Critically-endangered Bellinger River snapping turtles show signs of breeding in captivity (Australia) – via Herp Digest

By Ruby Cornish, News, ABC

Oct 26, 2016,

The critically-endangered Bellinger River snapping turtle is showing early signs of breeding in captivity, according to keepers at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

The turtles, which are found in a single body of water on the New South Wales mid north coast, were decimated last year when a mystery virus swept through the river's population, leaving the animals blind and starving.

It is estimated that 400 turtles died in the space of a month, and in April this year the species was listed as critically endangered by the NSW Scientific Committee.

Since then, an emergency response team of scientists has been investigating the event and developing a strategy to save the population.

As part of that effort, 16 turtles were placed in quarantine at Western Sydney University then transported to Taronga Zoo to help establish an 'insurance population’.

Senior Keeper Adam Skidmore, said the captive turtles were doing very well.

"We've just brought them through the winter period. Up until now they've been quite dormant, lying around and not doing too much," he said.

"But as the weather has warmed up they're starting to get more inquisitive and more alert, and taking an interest in each other.”

He said some turtles had been observed mating, but that did not necessarily mean a successful breeding season.

"Baby turtles would be a bonus, but we don't need it to happen now.

"We're not going to be disheartened. The turtles are just getting used to being in a captive situation.”

He said the team was hoping to see a steady breeding pattern develop over the next few years.

Mr Skidmore said it was hard to predict how long it would be until the turtle population along the Bellingen River returned to healthy numbers.

"First we need to breed them up. Then there's so many variables along the river that have to be addressed by all stakeholders," he said

Last month students from Bellingen High School and Chrysalis Steiner School made alarming findings when they carried out studies on the health of the Bellinger River.

Dissolved oxygen saturation readings ranged from 40 to 60 per cent, well below the Australian healthy river standard of 85 per cent or more.

Mr Skidmore said the information was helpful for determining when and where the turtles could be released in the future.

"It's great to have people out there collecting data in the environment that these animals are found in," he said.

"We hope for ideal conditions [when we release them], but it's a tough one.

"It's largely out of our hands.”

Taronga Veterinary Pathologist Karrie Rose said there  had not been any additional cases of the virus detected since the initial outbreak.

"The population in the river seems to be doing very well," she said.

She said ultimately hopes were high for the preservation and rehabilitation of the snapping turtle.

"There are a lot of positive conversation actions underway, and I think all of the signs are very good now, she said.

She said the source of the mystery virus remained unknown.

Snapping Turtle killed by exploding M-80 firecrackers on its shell; 3 charged - via Herp Digest

by Barbara Miller, 8/24/16, pennlive.com

The explosion happened at 6:55 p.m. Aug. 3 in the 1100 block of North Penryn Road, Penn Township, Northern Lancaster County Regional Police said Wednesday.

The suspects are accused of placing two M-80 firecrackers on the shell of the turtle and lighting the fuse, causing the death of the reptile, police said.

A crater was found, in what appeared to be remains of a large turtle, including bone fragments and biological remains. Witnesses provided a description of a truck seen at the scene, and police were able to identify three suspects.

Charged were Taylor James Geib, 21, of the first block of North Colebrook Road, Manheim; Austin Mathew Garner, 21, of the 2000 block of Mountain Road, Manheim; and a 17-year-old juvenile, whose name was not provided by police.

The turtle wasn't a pet, but a wild turtle, possibly a snapping turtle, Lt. George Pappas said. It was larger than a box turtle, but not a full-grown turtle, he said.

"They found it in a rural area, saw it and decided to do this," he said. Pappas said he doesn't know the motive for the stunt. "Young and poor judgment," he surmised.

The suspects were charged with prohibited offensive weapons and criminal conspiracy.

Pappas said animal cruelty charges can only be filed for domesticated and zoo animals under the Pa. Crimes Code.

The Pa. Fish and Boat Commission has been notified, and further charges could be filed, Pappas said. Turtles, which are reptiles, fall under that agency, rather than the Pa. Game Commission.

