Turtles All The Way Down

Turtles All The Way Down http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/ A weblog devoted to turtles and tortoises, including community discussion and news. en Copyright 2008 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:39:52 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Wook at the kyoot babiesss! check out these hatchling Hermann's! Shells inside shells of pure cuteness.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/02/wook_at_the_kyoot_babiesss.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/02/wook_at_the_kyoot_babiesss.html Fun and Interesting Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:39:52 -0600 Only 50,000 sulcatas remain The African Spurred Tortoise, or "Sulcata" (Geochelone sulcata) is no longer plentiful in Africa. View this video if only to see the cute tortoise grass-eating shot. ]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/only_50000_sulcatas_remain_1.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/only_50000_sulcatas_remain_1.html Conservation News and Legislation Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:17:18 -0600 That's last week's news 01/27/2008 - Third turtle found dead in less than 21 days 01/27/2008 - Helping turtles in difficulty 01/26/2008 - It's not about the speed 01/25/2008 - Olive Ridley rookery turns turtle 01/25/2008 - Endangered leatherback turtle’s epic 12,744-mile migration 01/25/2008 - Dead turtles worry conservationists 01/25/2008 - Scores Of Dead Turtles Washed Up With The Tide 01/25/2008 - CDC: Pet turtles cause multistate Salmonella outbreak 01/25/2008 - UW Vets Perform Surgery On Exotic Tortoise 01/25/2008 - RETTEW Hires Qualified Bog Turtle Surveyor 01/25/2008 - Endangered leatherback turtle's epic 12,744-mile migration 01/24/2008 - Cuba Bans Sea Turtle Hunting 01/24/2008 - Pet Turtles Linked to Rise in Salmonella Infections 01/23/2008 - Gopher tortoise rules still unsettled 01/23/2008 - Cuba bans marine turtle hunt 01/23/2008 - Turning The Tide For Sea Turtles 01/23/2008 - Indigenous turtle conservationists arrive in Mexico 01/23/2008 - Endangered turtle not found on site of planned Middleboro casino 01/22/2008 - Leatherback turtle's 12,744 mile migration 01/22/2008 - Turtle issue a casino killer or just bluff? 01/22/2008 - Loggerhead turtle rescued 01/22/2008 - Turtle Clears A Hurdle At Colorado State Capitol]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_10.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_10.html News and Legislation Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:45:02 -0600 They're huge. They're soft. They're squishy. Squishable.com is offering the biggest, snuggliest turtles and tortoises you'll find anywhere. One of these would be a great alternative to having a real tortoise: you don't have to feed it, water it, keep it warm, wet, or dry. And it's HUGE! Visit Squishable.com for all your cuddly turtle needs, and cuddly whale needs, cuddly duck needs, cuddly frog needs, cuddly octopus needs....]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/theyre_huge_theyre_soft_theyre.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/theyre_huge_theyre_soft_theyre.html Fun and Interesting Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:07:56 -0600 Cuba saves 500+ hawksbills Cuba bans marine turtle hunt Camagüey takes actions favouring the protection of turtles Cuba Ends Turtle Hunt-WWF Cuba bans turtle hunt Cuba Bans Turtle Hunt to Protect Species]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/cuba_saves_500_hawksbills.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/cuba_saves_500_hawksbills.html News and Legislation Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:43:29 -0600 Menace in a cute red-eared disguise Google Alerts that magically appear in my inbox daily. So I'm up on what's up in the herp world. For a long time, the newspapers had a lot to say about burying gopher tortoises alive. Then they had a lot to say about restricting the practice of burying gopher tortoises alive. Then there was the massive Australian cane toad invasion. Then we had the out-of-control iguana population in many Florida locales. This winter we have those iguanas falling out of trees. Just bubbling to the surface recently is the story of the red-eared slider becoming the next cane toad in Australia. Just the other day I reported on red eared sliders in New Zealand, and as a footnote I stated that the species is outlawed in Australia. Apparently the slider has become a serious problem in Australia, where it can live and breed and has few predators. (The article cites two predators: foxes and goannas (monitor lizards).) In Australia you can't own red-eareds as pets, and they are certainly not allowed in the wild. They really aren't welcome anywhere. The turtle discussed in the article is to be euthanized. It is rather important that they keep the sliders under control while they can, if possible. Otherwise they may compete too fiercely with Australian turtles and other water-dwellers for food. They really don't need another animal like the cane toad taking over the country. I predict that we'll be seeing more of the red-eared slider in the news before we see less of it, but I do hope that it doesn't wreak too much havoc.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/menace_in_a_cute_redeared_disg.