Turtle Conservancy News and Program Updates
During the winter months, the Turtle Conservancy’s Conservation Center experiences a tranquil period. Many species enter hibernation, while others seek refuge in our climate-controlled indoor habitats during inclement weather. This lull in activity provides the Turtles Conservancy Staff with the perfect opportunity to embark on various updates and improvements around the center, and they've been hard at work!
On September 20th, 2023, the very first two Sulawesi forest turtle (Leucocephalon yuwonoia) hatched at the Turtle Conservancy. The Sulawesi forest turtle stands as one of the most mysterious and least-studied turtle species globally. It remains largely elusive in the wild, with limited observations and scant knowledge of its life history. Officially described for the first time in 1995, this turtle species is unique to Indonesia's Sulawesi island. Its name, Leucocephalon, highlights the distinct white head coloration seen in males, while "yuwonoi" refers to the natorious animal dealer Franck Yuwono, the initial collector of these turtles.
As its name suggests, the Sulawesi Forest Turtle inhabits cool mountain streams within the forests of northern Sulawesi. While juveniles primarily dwell in aquatic environments, adults split their time between the dense forest canopy during daylight hours and the streams during the night. Their diet is omnivorous, encompassing invertebrates, vegetation, and fruit.
This species holds the unfortunate distinction of being classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Like many endangered turtle and tortoise species, the Sulawesi Forest Turtle faces threats mainly from illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction. In 1998, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Sulawesi Forest Turtles were exported to China. The Indonesian government responded by prohibiting turtle exports in 2002, but illegal trade continues. Widespread deforestation due to agriculture, palm oil plantations, and other human activities has further decimated this species, especially given its limited range. Turtle Conservancy has been studying it since 2012, pinpointing the primary source of turtle exports for the wildlife trade in Sulawesi.
Even if we manage to curb exploitation and habitat loss, the Sulawesi Forest Turtle's recovery remains hindered by the fact that females typically lay only one or two eggs per clutch. While assurance colonies of these turtles do exist, the species has proven challenging to maintain and breed in captivity.
Turtle Conservancy received a group of Sulawesi Forest Turtles confiscated from the illegal trade, which are now housed at our conservation center in California. After several unsuccessful breeding seasons, we are thrilled to announce the hatching of the first two Sulawesi Forest Turtle at the Turtle Conservancy. This achievement signifies a new beginning in the battle to prevent the extinction of this critically endangered species.
The Turtle Conservancy is committed to expanding its breeding and research efforts to strengthen the population of Sulawesi Forest Turtles in captivity. The hatching of the first Sulawesi Forest Turtle at our center marks a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle to save this critically endangered species. It serves as a poignant reminder of the essential role played by dedicated conservation efforts, research, and collaboration in safeguarding our planet's most vulnerable wildlife. While challenges remain on the horizon, this hatchling represents hope for a brighter future for the Sulawesi Forest Turtle and underscores our collective responsibility to preserve Earth's biodiversity.
The Turtle Conservancy is delighted to report that we have once again passed our AZA certification!
On April 20th, the Turtle Conservancy attended the AZA Accreditation Commission for our 5-year recertification hearing. This included an AZA accreditation committee of 13 directors, vets, and CEOs from around the country. Many were the heads of prestigious organizations like Monterey Bay Aquarium, WCS, OKC Zoo, and more and we were pleased to share that we passed our certification with a successful report.
The TC has welcomed some very unique Australian turtles to our living collection. Last week we received a pair of Mary River Turtles from Oklahoma City Zoo. This endangered species is the only member of its genus and is found—as the name suggests—exclusively in the Mary River of South East Queensland...
We are beginning to emerge from our shells! The TC campus in Southern California is planned to carefully reopen for small groups beginning November 1st. This experience is exclusive to donors and members. This is in conjunction with ongoing virtual tours and classroom experiences for those unable to travel…
The Turtle Conservancy is pleased to announce our new interactive virtual tour experience! Please join us via ZOOM at our beautiful conservation center for an exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes of our giant tortoise habitat! This exciting and unique education program will allow you explore alongside our island dwellers as you and your family will be introduced to our Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises. Participants will learn about the diversity of two different species while engaging alongside a knowledgeable turtle guide...
The tortoises of the genus Manouriaare the oldest forms of tortoises living today. These living dinosaurs include the Asian Giant Tortoises and the Impressed Tortoise. The Turtle Conservancy manages both of these species at our southern California Conservation Center, and this past month we were very excited to get large clutches of eggs from our tortoises...
We have been busy transitioning the turtles to fall temperatures in southern California at the same time our Conservation Center has undergone many improvements to the animal husbandry facilities during the month of October. The large greenhouse that houses the asian species of turtles got a major facelift, with all new enclosures and ponds to better fit the needs of the turtles living within. We sunk galvanized metal troughs into the ground to create individual ponds for our Chinese big-headed turtles. And began the process of updating the setups in the small greenhouse to fully maximize the space — we expect to have this complete by the end of next month.
Many thanks to the dedicated team who made all of this possible: Juan Hernandez, Lukasz Pogorzelski, Armando Jimenez, Noel Martinez, Julio Zarrate, Simon R., and Oscar Centeno!
We have been incredibly busy this past month here at the Turtle Conservancy's Conservation Center. Two interns, Simon Rouot (L) and Noah Rodrigues (R), joined the TC Team, our incubators seemed to have revolving doors with new turtles hatching almost everyday, and major renovations and redesign of our large greenhouse is underway...
Staff members at the Turtle Conservancy are celebrating the hatching of three Critically Endangered Pan's Box Turtles this week at their conservation center in California. This is the first time this species has hatched from captive born parents in the United States. Pan's Box Turtle is considered functionally extinct in its native China due to over-collection for the medicinal and pet trades...