Eric Levis, Fish & Boat Commission spokesman, said they are reviewing the case, and charges could be filed.

Real-life mutant ninja turtle: Reptile with TWO HEADS is found amongst huge shipment from China

Two-headed snapping turtle discovered at turtle farm in Amagon, Arkansas

Baby turtle is yet to be named, but the farm plans to find it a new home

Turtle, which arrived from China in shipment of 30,000 of the reptiles, is expected to be sold to a collector 

By JAMES RUSH FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 15:51, 27 August 2014 | UPDATED: 18:03, 27 August 2014

They do say two heads are better than one, but workers at a turtle farm in the U.S. had never before seen anything like this.

A two-headed snapping turtle has been discovered at the Northeast Ark Turtle Farm, in Amagon, Arkansas, in a shipment of 30,000 of the reptiles shipped from China.

The baby turtle is yet to be named, but representatives at the farm have confirmed they will be looking for a new home for the young reptile. 

The baby turtle was discovered at the farm last week, according to The Jonesboro Sun.

A state biologist has said turtle mutations are rare, but are becoming more common. 

Workers at the farm have previously discovered a hatchling with one neck and two heads, but that died at birth.

Read more: 

Movement and habitat use of the snapping turtle in an urban landscape - via Herp Digest

Urban Ecosystems-June 2014, Volume 17, Issue 2, pp 613-623

Authors

• Travis J. Ryan  ⁽¹⁾
• William E. Peterman ^{(1) (2)}
• Jessica D. Stephens ^{(1) (3)}
• Sean C. Sterrett ^{(1) (4)}
•  

Author Affiliations

• 1. Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Urban Ecology, Butler University, 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, IN, 46208, USA
• 2. Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
• 3. Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
• 4. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

Abstract

In order to effectively manage urban habitats, it is important to incorporate the spatial ecology and habitat use of the species utilizing them. Our previous studies have shown that the distribution of upland habitats surrounding a highly urbanized wetland habitat, the Central Canal (Indianapolis, IN, USA) influences the distribution of map turtles (Graptemys geographica) and red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta) during both the active season and hibernation. In this study we detail the movements and habitat use of another prominent member of the Central Canal turtle assemblage, the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina. We find the same major upland habitat associations for C. serpentina as for G. geographica and T. scripta, despite major differences in their activity (e.g., C. serpentina do not regularly engage in aerial basking). These results reinforce the importance of recognizing the connection between aquatic and surrounding terrestrial habitats, especially in urban ecosystems.

Tomorrow's the vote on Snapping turtle's future. Need to Act Now - via Herp Digest

Tomorrow's the vote on Snapping turtle's future. Need to Act Now

 Please, everyone, write, call, email, do it all, whatever you can and let them know you are strongly against Turtle Trapping Bill, S2170b.

We need to protect our state reptile from this insane bill. 

Contact

Senator Klein, IDC Senate Leader: jdklein@nysenate.gov, (518) 455- 3595. 

NYS Senate Majority Leader Skelos: skelos@nysenate.gov, (518) 455-3171 

Environmental Committee Chair Senator Grisantigrisanti@nysenate.gov, (518) 455-3240

Contact your state senator, If your not sure who your senator is you can find the info at this link: 

http://www.nysenate.gov/districts/map

Some basic background information on bill and snappers

A new Turtle Trapping Bill, S2170b, comes up for a vote in the Senate Environmental Committee this Thurs. (Jan. 23). Because this committee passed a similar bad bill in 2013 to legalize trapping of Snapping Turtles, the NY state reptile, it’s imperative to stop this one ASAP.

Why save snappers and be against the bill. 

 

Seven quick points to make.

1. New York’s State Reptile, the Snapping Turtle, already faces an uphill battle for survival due to habitat loss, toxic run-off and traffic accidents that kill many females as they try to lay eggs along roadsides. Because Snapping Turtles do not reproduce until at least eight years old, and only about 3% survive from egg to adult, even a slight rise in the number killed could make the population crash.

