Customs officials seize over 7,000 tortoises at Thai-Malaysian border

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http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/218763.html

Sign on to protect leatherbacks at Las Baulas

Dear Colleagues:

We are circulating the attached (also pasted at end of this email) scientist/organizat ional sign-on letter to urge the Costa Rican government to reject a current bill that proposes to downgrade Las Baulas National Park - the most important nesting beach for the eastern Pacific leatherback - to a National Wildlife Refuge and allow development at this critical nesting site.

Las Baulas National Park is critical to the survival of the Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), declared as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Populations of Pacific leatherback sea turtles have crashed by 90 percent over the past two decades and are not recovering. Today, fewer that 1,000 female leatherbacks survive in the entire eastern Pacific. Las Baulas National Park has an exceptional global value as it provides the most important nesting site for this remaining eastern Pacific population. Downgrading this national park and the subsequent development would have devastating impacts on the survival of the Pacific leatherback.

If you would like to sign on please reply to me karen@seaturtles. org with the following information:

Name
Title
Organization Name
City
State
Country

Your support is greatly appreciated. Feel free to email me at karen@seaturtles. org with any questions.

Sincerely,

Karen Steele
Campaign Coordinator
Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Project of Turtle Island Restoration Network
PO Box 370
Forest Knolls, CA 94933
Ph: 415-663-8590 ext. 109
Fax: 415-663-9534
http://www.seaturtles.org

September 7, 2009

Sra. Hannia M. Durán
Jefa de Area Comisión Permanente Especial de Ambiente
Asamblea Legislativa
San José, Costa Rica

Estimada Señora Durán:

RE: Law Project No. 17.383 entitled "Law to rectify the Leatherback Marine National Park's Boundaries and Creation of Guanacaste's Leatherback National Wildlife Refuge"

In 1995 Costa Rica recognized its unique responsibility in ensuring the continued survival of the Pacific leatherback by protecting one of the last nesting beaches in the eastern Pacific and the other delicate ecosystems of Ventanas, Grande, and Langosta Beach, through the creation of Las Baulas National Park by Law. Las Baulas National Park is critical to the survival of the Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), declared as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Populations of Pacific leatherback sea turtles have crashed by 90 percent over the past two decades and are not recovering. Today, fewer that 1,000 female leatherbacks survive in the entire eastern Pacific. Las Baulas National Park has an exceptional global value as it provides the most important nesting site for this remaining eastern Pacific population.

On behalf of the undersigned scientists and organizations we are writing to urge you to reject Law Project No. 17.383 pending before the Environment Commission of the Legislative Assembly, that proposes to downgrade Las Baulas National Park to a Mixed National Wildlife Refuge and open its beaches up to coastal construction projects. With Pacific leatherback sea turtles so perilously close to extinction it is inconceivable to remove this protection and allow development in sensitive areas near the turtles' nesting sites. Such developments will have a negative impact on the nesting process of the leatherback through lighting, additional access of people, vehicles and domestic animals, and could likely lead to the elimination of this most important population of leatherbacks.

In addition, if this legislation is passed it will undermine Costa Rica's reputation as a global leader in conservation through its "Peace with Nature" initiative. This policy catapulted Costa Rica to the front of the line of countries committed to the preservation and protection of their natural resources and its longstanding commitment to the preservation of sea turtles.

Over the past few years multiple bills have been written, each one proposing to rezone Las Baulas National Park and open its beaches up to coastal construction projects. Fortunately every one of these bills has been rejected. We urge you to do the same with bill 17.383 and continue Costa Rica's commitment to protecting the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle, and preserving its national parks and the extraordinary abundance of life protected within their boundaries.

Sincerely,

LUCKY GETS NEW LEGS

Beyond the violent assault, he'd lost a lot of blood and was now bandaged and shot up with pain medications and antibiotics.
Sally Pyne, 60, thought maybe her Lucky had endured enough.
But after finding a resourceful veterinarian with lots of reptile experience, and inspired by the feisty turtle's own vigor, Pyne, an in-home care provider, decided the pet deserved a second chance, even if it meant a $900 bill.
Lucky is now back home and living it up, thanks to four plastic discs of the sort usually applied to chair and table legs affixed to his breast plate with double-sided tape.
The sliders, stacked two high, raise his shell to its proper level and allow him to scoot wherever he wants, powered by his back legs.
“I was ready to let little Lucky go home, but Lucky, he was not ready to give up. His eyes were open, and he was shoving himself around on his two back legs. He was not going to quit.”
North Bay Veterinary Clinic surgeon Robert Jereb said the turtle “was not showing that he was dying.” He amputated what was left of Lucky's front legs then conceived of the chair slider fix.
Box turtles normally live several decades, and this one remained vivacious despite his injuries, Jereb said.
Full story:http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090821/ARTICLES/908219932/1349?Title=Lucky-gets-new-legs

UK Alert - further information - Tortoises stolen from The Tortoise Garden Sanctuary - Cornwall

Tortoises stolen from sanctuary
10th August 2009


Some of the rare species require a special diet
A number of rare and endangered tortoises have been stolen from an animal sanctuary in Cornwall.