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/menace_in_a_cute_redeared_disg.html Conservation News and Legislation Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:37:24 -0600 That's last week's news news, that is ... and here is my bounty. Enjoy! 01/21/2008 - Turtle population under threat 01/21/2008 - Work of J. Nichols '89 to Save Sea Turtles Produces Results, Reports San Diego Union-Tribune 01/20/2008 - Turtle could throw wrench in casino plans 01/20/2008 - Why don’t turtles cross the road? 01/19/2008 - Subdivision meets major obstacles in trees, tortoises 01/19/2008 - Framingham teachers headed to Costa Rica 01/19/2008 - Endangered turtle could put snag in resort casino project 01/18/2008 - Cute turtle a real terminator 01/18/2008 - Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Protected Sea Turtles 01/18/2008 - Illegal turtle trade thriving - report 01/18/2008 - Biosecurity takes Currumbin Valley turtle 01/18/2008 - Too late for Leatherback but hope for Green, Hawksbill turtles 01/17/2008 - Turtle in safe hands 01/17/2008 - Varanasi boatmen on indefinite strike against tortoise zone entry tax 01/17/2008 - Recovered turtles return to sea 01/17/2008 - After red tide's toll, sea turtles return to Brevard County beach 01/17/2008 - American turtle threatens wildlife 01/17/2008 - Buddie Boogies Back Into The Briny Blue 01/17/2008 - Gators and turtles dive into Georgia Aquarium 01/16/2008 - Turtle alert for beach walkers 01/16/2008 - Sea Turtles Released After Rehabilitation From Red Tide Ailments 01/15/2008 - Endangered Turtles Bring Higher Profits for Pet Dealers]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_9.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_9.html News and Legislation Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:36:07 -0600 A report pulled from the Obvious Files The World Wildlife Fund has reported that the less plentiful a species of turtle, the more money a pet dealer can charge for it. The more illegal it is to obtain and/or sell, the more lucrative. I'd really like to expound here, but I'm not sure what to say. Is there anything left to say, really? Really? Here's a summary of this particular money making process, in case the idea is new to you (and in which case, good on you, you've never heard of drugs): 1. Outlaw the sale of an item 2. Sell the item 3. PROFIT! Plenty Magazine's Extinction Blog has also picked up on this, and as the blog states, capitalism is alive and well. As I always state, hallelujah for that. But this isn't capitalism; this is illegal animal trade. These are individuals who have no empathy for animals, wildlife, our ecosystem. This is purely selfish illegal animal exploitation. And it's bad. Hatch a leopard tortoise in your basement and sell it for as much as the market will bear, please! That's capitalism. I like expensive things. Fewer people own expensive things. But catch and sell a turtle listed on CITES Appendix I and you should not pass go nor collect $200; you should go directly to jail. Come on, people, we have laws for a reason. There are ways to get by that don't involve disrupting our ecosystem.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/a_report_pulled_from_the_obvio.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/a_report_pulled_from_the_obvio.html News and Legislation Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:59:04 -0600 The 20-year fugitive badass turtle If you think that's the case, you haven't met Snappy! First spotted some 17 years ago in a Caldicot Country Park pond in South Wales, this snapping turtle has spent the past couple decades on the lam devouring fish, ducks, and whatever else he can catch. The killer turtle has recently been caught, and he has been moved to the Tortoise Trust rescue sanctuary in west Wales. It's hard for me to believe he weighs only 20 pounds, but regardless, a duck is no match for that. This is another prime example of what happens when pet turtles are discarded into the wild. Yes, Snappy must have been a pet, since snapping turtles are native to North America.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/the_20year_fugitive_badass_tur.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/the_20year_fugitive_badass_tur.html Fun and Interesting News and Legislation Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:42:49 -0600 That's last week's news 01/13/2008 - Raising turtles in captivity may help restore numbers 01/13/2008 - 'Pet' turtle at home in church 01/12/2008 - Oh, snap! Time to keep the trappers at bay 01/11/2008 - Turtle travels long way to get help 01/11/2008 - Pet turtle dies pining for beloved owner 01/11/2008 - After slow and steady probe, alleged tortoise smuggler caught 01/11/2008 - Chinese Smugglers Caught With Endangered Sea Turtle Shell 01/10/2008 - Shire takes legal action over turtle centre plans 01/10/2008 - Local farmers see ray of hope in domestic pet turtle act 01/10/2008 - Endangered status an advantage to turtle traders 01/10/2008 - Chico Man Accused Of Illegal Tortoise Trading 01/10/2008 - Mural unveiled at turtle museum’s Grand Hatching 01/10/2008 - Officials allege Chicoan conspired with 'Turtle Man' on tortoise smuggling 01/10/2008 - Indonesia cited for allowing illegal turtle sales 01/09/2008 - TDC Still Waiting for Response on Sea Turtle Lighting 01/09/2008 - Turtle tug-of-war heading to court 01/09/2008 - Red-bellied turtle may slow casino 01/09/2008 - Is red-eared slider turtle smaller than 4 inches? In July, it'll be illegal to own 01/08/2008 - Indonesia cited for allowing illegal turtle sales 01/08/2008 - Concern for turtle may slow SugarHouse work 01/08/2008 - Endangered sea turtle found off Batangas coastal town 01/08/2008 - Report highlights Indonesia's illegal freshwater turtle trade 01/08/2008 - Beach plea after rare turtles die 01/08/2008 - Rare turtles washed up on beaches]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_8.