2. This proposal will hinder law enforcement authorities from controlling illegal trapping, since poaching can occur under the guise of permitted activity. A 2009 investigation revealed that thousands of New York turtles were being illegally shipped to China. Allowing trapping of NY Snapping Turtles would sacrifice our State Reptile to the inexhaustible appetite of the Asian food trade. This should not be the fate of New York's majestic state reptile.

3. Trapping causes the accidental deaths of non-targets, in this case the Endangered Bog Turtle and Threatened Blanding’s Turtle, as well as other NYS wildlife, would be at risk.

4. The justification for S2170B includes the historic use of these turtles for food, but the NYS Dept. of Health has issued an advisory warning that Snapping Turtles often are contaminated with PCB’s and other toxins.

5. Snapping Turtles are magnificent creatures that play a key role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. For example, these turtles eat dead fish - thus acting as an environmental sanitation crew.

6. The Snapping Turtle was chosen by school children to be the NYS Reptile. New York’s turtles need more protection, not less.

7. There is no reason to inflict pain and suffering on individual turtles and risk destroying NY turtle populations.

Snapping turtle trapping law-Immediate Action Needed - via Herp Digest

IGNORE ORIGINAL I SENT OUT WHICH HAD YOU SEND AND CONTACT ASSEMBYLEMEN 

THEY MOVED IT TO THE SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE AND IT IS SCHEDULED FOR VOTE THIS THURS. 

(Below is from TurtleRescue of Long Island. Thanks for putting this together.) 

Stop NY Turtle Trapping Bill!

A new Turtle Trapping Bill, S2170b, comes up for a vote in the Senate Environmental Committee this Thurs. (Jan. 23). Because this committee passed a similar bad bill in 2013 to legalize trapping of Snapping Turtles, the NY state reptile, it’s imperative to stop this one ASAP. Please immediately contact:

Senator Klein, IDC Senate Leader: jdklein@nysenate.gov, (518) 455- 3595. 

Urge him to defeat the Turtle Trapping Bill, S2170b. Our state reptile is already in trouble from traffic accidents and habitat loss (please see #1 below). Plus, other NY wildlife, such as the endangered Bog Turtle and the threatened Blanding’s Turtle, will also die in the non-selective traps. Leave your name and politely ask for a response about his action on this bill.

If you can—please also contact: NYS Senate Majority Leader Skelos: skelos@nysenate.gov, (518) 455-3171 and Environmental Committee Chair Senator Grisantigrisanti@nysenate.gov, (518) 455-3240, plus your own senator.

More about Bill S2170b

1. New York’s State Reptile, the Snapping Turtle, already faces an uphill battle for survival due to habitat loss, toxic run-off and traffic accidents that kill many females as they try to lay eggs along roadsides. Because Snapping Turtles do not reproduce until at least eight years old, and only about 3% survive from egg to adult, even a slight rise in the number killed could make the population crash.

2. This proposal will hinder law enforcement authorities from controlling illegal trapping, since poaching can occur under the guise of permitted activity. A 2009 investigation revealed that thousands of New York turtles were being illegally shipped to China. Allowing trapping of NY Snapping Turtles would sacrifice our State Reptile to the inexhaustible appetite of the Asian food trade. This should not be the fate of New York's majestic state reptile.

3. Trapping causes the accidental deaths of non-targets, in this case the Endangered Bog Turtle and Threatened Blanding’s Turtle, as well as other NYS wildlife, would be at risk.

4. The justification for S2170B includes the historic use of these turtles for food, but the NYS Dept. of Health has issued an advisory warning that Snapping Turtles often are contaminated with PCB’s and other toxins.

5. Snapping Turtles are magnificent creatures that play a key role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. For example, these turtles eat dead fish - thus acting as an environmental sanitation crew.

6. The Snapping Turtle was chosen by school children to be the NYS Reptile. New York’s turtles need more protection, not less.

