Eric huang

Marine Plastic Ingestion in Sea Turtles: A Global Study

A 2018 study discovered microplastics and marine plastics in all seven marine turtle species. The research examined stranded and bycaught turtles from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea, finding plastics in the digestive systems of green, loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, flatback, hawksbill, and olive ridley turtles. A new study analyzed […]

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Florida Authorities Seek Information on Painted Gopher Tortoise Case

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is actively seeking information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of individuals who painted the shell of a gopher tortoise. This tortoise is one of two that were vandalized; the second painted tortoise has not yet been located. The FWC has issued a stern warning

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Tracking Eastern Box Turtles in Nashville: A Conservation Study

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere are tracking eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in Nashville to determine how their urban environment affects them. Dr. Brian Flock, TWRA’s Wildlife Diversity and Intern Coordinator, created this tracking project with two goals in mind. “The initial idea was to have something

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First Captive-Bred Palawan Forest Turtles Released Into Wild After Seven-Year Program

The first two captive-bred Palawan forest turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis) from a breeding program on Palawan island in the Philippines have been released back into the wild. This marks the successful result of a seven-year conservation effort between the Katala Foundation, Inc. (KFI) of the Philippines and Singapore’s Mandai Nature. Named Sonja and Euds, these turtles

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Turtle Survival Alliance Reaches Milestone with 100th Alligator Snapping Turtle in Buffalo Bayou

The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) announced last week that it has captured, tagged, and released the 99th and 100th alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) in Buffalo Bayou, located in Houston, TX. The 99th turtle, a 131lb male nicknamed J.J. Watt after the Houston Texans football player, and the 100th turtle, a 31lb female, represent a

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Petition to Protect Diamondback Terrapins from Crab Pot Drowning in Florida

The state of Florida does not require turtle excluder devices in crab traps, but the state’s diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are drowning in them. In response, an international group of turtle experts sent a petition to the state to require these devices. The group, convened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, sent

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