turtles

DNA Test Stops Illegal Shipment of 2,200 Matamata Turtles

DNA Test Stops Illegal Shipment of 2,200 Matamata Turtles

A rapid DNA test administered by Colombian officials halted the illegal shipment of more than 2,000 Matamata turtles. “The trade in this and other species of turtle has increased in recent years. In particular, the matamata seizures by Colombian authorities have increased five-fold in the last five years,” said the DNA test co-creator, Diego Cardeñosa […]

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    ‘Oh My God, It’s Gone!’ Hawaiian Island Important for Seals and Turtles Washed Away by Hurricane

    ‘Oh My God, It’s Gone!’ Hawaiian Island Important for Seals and Turtles Washed Away by Hurricane

    A small Hawaiian island that was an important habitat for endangered species has entirely disappeared, The Huffington Post confirmed Tuesday. East Island in the French Frigate Shoals, an atoll around 550 miles northwest of Honolulu that formed part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, was entirely washed over by storm surge from Hurricane Walaka this […]

    Injured Turtle at Maryland Zoo Heals in LEGO Wheelchair

    Injured Turtle at Maryland Zoo Heals in LEGO Wheelchair

    An injured wild turtle is rolling through recovery at the Maryland Zoo with the aid of a LEGO wheelchair. The grapefruit-sized, approximately 18-year-old eastern box turtle was found by a zoo employee at Druid Hill Park in July. The reptile had multiple fractures on the bottom part of his shell and was taken to the […]

    Plastic Shreds, Rubber Bands and Balloon Pieces Found in Thai Turtle

    Plastic Shreds, Rubber Bands and Balloon Pieces Found in Thai Turtle

    Plastic waste is being blamed for the death of a green turtle found on the eastern province of Chanthaburi in Thailand. The turtle washed up on the beach on June 4, Weerapong Laovechprasit, a veterinarian at the Eastern Marine and Coastal Resource Research and Development Centre told AFP. X-rays on the reptile revealed a blockage […]

    Microplastics May Heat Marine Turtle Nests and Produce More Females

    Microplastics May Heat Marine Turtle Nests and Produce More Females

    By Mariana Fuentes Have you ever considered that small pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters long, or smaller than a pencil eraser head, called microplastics, can affect large marine vertebrates like sea turtles? My research team first discovered this disturbing fact when we started to quantify the amount and type of microplastic at loggerhead […]

    640,000 Metric Tons of Ghost Gear Enters Oceans Each Year

    640,000 Metric Tons of Ghost Gear Enters Oceans Each Year

    Governments around the world are waking up to the scourge of plastics on our oceans and its creatures by banning items such as shopping bags and drinking straws. But an often-overlooked form of plastic waste is also a major threat to our seas: “ghost” gear. A report released Thursday from World Animal Protection highlights that […]

    Sea Turtle Population Rebounding But Many Threats Remain

    Sea Turtle Population Rebounding But Many Threats Remain

    A new study published in Science Advances has found that most global sea turtles populations are recovering after historical declines. The results from the analysis suggest that conservation programs actually work, and why we must defend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that protects vulnerable plants and animals, and is currently under attack by political and […]