Latest news with #TurtleSurvivalAlliance
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Boston Globe
Man who tried to export 850 turtles hidden in socks pleads guilty
He faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 on a charge related to illegal animal trafficking. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 23. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up A lawyer for Lin did not immediately return a request for comment. Advertisement A photo of an Eastern box turtle. Millions of turtles are traded all over the world each year, with some being eaten or used in traditional medicine, according to Jordan Gray, a spokesperson for Turtle Survival Alliance. Melissa Winters, NHFG Nongame Certified Wildlife Biologist According to prosecutors, after authorities discovered Lin's trade, they tailed him for months, intercepting packages he sent that were labeled 'gift,' 'sweater' or 'ladies skirt,' but which instead contained turtles that were bound and taped inside knotted socks or diapers and smeared with minty 'toothpaste-like' substances to throw off detection dogs. Lin exported largely Eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, which are native to the United States, authorities said. The creatures, which can reach up to 6 inches long and live for up to a century, have colorful markings that make them desirable to collectors, particularly in parts of Asia where they can sell for $2,000, or up to $20,000 if they have rare markings. Advertisement Millions of turtles are traded all over the world each year, with some being eaten or used in traditional medicine, according to Jordan Gray, a spokesperson for Turtle Survival Alliance, a conservation nonprofit. Box turtles, however, are largely sold into the exotic pet trade, he said. 'They are seen by many as status symbols,' Gray said, particularly in Hong Kong and China, which he called 'the epicenter of the illegal turtle trade.' The turtles Lin sold are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a United Nations treaty, according to authorities. Many states also prohibit collecting turtles from the wild, but thousands are still poached every year, Gray said. In October, a woman pleaded guilty to smuggling 29 Eastern box turtles in an inflatable kayak she paddled across a lake from Vermont to Canada. And in March, a man was sentenced to 30 months in prison in California for trafficking around 2,100 turtles to Hong Kong. The populations of many box turtles have been on the decline in the United States, threatened by habitat erasure or traffic incidents. They are ecologically important to the systems they inhabit, Gray said, but slow to reproduce. 'So, really, every turtle counts,' he said. Removing even just a few turtles can have a 'devastating effect' on an entire turtle population, he added. 'It can take an extraordinarily long time for a population to rebound,' he said, 'or it may never rebound.' This article originally appeared in . Advertisement
Time of India
16-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Tripura govt sanctions 14.9L for study of Bostami turtles
Agartala: The Tripura govt has sanctioned Rs 14.90 lakh for a year-long study to assess the habitat of the Bostami turtles, an endangered species found in the Kalyansagar Lake of Mata Tripureswari temple in Tripura's Gomati district. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The temple is one of the 51 sacred Hindu Shaktipeethas, housing Bostami turtles. The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), a global conservation organisation with the support of Tripura forest department and district administration, will undertake the study. A team from TSA, accompanied by district magistrate of Gomati Tarit Kanti Chakma, and senior forest and fisheries officials visited the temple complex and the lake on Sunday. Chakma said the visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at turtle conservation in the sacred lake. TSA representatives Arunima and Susmita Kar examined the lake, which is home to several turtle species, most notably the Bostami turtles, a critically endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) schedule. The Bostami turtles, also known as black soft-shell turtles, are freshwater species found in limited locations in India and Bangladesh. In Tripura, they hold deep religious significance, as they inhabit the sacred lake of the temple. Agartala: The Tripura govt has sanctioned Rs 14.90 lakh for a year-long study to assess the habitat of the Bostami turtles, an endangered species found in the Kalyansagar Lake of Mata Tripureswari temple in Tripura's Gomati district. The temple is one of the 51 sacred Hindu Shaktipeethas, housing Bostami turtles. The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), a global conservation organisation with the support of Tripura forest department and district administration, will undertake the study. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A team from TSA, accompanied by district magistrate of Gomati Tarit Kanti Chakma, and senior forest and fisheries officials visited the temple complex and the lake on Sunday. Chakma said the visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at turtle conservation in the sacred lake. TSA representatives Arunima and Susmita Kar examined the lake, which is home to several turtle species, most notably the Bostami turtles, a critically endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) schedule. The Bostami turtles, also known as black soft-shell turtles, are freshwater species found in limited locations in India and Bangladesh. In Tripura, they hold deep religious significance, as they inhabit the sacred lake of the temple.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wildlife officials take historic step to release critically endangered creatures into the wild: 'A significant milestone'
Conservationists are celebrating a major milestone in Bangladesh. According to a report by Mongabay, two species of critically endangered tortoises were reintroduced to Bangladesh's forest. Six elongated tortoises (Indotestudo elongata) and 10 Asian giant tortoises (Manouria emys phayrei) were released into two different forests in Bangladesh. The captive-bred elongated tortoises were released in Lawachara National Park in Northeastern Bangladesh, while the 10 Asian giant tortoises were released in Matamuhuri Reserve Forest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Southeastern Bangladesh. "The recent release of a group of captive-bred tortoises last month is a significant milestone, but it represents the culmination of over a decade of dedicated effort," Creative Conservation Alliance CEO Shahriar Caesar Rahman told Mongabay by email. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Both tortoise species have suffered significant decline as a result of habitat loss and poaching. The Asian giant tortoises, however, are more threatened, as the species is no longer found across most of its historic range in Bangladesh. Rahman further explained to Mongabay that "only a remnant population of few wild individuals are found in one locality in Bangladesh-Myanmar border area." A variety of factors, including poaching, habitat loss, and subsistence hunting by local communities, have threatened the species' survival. While the elongated tortoise is more widely spread across Bangladesh, it has also been threatened by subsistence hunting. The Turtle Survival Alliance, Creative Conservation Alliance, and the Bangladesh Forest Department teamed up to make the tortoise reintroductions a success. Species reintroductions not only preserve a region's biodiversity but also protect the balance of the ecosystem. When one species' population starts to decline, it impacts the entire food chain, creating a domino effect. To ensure the long-term success of these species reintroductions, conservationists have partnered with local groups, such as the Mro tribal communities. According to Mongabay, these groups "play a crucial role in habitat protection and tortoise monitoring." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