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_8.html News and Legislation Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:12:12 -0600 The problem with sliders New Zealand residents take notice when they see a red-eared slider on a riverbank. Here in the United States there are a set of animals that you normally see. This varies by region, but we have pigeons, squirrels, chipmunks, innumerable varieties of birds, and in these parts there are the less-seen but ever-present raccoons, opossums, and even coyotes. These animals are all wild. But visit a stream or a pond in a business park and you also see turtles. Usually, red-eared sliders. Of course they are native to the United States, but to a specific area: along the Mississippi and generally in the southeast part of the country. They do not naturally reside in Chicago, or New York, or the Bay Area. But if you've seen many man-made ponds or water retaining structures, or hiked along many rivers in the north, you've seen red-eared sliders far, far from home. Popular in the pet trade, you've also seen them in pet stores. But no businesses are running to pet stores to stock their ponds with the turtles; they simply show up. They usually show up in the hands of their owners who release them into the wild. People tire of the care their pets require, they lose interest, or they realize that their pets have outgrown their aquarium and decide that the wild would be a better, more spacious place for them to live. No pet should ever be released into the wild. Not here in the United States, where red-eared sliders are native, because released pets can introduce unknown organisms into existing wildlife populations and wreak havoc. On a more personal level, an individual pet turtle may never learn how to take care of itself properly in the wild, and die. And not in New Zealand, where red-eared sliders couldn't be much farther from home. You may not be aware of this, but there is hardly any wildlife native to New Zealand. A few lizards, frogs, and bat species are the only animals that originally lived on land in the country. New Zealand hosts many indigenous birds, many of which have lost their ability to fly since there are no ground-dwelling predators. (Though during my stay in New Zealand, disappointingly, I didn't see even a single kiwi — they and many local birds are nocturnal.) Everything else in New Zealand — the deer, the rats, the sheep, the cattle, the rabbits — have all been introduced by humans. There should be no snakes, no opossums, and no chelonians, so when a passerby sees a red-eared slider on the bank of a river he doesn't dismiss it. Such was the case when Donatello was found sunbathing in November. A lone turtle on a riverbank, he was captured and delivered to the Department of Conservation. It turns out that New Zealanders don't exactly freak out about the turtles, since the climate is considered too cold for them to breed and eventually destroy the ecosystem. They are available for purchase in pet stores. But they do have an effect on the fish and flora when they are released in the wild, since they do have to eat. Still, the fear seems to be only of what might occur in the case of significant climate change; it wouldn't have to get much warmer in New Zealand for red-eared sliders to take root there. For now, the locals are keeping an eye on the species. Australians are far less forgiving: red-eared sliders are completely illegal.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/the_problem_with_sliders.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/the_problem_with_sliders.html Conservation News and Legislation Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:24:57 -0600 New news for little turtles I blogged about the repeal of the so-called 4-inch law. I read in the Natchez Democrat that as part of the farm bill changes, the law banning the sale of turtles under 4 inches in length had been repealed. The Democrat today states that the article was incorrect. In fact, it's much more complicated than that, and much more important. The “Domestic Pet Turtle Equality Act” is an amendment to the farm bill that was added in the Senate, and has yet to make its way to the President for signing. It first needs to be worked over by a Senate-House committee. According to the article:

"If the amendment survives the committee and the president signs the bill, within 60 days the Food and Drug Administration will be required to test all of the salmonella-related pets on the market. If pet turtles test within a 10 percent prevalence of salmonella among the other animals, the Secretary of Agriculture will have to conduct a study about how turtles can be sold safely as pets. Once that study is competed, the Secretary of Agriculture has only two options, to either lift the turtle ban or to ban the sale of other salmonella-related animals."