7. There is no reason to inflict pain and suffering on individual turtles and risk destroying NY turtle populations.

How to Save a Snapping Turtle - via Herp Digest

by Mary Thill, Adirondack Life Blog, 6/25/13

There are three kinds of drivers: those who swerve to hit turtles, those who stop to move turtles, and those who pass on by.

In June, female snapping turtles haul their slaty hulks out of Adirondack ponds and rivers in search of a sandy spot to dig a hole and lay a clutch of soft-shelled eggs. So, this is when you most often see them on the road, trying to cross or dead by car tire.

If you’re an intentional turtle-hitter, you’re a jerk. If you’re a turtle-mover, the question is: what is the best way to help a snapper across? There are many approaches, some of them dangerous to the turtle, to the mover, or to motorists. So I sought an opinion from an expert, Glenn Johnson, chairman of the biology department at SUNY Potsdam and co-author of The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State:

“First, if it is on a road, try and pull over on the side of the road the turtle is on, which would make cars behind you swerve out away from the turtle rather than closer to it as they avoid your vehicle. Make sure you do not put yourself in danger of being struck by a vehicle as well; there have been instances of well-meaning folks, and even herpetologists, that have been struck by cars trying to move a turtle out of the road.

“Second, move the turtle in the direction it is heading, otherwise they may simply turn around and cross the road after you are gone. Small turtles can be simply picked up by the sides of the shell. With larger turtles, one might be tempted to pick it up by the tail. The problem here is that the weight of a large turtle can cause some of the tail vertebrae to separate, causing damage. But often time is of the essence, so dragging it along the ground by the tail is OK to get it out of harm’s way quickly.

“The best way to pick up and move a snapper is to grasp the carapace (top shell) with both hands just above the two hind legs near the tail. It cannot reach you with its jaws, however it may scratch you with the claws on its hind feet, which is a small price to pay I think, at least for me; not everyone is willing to let that happen.”

There you have it. I was an advocate of waving a stick in front of the turtle’s mouth to give it something to bite, but I like the simplicity of Johnson’s method, especially if you’re on your own.

There’s a more important and less risky thing you can do to help snapping turtles: contact your state legislators. The New York State Senate this session passed a bill that would allow the capture and killing of snapping turtles by hand or by trap. The legislation moved largely under the radar, and the New York State Assembly adjourned last week without voting on it. Currently it is legal to hunt snapping turtles in New York only with gun or bow July 15 through September 30. The trapping bill could resurface later this year or, more likely, in 2014.

Johnson, who conducts research on the threatened Blanding’s turtle, says that species could be inadvertently killed in traps intended for snapping turtles. He also questioned whether enough is known about the status of snapping turtle populations in New York, pointing out that the species is protected in Ontario.

Eggs and young turtles fall prey to all kinds of birds and animals, but once a snapper grows to a good size, not much can kill it other than a car, and roads do take a heavy toll on females because of their egg-laying forays. Individual turtles live 20 to 40 years.

Despite their fierce appearance and strong jaws, snapping turtles are usually docile in water and are not much competition for anglers. Allen Salzberg, publisher of the online reptile and amphibian newsletter HerpDigest.org, says most people don’t realize that they are primarily scavengers. They keep ponds clean but accumulate toxins in their fat, which can make them unappealing for the table. Yet Salzberg worries that trapping would allow snappers to be exploited for export to China, where there’s an avid market for American turtle meat.

“The whole thing was just pushed through the Senate,” Salzberg says. “There was no scientific basis. There was no reasoning beforehand. It opened up the chipping away of the protection of reptiles and amphibians, especially the ones that people don’t like. . . . It might make New York free of snapping turtles, which might make some people happy, but it would really destroy the environment of ponds.”

The Assembly designated the snapping turtle as New York State reptile in 2006, after a poll of elementary school children.

The bill is not expected to come up for a vote this fall, but to follow it contact your Assembly representative or check HerpDigest.org.

