California Turtle and Tortoise Club

Turtle and Tortoise Conservation

California Turtle & Tortoise Club
"Dedicated to turtle & tortoise preservation, conservation, and education, since 1964."

The World's Chelonians Need Help

The world is home to about two hundred and ninety different species of turtle and tortoise but they are disappearing from the wild at an ever increasing pace.

The major causes of these declines are anthropogenic (i.e. man made), and include habitat loss and degradation due to human encroachment, incidental take, deliberate take of species for the food and pet trade. Now global climate change is adding insult to injury.

California Turtle and Tortoise Club has been active in promoting conservation of chelonians (turtles and tortoises) since it was founded in 1964. This page provides links to articles on CTTC's ongoing and historic conservation efforts and issues of concern.

Michael J. Connor
Chair
CTTC Executive Board

Sea Turtles

Pacific Ocean Green Sea Turtle

LINK TO VIDEO:
Turtles In Trouble: You can make a difference!

SEA TURTLES

	Adaptation of Sea Turtles to Global Climate Change
	Global Response Campaigns to Protect the Olive Ridley Arribada Beaches in Orissa, India

HELP CONSERVE PACIFIC LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLES!

CTTC supports tough restrictions on longline fishing to save and conserve critically endangered Leatherback Sea Turtles.

	NMFS is considering another exemption to the ban on longline fishing. CTTC sent a letter opposing this. Visit the Sea Turtle Restoration Project to send your letter.
	NMFS considers designating Critical Habitat for the Leatherback Sea Turtle of the coast of California
	Support the California Coastal Commission in protecting sea turtles!
	http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=111
	CTTC letter opposing an exemption to allow longline fishing along the California and Oregon coast in habitat for the critically endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle
	http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=43

KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS

Gas drilling at the Padre Island National Seashore (Texas) 2007.

	http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=125
	Comments submitted by CTTC

Conservation Articles
From the Tortuga Gazette

	Galápagos Tortoise Conservation - Pinzón
	Green Sea Turtle
	Egyptian Tortoise
	Map Turtles
	view list on Chelonian Archives

Desert Tortoises

Saving the Tortoise
Conserving the Desert Tortoise in the Southwestern Deserts

Desert Tortoise

DESERT ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

Federal and state agencies are reviewing proposals for massive solar and wind power plants all over the Mojave Desert. Called "renewable" energy projects and thus "green", these projects threaten permanent large scale destruction of hundreds of thousands of acres of key desert habitat including that occupied by desert tortoise and other imperiled animals and plants. These projects are not "green" but "green-washed".

	BLM California Desert District Alternative Energy page
	STOP Green Path North
	California Desert Coalition
	Sunrise Powerlink, Desert Protective Council
	CEC - Large Solar Projects
	Go Solar - Build Your Home Power Plant

DESERT TORTOISE RECOVERY

	CBD Files Lawsuit To "Stop Disastrous Army Relocation Project From Killing More Desert Tortoises" (of site)
	Western Watersheds Project letter to USFWS on the Fort Irwin Tortoise Translocation 5/20/08 (pdf)
	Relocated desert tortoises attacked by coyotes
	Desert Tortoise translocation may cause more harm than good
	Comments on the Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan "Stakeholders Review Draft" from Western Watersheds Project (pdf)
	Revising the Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan - "USFWS - Stakeholders Review Draft" (large pdf)
	Federal Judge Stays Plan to Increase Cattle in Desert Tortoise Habitat at Ord Mountain, California
	USFWS Releases Draft EA On Raven Management (external link)
	BLM Proposes 10 Year Renewal Of Sheep Grazing in Desert Tortoise Habitat - CBD/WWP/CTTC Comments
	Conservation Groups File Suit to Overturn NECO and West Mojave Plans 8/14/06
	West Mojave Plan Record Of Decision Signed
	West Mojave Plan Biological Opinion Released
	Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Plan
	Proposed Fort Irwin, National Training Center Expansion
	Western Rand Mountains ACEC Vehicle Closure
	Desert Planning Efforts - West Mojave Plan
	Desert Tortoise Status and Critical Habitat

Join the Tortoise Consortium list for updates on desert tortoise conservation.

Western Pond Turtles

	February 7, 2008: Good news for San Onofre State Park - the California Coastal Commission voted to deny the permit to build a toll road through the state park.
	San Onofre State Park Threatened by 6 Lane Toll Road. The Toll Road will disrupt San Mateo Creek, Home to One of Orange County's Last Populations of the Western Pond turtle.
	Western Pond Turtle habitat in Southern California.