• A varied selection of recent articles, stories and sites on the Web that is compiled by Michael J. Connor, Ph.D.
  • The links are listed as published in the relevant issue of the Tortuga Gazette.
  • Please note that all links were functioning when posted. My apologies if any are no longer available. Disabled links are present for informational purposes.

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Tortuga Gazette 47(1) | January/February 2011

Assessment of Sea-Turtle Status and Trends: Integrating Demography and Abundance
The pdf version of this book is available for a free download.

Fibropapilloma in Green Turtles
Epidemiologists link fibropapilloma in green sea turtles to nitrogen pollution.

Night Vigils Saving Sea Turtles
Article with video on sea turtles in Puerto Vallarta.

Chinese Two-headed "Tortoise"
This two-headed Chinese “tortoise” is actually a red-eared slider!

Tortoise Habitat Protected
New Mojave Desert Land Trust acquisition will protect 955 acres of habitat for desert tortoise and other species.

California to Be the Saudi Arabia of Solar Power?
Federal incentives set off a rush to permit solar power plants in the California deserts. Clean energy fans are happy.
Desert tortoises, not so much.

Ivanpah Tortoise Undercount
In the wake of more tortoises found on the Ivanpah solar power plant site than expected, officials say energy developers need better tortoise counts.

Tortoises Moved to Facilitate Giant Solar Power Plant
The Ivanpah tortoise round up.

Tortoise Art
Artist Dianne Bennett explores Joshua Tree National Park residents.

Laid to Rest in a Tortoise
Novelty coffins are the latest trend in Ghana.

Pinta Island Tortoise Releases
Returning giant tortoises to Pinta Island.
…and an Update on the Release

Tortuga Gazette 47(2) | March/April 2011

Feds Nab Turtle Smuggler at LAX
Feds recover 55 turtles stuffed in snack food boxes at LAX.

Illegal Sea Turtle Egg Trade in Indonesia
ProFauna Indonesia investigates large-scale illegal egg trade.

Watch a video on the sea turtle egg trade in Kalimantan on youtube.

Feds Agree That Tortoise Warrants Listing – But Don’t
USFWS decides not to protect the Sonoran desert tortoise under the ESA.

Ivanpah Power Plant
The developers of the Ivanpah power plant are considering buying Castle Mountain mine as “mitigation” despite it being poor desert tortoise habitat.

Plastic Bag Ban
On New Year’s Day, Italy’s ban on single-use plastic bags took effect.

Feral Sulcata
100-pound sulcata found living out in the Arizona desert.

Assorted Videos

• The latest two-headed turtle find - conjoined twin Testudo graeca found in Turkey
• Hatchling Testudo kleinmanni walk to “Walk like an Egyptian.”

Zeno Redux
Man hit by falling tortoise....

Giants Rule Aldabra
Nice touristy piece on Aldabra and its giant tortoises

More Matchmaking for Lonesome George

Lonesome George gets two Española (Hood Island) females as pen-mates.Photos | Video

“Rare White Tortoises” Released
Two Callagur borneoensis rescued from a market are released.

Follow Argentine Loggerhead Sea Turtles

Track the movements of one of the southernmost loggerhead populations.

Tortuga Gazette 47(3), May/June 2011

Lonesome George EvacuatedLonesome George aka “Lonely Jorge” had to be evacuated away from the Tsunami zone in the wake of the massive Japanese quake.

Increase in Sea Turtle Deaths in the Gulf
The BP oil spill may be still taking a toll.

Record Number (1,040) of Cold-stunned Sea Turtles in 2011
Volunteers scrambled to help Kemp’s ridleys and other sae turtles stunned by the winter cold.

Eagle Mountain Dump Case Ends!
The 20-year fight against the plan to dump Los Angeles’ trash next to Joshua Tree National Park is over (for now?).

Endangered Asian Turtles

• Pong Pagong (Philippine Forest Turtle, Siebenrockiella leytensis) Going Extinct?
• Great Head Shots of Batagur kachuga and Rafetus swinhoei...

Sabre-toothed Tortoise?
Scientists describe Tiarajudens eccentric, a curious dog sized, sabre-toothed herbivore.

Sulcata Burns Down Apartment
Pet sulcata may have burned down an apartment by breaking a heat lamp.

This Month’s Video Pics

• Magdalena, Another Two-headed Tortoise.…

• Sustainable TV Features Sea Turtle Videos

• Pesky Jaguars! (Spanish)

• Underwater Reenactment of the Tortoise and Hare Celebrates Year of the Rabbit