New Jersey Meadowlands -Diamondback Terrapins & other turtles may be falling prey to poacher - via Herp Digest

September 20, 2012, by Brian Anderson, Staff Writer, NewJersey.com, Turtles in the Hackensack River may be falling prey to poachers. The Riverkeeper contends he witnessed poachers attempting to set traps recently. The turtles were saved as the poachers’ boat wouldn’t start. 

But for Captain Bill Sheehan of the Hackensack River, it was a disconcerting sight to see a group of men, armed with turtle traps, looking to trap the diamond terrapins in the Hackensack River a few weeks ago. Sheehan said though this group of men wasn’t able to hunt any turtles that day (their boat broke down while still on shore), they had a permit from the state of New Jersey to hunt and sell turtles, and were looking to sell the turtles for human consumption.

Sheehan said the permit allowed them to trap turtles in three rivers: the Passaic, Hackensack and Rahway.

"That’s what upset me most about these guys—they had a permit," he said.

Sheehan said these turtles live longer than other aquatic life in the Meadowlands, and eat the smaller creatures found in the river. It’s a problem because the Hackensack River has a history of pollution. These turtles likely accumulate contaminants from the river. If the turtles are eaten, Sheehan said, the "bioaccumulation" becomes part of the individual who eats the turtle.

Sheehan said the men told him they were planning on selling the turtles to restaurants in other states, such as New York’s Chinatown.

However, officials from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) say there is no permit for hunting diamondback terrapin turtles, and that selling turtles is illegal in the state.

Bob Considine, a spokesman at the NJDEP, said the agency grants only one type of permit in regards to diamond terrapins. Under a study/collection permit, researchers and scientists can learn about the diamond terrapins found in New Jersey waters. The study must be approved and must show to have a positive effect on the species’ conservation, public welfare or the environment, he said.

"This permit does not allow someone to collect these animals to keep them long term," Considine said. "Catching diamondback terrapins is not permitted in the state, and violators can face a fine."

Diamondback terrapins can often be found in the marshes of the Saw Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area, along the banks of the Hackensack River, and other Meadowlands marshes. Three native species of Meadowlands turtles—the diamondback terrapin, the painted turtle and snapping turtle—regularly sun themselves along the marshy banks.

The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) is currently conducting a study on the diamondback terrapin, said Mike Newhouse, NJMC researcher. A group of researchers have been studying the diamondback terrapin population in the Hackensack River since 2009. Hundreds of turtles have been tagged since the study began, and researchers at the NJMC continue to tag turtles—a sign that the population of the diamondbacks in the Hackensack River is likely growing.

Last year, DEP issued 39 permits for studying these turtles, according to officials. When scientists apply for the permit, they must indicate where they will be working and what the study is about.

Both Sheehan and the DEP say that turtle meat, especially form turtles in the Hackensack River, could contain toxins and contaminates as a result of long-term pollution in the Hackensack River. The blue claw crabs found in the Hackensack River are highly polluted, and along the banks of the river, signs advise against eating the crabs.

Diamondback terrapins and blue claw crabs both feed on similar food—small invertebrates, fish and vegetation on the riverbed. Though there is no official ban or advisory on consumption of turtle meat, Considine advises against it.

"However, one can assume is if there are crabbing or fishing restrictions in that area, other creatures can accumulate contaminants in their system, and caution is urged," Considine said.

Considine confirmed there is no trapping permit for terrapin turtles, but the state does permit the hunting on snapping turtles throughout New Jersey. Residents with a valid fishing license can catch up to three snapping turtles per day, and hunting season for snapping turtles is between Jan. 1 - April 30, and June 16 - Dec. 31.

Whether they are hunted or admired from a distance, Meadowlands area turtle species are a pleasant sight to behold.

Man fined for selling turtles on black market-Is last of 32 convicted in state, federal probe (Operation Shellschock) New York State - via Herp Digest

By Phil Fairbanks, News Staff Reporter, July 27, 2012,

Michael V. Johnson didn't know it at the time, but the two men who sold him live snapping turtles were undercover officers investigating the international black market for New York wildlife.