I'll keep on this and report what I learn.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/new_news_for_little_turtles.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/new_news_for_little_turtles.html News and Legislation Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:22:47 -0600 Another way to adopt a turtle blog alerted me to their new sea turtle adoption program. From their web site:

"Now you can 'adopt a turtle,' and for only $50, you can contribute to that turtle's rehabilitation. When that turtle is released, you will be able to track the turtle online and know that you helped to make him/her healthy enough to go back home! Or, you can adopt a turtle that has already been released, helping to pay for the research we are conducting so we can help sea turtles all over the world!"

This sounds like a great way to raise money for the GSTC. Their main mission is to treat sea turtles that get stranded along the Georgia coast; their center on Jekyll Island provides cutting edge care for turtles and also serves as a research and education center. Get all the details on the Georgia Sea Turtle Center's web site. Turtles All The Way Down is considering an adoption ... we'll see if we have room in the offspring budget and let you know what happens.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/another_way_to_adopt_a_turtle.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/another_way_to_adopt_a_turtle.html Conservation Fun and Interesting Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:39:52 -0600 Big news about little turtles Of all the things to come out of the farm bill. I didn't even know this item was on the table. Since 1975, the sale of turtles under 10.2cm in length (about 4 inches) has been illegal. This "4-inch law" was enacted, they've always said, to prevent children from contracting salmonella from their cute little pet turtles. We all know that children put everything in their mouths that will fit -- and some things that won't! So the government stepped in, as they are wont to do, to keep children safe from these few-inch-long shelled beasts. It turns out there are many other good reasons, to the conscientious animal lover, why the 4-inch law should be in place. I personally believe that the pet market is and has been oversaturated with reptiles as long as I've been paying attention to it, as I personally have seen countless reptiles die in captivity due to improper care. Although as a rule I am against "government interference," any law limiting or tracking reptiles kept in captivity is usually a law I will support. I'm sorry, my wealth of reptile-keeping friends, I know you are competent to care for your animals, but most people are not. I have to support laws that protect animals from human stupidity, ignorance, and bad behavior. But back to the farm bill. Due to my own ignorance, I had been concentrating on the subsidizing of high fructose corn syrup when the farm bill came up for debate last year, and did not even realize that the 4-inch law was on the bill and in danger of repeal. It was repealed. You may now purchase turtles of any size from turtle farmers right here in the U.S. Not that any extra attention paid to this law would have made a difference. The whole corn subsidization issue receives more attention every year the farm bill is up for renewal, and no changes have yet come about with regard to that, either. So run out and buy your tiny turtles while you can. The rumor mill says that this repeal may be reversed. Get 'em while they're small! Please see the update on this issue for corrected information.]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/big_news_about_little_turtles.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/big_news_about_little_turtles.html News and Legislation Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:11:49 -0600 That's last week's news 01/07/2008 - Turtle Conservation in Solomon Islands 01/06/2008 - Charlotte County, FWC officials search for possibly buried tortoise 01/06/2008 - Gopher tortoises may cost developers in Lee County 01/05/2008 - Remains of rare turtle discovered in Central China 01/05/2008 - Chinese man pleads guilty to turtle-shell smuggling 01/05/2008 - County, FWC officials search for possibly buried tortoise 01/04/2008 - She'll be right on the reef 01/04/2008 - Chinese national pleads guilty to smuggling protected sea turtles 01/04/2008 - 100-million-year-old turtle remains discovered in Henan 01/04/2008 - Man pleads guilty to smuggling sea turtle shell 01/04/2008 - Gulf World Rescues Turtles 01/03/2008 - Area sees hike in sea turtle deaths 01/03/2008 - Rare turtle found in Gearhart 01/02/2008 - Tortoise worth £1,000 stolen from pet shop 01/02/2008 - Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle faces extinction unless shifted to other habitable areas 01/02/2008 - Green turtle freed on Zamboanga coast 01/02/2008 - Nearly 25,000 hatchlings recorded 01/02/2008 - Common practice saved turtle hatchlings: expert 01/02/2008 - Loggerhead's 25-year journey inspires film crew 01/02/2008 - Three die after sea turtle meal 01/02/2008 - Turtles have bacteria, don't make safe pets 01/01/2008 - TORTOISE SWIPED 01/01/2008 - Kenya: People Saving the Turtle 01/01/2008 - Federal Fisheries Service to Study Critical Habitat Designation for Endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle]]> http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_7.html http://www.turtlesallthewaydown.com/2008/01/thats_last_weeks_news_7.html News and Legislation Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:16:20 -0600