provided helpful comments on the
manuscript. Other funding support
was provided by the U. S. Depart-
ment of Energy's Financial Assist-
ance Award DE-FC09-96SR18546 to
the University of Georgia's Savannah
River Ecology Laboratory.
Literature Cited
Aresco, M. J. 2004. Reproductive ecology of Pseud-
emys floridana and Trachemys scripta (Testu-
dines: Emydidae) in Northwestern Florida. J.
Herpetol. 38: 249256.
Bonin, F., B. Devaux, and A. Dupre. 2006. Turtles of
the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press,
Baltimore, Maryland.
Buhlmann, K. A., T. S. B. Akre, J. B. Iverson, D. Kara-
patakis, R. A. Mittermeier, A. Georges, A. G. J.
Rhodin, P. P. van Dijk, and J. W. Gibbons. 2009. A
global analysis of tortoise and freshwater turtle
distributions with identification of priority
conservation areas. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 8:
116149.
Carr, A. 1952. The Handbook of Turtles: The Turtles
of the United States, Canada, and Baja California.
Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell Univer-
sity Press, Ithaca, New York.
Cople, P. E., and M. A. Pilgrim. 1993. The effects of
satellite nests on predation in artificial nests of

Pseudemys floridana peninsularis. Florida Sci.
56(Supplement 1): 32 (abstract).
Du, W.-G., R.-Q. Zheng, and L. Shu. 2006. The influ-
ence of incubation temperature on morphology,
locomotor performance, and cold tolerance of
hatchling Chinese Three-keeled Pond Turtles,
Chinemys reevesi. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 5:
294299.
Ernst, C. H., and J. E. Lovich. 2009. Turtles of the
United States and Canada. The Johns Hopkins
University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.
Franz, R. 1986. Pseudemys floridana peninsularis
(Peninsula Cooter): Egg Predation. Herpetol.
Rev. 17: 64.
Honda, M., Y. Yasukawa, and H. Ota. 2002. Phylog-
eny of the Eurasian freshwater turtles of the
genus Mauremys Gray 1869 (Testudines), with
special reference to the close affinity of Maure-
mys japonica with Chinemys reevesii. J. Zool. Syst.
Evol. Res. 40: 195200.
IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Version 2009.1. (www.iucnredlist.org; viewed
23 July 2009).
Jackson, D. R. 1988. Reproductive strategies of
sympatric freshwater emydid turtles in northern
peninsular Florida. Bulletin of the Florida State
Mus. Biol. Sci. 33: 115157.
Spinks, P. Q., H. B. Shaffer, J. B. Iverson, and W. P.
McCord. 2004. Phylogenetic hypotheses for the
turtle family Geoemydidae. Mol. Phylogenet.
Evol. 32: 164182.
1University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Lab,
Building 737-A, Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina
29802. Email: agrosse@srel.edu
AUGUST 2010 TSA 93
Thank you for your support!
The TSA gratefully acknowledges the
following donors and organizations
for their generous support over the
past year (July 2009July 2010):
SUPPORTERS DONATING
$200$499
Mr.and Mrs. R. D. Hudson,
Guundie Kuchling, Central Illinois
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Abercrombie, Nancy Moysiuk, Peter
Reed, Emily Rhine, Gerard Salmon,
Robin DeBled, and Joseph Johnson.
SUPPORTERS DONATING
$500$2,499
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Park Zoo, Delta Foundation, Knoxville
Zoo, David Shapiro, Houston Zoo,
Ray Moser (on behalf of the HATZH
Donation Fund).
SUPPORTERS DONATING
$2,500$7,499
Columbus Zoo, Detroit Zoological
Society, San Diego Zoo, Metro
Toronto Zoo, Jay Allen/Aquarium
Innovations, Pat Koval, Los Angeles
Zoo, Robert Martin (on behalf of the
HATZH Donation Fund).
SUPPORTERS DONATING
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Walde Research & Environmental
Consulting, Cleveland Zoo Society/
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Foundation, Nature's Own, Pat
Koval/WWF Canada, and Mohammed
bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
2010 CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Conservation International, ZooMed/
Gary Bagnall, Brett and Nancy
Stearns, Disney's Animal Kingdom,
Victoria's Zoos, John Iverson, Bryan
Zaher, Andy Sabin Family Foundation,
Behler Chelonian Center/Turtle
Conservancy, Chelonian Research
Foundation, Desert Tortoise Council,
and David Shapiro.
2010 BEHLER AWARD SPONSORS
Chelonian Research Foundation,
Behler Chelonian Center/Turtle
Conservancy, Deborah Behler,
Chelonian Research Institute, World
Chelonian Trust, Conservation
International, Wildlife Conservation
Society, and Brett and Nancy Stearns.
A special thanks to Sheena Koeth
for selling merchandise on behalf
of the TSA, which resulted in more
than $5,000 in funds raised for turtle
conservation.
donor reCognition
94 TSA AUGUST 2010
behler award
The IUCN/SSC Tortoise and
Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group
and the Turtle Survival Alliance are
pleased to announce that the 2010
Behler Turtle Conservation Award
will be presented to Bernard Devaux
from SOPTOM, Gonfaron, France.

Bernard is a leading turtle
conservationist whose work in
France and around the world has
been inspirational for many, as he
has created a series of educational
"turtle villages" around the world
and worked tirelessly for the
conservation of wild populations of
turtles and tortoises. He is essentially
a self-taught naturalist, as well as
a traveler, writer, and film director.
He believes that a new way of
thinking is needed to better protect
the world's turtles and tortoises,
by disseminating information and
raising awareness among children
and the general public, starting
with the premise that tortoises are
not creatures to be kept in a garden
or an aquarium, they are not toys
for children to play with, nor are
they trophies for collectors they
are wild animals that should be
protected in their natural habitats.

