Turtle Conservancy

PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF THREATENED TURTLES AND TORTOISES AND THEIR HABITATS.

CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM: BASED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE TC BREEDS A GREAT NUMBER OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED TURTLES AND TORTOISES IN TERMS OF COMBINED SPECIES AND NUMBERS. WE MANAGE 19 OF THE WORLD'S MOST ENDANGERED SPECIES, AND HAVE OVER 500 ANIMALS BELONGING TO 40 DIFFERENT SPECIES. DURING 2021 WE HATCHED 48 ENDANGERED TURTLES AND TORTOISES. THE CENTER CREATES A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR EACH SPECIES THAT WE HOLD AND BREED AND DEFINES THE DESIRED OUTCOME IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL NEED FOR REPATRIATION, REINTRODUCTION, OR OTHER CONSERVATION NEEDS.

INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL AND LAND CONSERVATION - THE TC, ALONG WITH ITS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING AND FUNDING SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES THE GEOMETRIC PROGRAM IN SOUTH AFRICA. THE GEOMETRIC PROGRAM CONSISTS OF 865 ACRES IN THE BREEDE RIVER VALLEY, EAST OF CAPE TOWN, WHICH IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE ONE OF LAST HABITATS WITH A VIABLE POPULATION OF THE GEOMETRIC TORTOISE. THE TC IS LOOKING TO EXPAND THE PRESERVE BY AN ADDITIONAL 222 ACRES, WITH THIS BEING FINALIZED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022.

LOCAL AND GLOBAL EDUCATION - DURING 2021, THE TC PROCEEDED TO EXPAND ITS EDUCATION PROGRAM BY CONTINUING OUR COLLABORATION WITH A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, THE THACHER SCHOOL, TO DEVELOP A PIONEERING SCIENTIFIC CURRICULUM THROUGH THE LENS OF TURTLES. THE STUDENTS STUDY MANY TOPICS INCLUDING CHELONIAN HUSBANDRY, CONSERVATION, ECOSYSTEMS, AND ANIMAL BIOLOGY. THE TC ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE THACHER SCHOOL TO PLAN FOR SUMMER CAMPS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.PROMOTING APPRECIATION FOR THE WONDER OF TURTLES WORLDWIDE - TO INSPIRE CONSERVATION AWARENESS AND ACTION TO SAVE THE WORLD'S TURTLES AND TORTOISES, THE TC USED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES DURING 2021:(1) PUBLICATION OF THE TORTOISE, VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 - A CUTTING EDGE CONSERVATION MAGAZINE BRINGING ADDITIONAL AWARENESS TO AN EVER-INCREASING GLOBAL AUDIENCE. JOINTLY WITH THE CHELONIAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE TURTLE CONSERVANCY PUBLISHED NO. 8 OF THE "TURTLES OF THE WORLD, ANNOTATED CHECKLIST AND ATLAS OF TAXONOMY". (2) GLOBAL MEDIA OUTREACH THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DOCUMENTARIES. (3) SOCIAL MEDIA - THIS PROGRAM REACHES PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLDWIDE WITH 176,000 FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, 22,000 FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER AND 138,000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM. THE TC ALSO PUBLISHES A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT IS EMAILED OUT TO 10,870 SUBSCRIBERS.

THE TURTLE CONSERVANCY MAINTAINED ITS KEY PROGRAM FOR THE BOLSON TORTOISE IN MEXICO.IT CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT IN MADAGASCAR TORTOISE CONSERVATION, AND PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF SMALL PROJECTS (PACIFIC POND TURTLE HABITAT RESTORATION, REWILDING BOLSON TORTOISES IN NORTH AMERICA) AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO MONITOR GLOBAL ILLEGAL TRADE IN TURTLES AND TORTOISES.