Johnson, a retired turtle meat distributor from Maryland, was sentenced in Buffalo federal court Thursday, the last of 32 people convicted as part of a state and federal investigation known as Operation Shellshock.

"There is an illegal market," said Lt. Richard D. Thomas, senior investigator in the Johnson case. "There are people globally who will pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for a specific species from the United States."

The sale of common snapping turtles may seem trivial to some, but only because people don't understand their role as "indicator species," Thomas said.

"They tell us when things are wrong with the environment," said Thomas, a state Department of Environmental Conservation investigator. "They're directly related to public health and safety because they're indicators of the health of the planet."

And it's not just common snapping turtles that are part of this lucrative black market in protected wildlife.

Investigators also found timber rattlesnakes and wood turtles being shipped out of state to collectors.

In one case, they arrested a Canadian smuggler in a Niagara Falls parking lot and inside his van found 33 Massasauga rattlesnakes, an endangered species, hidden in secret compartments.

Overall, Operation Shellshock resulted in criminal cases involving 2,400 turtles, snakes and salamanders. The investigation, which DEC officials kept quiet for years, resulted in 32 people being charged and convicted, and Johnson's sentencing represents an official end to those prosecutions.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy spared Johnson prison time and instead fined him $40,000 following his guilty plea to a single misdemeanor charge of attempted trafficking in prohibited wildlife.

McCarthy ordered the money deposited in the Lacey Act Reward Account, which is used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to, among other things, reward people who provide information about wildlife-related crimes.

"I apologize," Johnson told McCarthy Thursday. "I should have been more proactive in keeping up with the laws in other states."

Johnson, as part of a plea agreement, admitted buying more than 1,500 pounds of live snapping turtles from undercover agents in 2007 and 2008 while operating Turtles Deluxe, a turtle meat processing business in Maryland.

He also acknowledged selling the turtle meat, which is used in turtle soup and is popular in cities such as New Orleans, Philadelphia and New York City, for about $8,400.

Johnson, who sold his business last year, also shipped turtles to California for export to China, where they were used for breeding at turtle farms.

"I think this has been a very difficult and painful lesson for him," James Harrington, Johnson's defense lawyer, told McCarthy. "I don't think you'll see him before you again."

Even before Johnson pleaded guilty in January, he donated a total of $20,000 to three wildlife preservation groups, including the Buffalo Zoo and Tifft Nature Preserve.

While Johnson's sentencing officially closes Operation Shellshock, it doesn't end what Thomas calls the booming black market for protected wildlife here and across the country.

He thinks the state investigation was successful in removing several key players involved in international and domestic smuggling and in educating the public about the importance of common snapping turtles and other wildlife.

"These animals are critical parts of our ecosystems," he said. "I think Shellshock was successful in raising public awareness, but we also know the illegal market for a lot of wildlife continues to thrive and be strong."

Snapping Turtles in Canada facing triple threat (via Herp Digest)

OTTAWA, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Snapping turtles in Ontario, Canada, are threatened by hunters, road kill and toxins, researchers said Tuesday in calling for an end to hunting the animals.

The species that has been around for 40 million years is being pushed to the edge of extinction, a report issued Tuesday by the David Suzuki Foundation, Ontario Nature and the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Center said.

The report calls for the end of a controversial provincial policy that allows snapping turtles to be hunted despite being listed as a species at risk.

The policy allows anyone with a provincial game or fishing license to "bag" up to two snapping turtles a day.

"This report demonstrates that snapping turtles cannot withstand such high mortality rates," Anne Bell, director of conservation and education with Ontario Nature, said.

"It is our hope that the province will act on our recommendation to ban the hunt -- one simple step towards protecting this amazing animal."

The report also identifies eight hot spots where thousands of turtles are being run over and killed by cars each year.

"Snapping turtles face an uncertain future in Ontario because we have paved over 70 percent of southern Ontario's wetlands and created corridors of death with our roads and highways," Sue Carstairs at the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Center said.