TTN 1:25b

Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter, 2000, 1:25b
© 2000 by Chelonian Research Foundation

Newsnotes

A new home for the 100+ Emydids of Don Zeiller. The James A. McFaul Nature Center in Wyckoff, New Jersey has agreed to build a sanctuary and to continue the record keeping for the 100+ wood, box, spotted and painted turtles if funding is found. Don is 79 and no longer able to care for them. The Wyckoff/Midland Park Rotary Club will contribute $1,000 toward the sanctuary and Wyckoff schools have also started to pull together funds. The sanctuary, a 17,000 ft.2 enclosed space contains a 5 ft. deep concrete pool and an assortment of fruit trees. Among the turtles moved this fall were 20 adult and 30 young wood turtles, a threatened species.

Donations for the sanctuary can be sent to Wyckoff/Midland Park Rotary Club, P.O. Box 111, Wyckoff, N.J. 07481.

Editors’s note: If you own turtles, please make arrangements for their care in your absence. Relatives may not always be happy inheriting a giant tortoise or 100 emydids.

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New Version EMBL Reptile Database at
http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/~uetz/LivingReptiles.html

You may find some information about what’s new at http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/~uetz/db-info/News.html

Please inform us about any errors, omissions or broken links you may find. Peter Uetz uetz@u.washington.edu

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New Russian List Serve. The Dept. of Vert. Zoo. at St.-Petersburg State Univ. (Russia) and the Dept. of Terrestrial Vert. of the Zoological Institute (St.-Petersburg) have announced a new email news list. The primary focus is on Morphology, Evolution, Developmental Biology, Speciation, and Paleontology. The List also contains information on current issues of the Russian Journal of Herpetology, new books and periodicals in the field, expeditions, job opportunities, grants, fellowships, conferences and information of general interest.

To subscribe visit the homepage of the List at http://morphology.listbot.com or send a blank message to morphology-subscribe@listbot.com

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Man Arrested for Illegally Importing 55 Red-Footed Tortoises. Rodney Carrington, a Barbados pet store owner, was arrested Dec. 3 for bringing 55 endangered red-footed tortoises into the United States. He had stuffed all 55, 4” turtles into his pants-which is what gave him away at customs! The turtles, which sell for $5 in Barbados, sell for $75 in the U.S. He has been charged with smuggling and violating CITES. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service currently have the tortoises.