Herp Conservation Notes

A new hibernaculum was created for some relocated fox snakes in Illinois. (News source.)

Half of a Sussex Co., NJ, bog was acquired for conservation as bog turtle habitat for $1.1 million. Negotiations for the other half are ongoing. (News source.)

Some tuatara conservation research here.

Freshwater crocs are being pushed out of the Northern Territories by saltwater crocs. (News source.)

Snake Poacher

Arizona G&F prosecuted a snake/turtle poacher in 2009. (News source.)

Missouri Turtle Dealer Sentenced

A Missouri turtle farmer was sentenced for shipping native and endangered species without permit to Japan. (News source.)

Big Softshell

A Thai zoo/aquarium has put a huge softshell turtle on display. (News source.)

Turtle Bridges

Kim Komando's video of the day on a wood turtle researcher, here.

Arakan Forest Turtles

Wildlife researchers have seen Arakan forest turtles alive in their native habitat for the first time. (News source.)

Custody Turtles

A Georgia man was acquitted of charges last year, but still hasn't gotten back all of his turtles. Many died in custody, while others have been returned in poor condition. (News source.)

Turtles & the Law

A Massachusetts developer has run into restrictions from box turtle conservation requirements. (News source.)

The US Army wants to relocate 1100 endangered California desert tortoises. (News source.)

The USFWS is reviewing the desert tortoise for possible ESA inclusion. (News source.)

A Canadian turtle keeper was sentenced to nine months in jail for keeping threatened species, mostly Blanding's turtles. (News source.)

Sea turtles and their eggs will be banned for possession, consumption, etc., in the Bahamas soon. (News source.)

Vietnamese officials seized 10 tons of tortoise and pangolin shells smuggled in from Indonesia. (News source.)

Poachers continue to threaten the Madagascar spider tortoise. (News source.)

Labrador Snapper

A snapping turtle was picked up in Labrador, outside of its known range. (News source.)

Turtle Tech

Researchers are using GPS-devices to track diamondback terrapins. (News source.)

Other Turtle News

Ravens are on a hit list for killing endangered desert tortoises. (News source.)

A device for fishing nets that might protect sea turtles better is not enthusiastically welcomed by fishermen. (News source.)

Researchers found a leatherback sea turtle tagged in Nova Scotia has turned up in Colombia waters. (News source.)

Turtle Legal Issues

Florida has introduced their new rules on taking freshwater turtles. (News source.)

A Maldives resort could be in trouble for their unlicensed "conservation" project with sea turtle eggs. (News source.)

A nearly $3 million "ecopassage" under a busy Florida highway is mostly to save turtles (and protect motorists), but is controversial in Congress. (News source.)

Polish customs officials arrested a Ukrainian man for smuggling tortoises. (News source.)

A Filipino man was arrested in Malaysia for smuggling/selling turtle eggs. (News source.)

Turtle Woes

About twenty snapping turtles in North Dakota were killed by a bacterial outbreak. (News source.)

Poachers took out four sea turtle nests on Sarasota Co., FL, beaches. (News source.)

Turtle Bust (Baltimore)

Two street vendors were arrested for selling undersized turtles in Baltimore. (News source.)

Turtle Goes Home

A Washington family is getting back their western pond turtle on permanent loan from CA wildlife officials. (News source.)

Poachers

India officials are cracking down on frog poaching. (News source.)

An Indian national was arrested for smuggling turtles and fish. (News source.)

Turtle Invades China

Apparently, there's a species of turtle from the US that was introduced into China and is causing problems for the native species there. I'd suspect this was the red-eared slider, but the news account calls it the "Brazilian turtle." Not sure what that is supposed to mean. (News source.)

Turtle News

Indonesians on the island of Runduma are protecting the local sea turtles now, instead of using their eggs. (News source.)

The rare western pond turtle found in Washington state recently turns out to be an escaped family pet, but the owners probably won't get it back. (News source.)

Emergency fishing regs put into effect banning longlines in the Gulf of Mexico may become permanent. Longlines injure sea turtles and other non-target species. (News source.)

Dead turtles turning up in Menasha, WI, are worrying conservationists. (News source.)

A Florida man was charged with poaching sea turtle eggs. (News source.)

Turtle News

Tennessee conservationists want to protect their native turtles from the Asian food trade. (News source.)

A western pond turtle has been found in western Washington state, where it was thought extirpated. (News source.)

Crimes of a Herpetological Nature

Two suspects in Alabama were arrested for bludgeoning turtles to death. (News source.)

Individuals in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being tricked by con artists into thinking their diseases and illnesses are actually being caused by poisons (from local plants, lizards and toads), requiring payment for healing. (News source.)