In 1986, Bernard created the
SOPTOM association (Station
d'Observation et de Protection des
Tortues et de leurs Milieux; Station
for the Observation and Protection of
Turtles and their Habitats) in order
to study and protect the Hermann's
Tortoise (Testudo hermanni). He
then created the Village des Tortues
(Turtle Village) in Gonfaron in
southern France in 1988, with the
idea to finance conservation by
opening a visitor center that was not
only scientific but also accessible
to the public. Spurred on by the
success of the concept, he opened the
first Turtle Clinic in Europe (1989)
followed by other Turtle Villages in
Corsica (at Moltifao in 1992), Senegal
(at Noflaye in 1995), and Madagascar
(at Ifaty in 2003).

Through making films about
reptiles, as well as holding
conferences and meeting other
tortoise and nature enthusiasts such
as David Stubbs, Ian Swingland,
Gerald and Lee Durrell, and Peter
Pritchard, Bernard became a fierce
protector of Europe's tortoises,
then of tortoises in other French-
speaking countries, and finally all
over the world. He uses a variety
of media in France and abroad
(television, radio and films, as well
as specialized and general press) to
raise as much public awareness as
possible regarding the fate of our
planet's turtles and tortoises. He has
written over 10 books on tortoises,
both specialized and generalized, as
well as an Encyclopedia of Turtles of
the World (1996), in four languages,
in conjunction with two other
naturalist photographers, Alain
Dupr and Franck Bonin. He is a
specialist on the African Tortoise,
Centrochelys sulcata, and the Aldabra
Tortoise, Dipsochelys dussumieri (=
Aldabrachelys gigantea), and wrote
two monographs in French and
English on these species in 2000 and
2007. A bilingual monograph on the
Madagascan Tortoise (Astrochelys
radiata) is about to be published, a
species that he studies and protects
on the south of the island.

Bernard is a great believer
in globalizing conservation. By
developing a worldwide network of
specialists, enthusiasts, and those
who work tirelessly to protect
turtles, we can combat trafficking,
collecting, and the removal of turtles
and tortoises from their natural
habitats. With this aim, he has
organized and sponsored several
international chelonian conferences
and symposia on conservation (1995
in Gonfaron and 2003 in Senegal),
pathology (1992), the European
turtle Emys orbicularis (1999), and
the palearctic tortoises of the genus
Testudo (2002). In October 2010, he
will co-sponsor the fifth European
Symposium on Emys orbicularis
(in conjunction with the Swiss
association, P.R.T.).

To encourage the creation of a
worldwide chelonian conservation
network, he visits and assists centers
and programs around the world
(Australia, China, Costa Rica, Italy,
Malaysia, Spain, and South Africa)
and keeps specialists informed via
his La Tortue magazine, which is
distributed in 25 countries (three
issues a year, in French but with
a small English supplement). He
firmly believes that globalizing skills
and consciences is the only way
(thanks to the internet, and powerful
organizations such as the IUCN, CI,
WWF, and TSA) to act quickly in order
to prevent major turtle and tortoise
sites from being destroyed, such as
in Aldabra in 2005 and in the Mary
River in eastern Australia in 2009.

His ambition is to put an end
to the turtle and tortoise trade,
and to see every country restore
its territory's biotopes and
Bernard Devaux Receives the 5th Annual
2010 Behler Turtle Conservation Award
TSA: Working to secure
a future for turtles.
AUGUST 2010 TSA 95
chelonian populations. He also
hopes that other information and
conservation centers similar to the
Turtle Villages will be opened in
several countries, encouraging the
desire to protect local chelonian
populations efficiently. In addition,
he hopes that young herpetologists,
environmentalists, and biologists will
fiercely devote themselves to much-
needed chelonian conservation on
our planet. He often reminds us
(as P. Pritchard and J. Behler said):
tortoises have been on our planet
for 230 million years, but we have a
responsibility now, in the 21st century,
to make sure they do not disappear!
The IUCN/SSC Tortoise and
Freshwater Turtle Specialist
Group and Turtle Survival Alliance
established the Behler Turtle
Conservation Award in 2006, a major
annual award presented jointly by
these groups to honor leadership and
excellence in the field of tortoise and
freshwater turtle conservation. The
award honors the memory of John L.
Behler, previous Chair of the Tortoise
and Freshwater Turtle Specialist
Group and Curator of Herpetology at
the Bronx Zoo, Wildlife Conservation
Society. The Award includes an
honorarium of $3,000, and co-
sponsors this year are Chelonian
Research Foundation, Conservation
International, Chelonian Research
Institute, Behler Chelonian Center,
World Chelonian Trust, Wildlife
Conservation Society, Deborah
Behler, and Brett and Nancy Stearns.

Previous Behler Award honorees
have been Ed Moll, Whit Gibbons,
Peter Pritchard, and Gerald Kuchling.
In addition to honoring the life-
time achievements of senior turtle
and tortoise conservationists, the
Award also honors conservation
efforts by younger individuals who
make major contributions to the
field. Recognizing and valuing the
often tireless and dedicated efforts
made by all these these individuals
is important, and the Behler Award
hopes to provide some inspiration
and reward for those who have
demonstrated excellence and
leadership on the front lines of global
turtle conservation efforts.
Bernard Devaux with a Radiated Tortoise
(Astrochelys radiata).
The burgeoning illegal trade in Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) is leaving many
individuals as refugees in their own country. Those lucky enough to be intercepted by
the wildlife authorities might end up in the Village des Tortues rescue facility at Ifaty, in
southwestern Madagascar. Although these tortoises are released into protected areas, they
still face an uncertain future.
photo by brian d. horne
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