The tortoises were taken from The Tortoise Garden at Sticker, near St Austell on Sunday night.

Police said the thieves had forced their way into locked enclosures to steal the margis, leopard, spur, redfoot and yellowfoot tortoises.

"I am absolutely devastated the tortoises have been stolen," owner Joy Bloor said.

"Many of them are tropical tortoises, which means that they will suffer if they are not kept in the right conditions."

A police spokesman said five tortoises, including Hermann's and Indian stars, were stolen from their pens earlier on Sunday, possibly by a visitor who went to the garden which was open to the public.

John Hayward, co-ordinator of the national theft register for exotic animals, said some of the stolen tortoises are on the most endangered species list and can only be bought or sold under licence.



Zeus, a 7st (44kg) Sulcata tortoise, was among the creatures stolen
"Because of their rarity it is illegal to offer such species into trade and it is a most serious offence which can carry upwards of five years in prison," Mr Hayward said.

"It is not the actual monetary value - our main concern is the welfare of these tortoises that have special dietary requirement. "

Mr Hayward said the thieves' action had destroyed vital breeding programmes.

Among the animals stolen was Zeus, a 7st (44kg) Sulcata tortoise.

Anyone with any information regarding the stolen tortoises is asked to contact police or Crimestoppers.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/8193583.stm

OCEANA'S CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT SEA TURTLES

Sea turtles have been swimming the world's oceans for more than 100 million years, persisting through natural predators, climatic events and even the mass dinosaur extinction. However, their existence on Earth is now in jeopardy from human threats that are proving to be too much for turtle populations to handle. Sea turtle populations have declined all over the world as humans push them to the brink of extinction.

With the advent of new gear and boat technologies, fishing has become one of the greatest sources of mortality to sea turtles around the globe. Each of the six sea turtle species found in United States waters is listed as either ‘Endangered' or ‘Threatened' under the Endangered Species Act - which means that they may go extinct in the foreseeable future.

Even with protection under the Endangered Species Act, longlines, trawls, gill nets, dredges and other types of fishing gear in and around United States waters kill thousands of turtles and injure even more each year. Other human, or ‘anthropogenic,' threats to turtles include ingestion of or entanglement in marine debris, pollution, coastal development, poaching, vessel strikes, climate change and predation by invasive species.

For decades sea turtle conservation has focused on promoting gear modifications in key fisheries and protecting sea turtle nesting habitats. The efforts have begun to pay off. Some sea turtle populations appear to be in the beginning stages of recovery. For other populations,though the outlook is grim, and more proactive government policies are urgently needed.

It is not too late to get turtles off the hook - but we need to act fast!

THE NANO AND TURTLE EXTINCTION

THE VIDEO THAT TOOK 115,000 PEOPLE TO MAKE!

What the Tatas spend in a day at Dhamra is more than Greenpeace's annual campaigning budget.

Dear Friends!

In three days, General Motors spends the equivalent of Greenpeace's global annual budget. In two days, British Petroleum makes more in profit than Greenpeace receives in donations in a year. And in just one day, the Tatas earn 100 times more than what Greenpeace's 55,000 Indian supporters give in an entire year.

In other words, we live in a world where environmental activists and profit-hungry corporations have never been more unevenly matched.

And yet, Greenpeace can print the kind of advertisement that we did recently in Financial Times and International Herald Tribune, the two newspapers Mr. Ratan Tata reads.

This ad wasn't just seen by Mr. Tata, it has embarrassed the Tatas at a global level. It's been blogged about, talked about on major TV stations, and written about in newspapers and magazines, in India and abroad.



Now, to ensure that millions of other Indians also get to see this ad, and ask the Tatas to stop the port just like you have, we need to run this ad in a major Indian newspaper next week. Sadly, this seems to be the only way to get corporate-controlled media to talk about this urgent issue.




Running an ad in the national press is going to cost us a fair amount. But if every single one of our 110,000 cyberactivists donated generously, we could raise that amount. Click here to help us now!

It's true that the Tatas can outspend us in 60 seconds flat, but to ensure they can't stop our campaign to protect the Olive Ridley Turtles, we need your support. Please, give whatever you can.







Ashish Fernandes
Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India

PS: Greenpeace has never taken money from corporations, governments or political parties, and we never will. And that's just what gives us the guts to pressure all of them. We are answerable 100% to people just like you. Please become a supporter and help us protect this planet not just for your generation, but future ones as well.

State Officials Charge 17 in Illegal Animal Trade

By A. G. SULZBERGER

The smugglers moved their goods across borders using secret compartments, a
Maryland meat processing plant and the help of a corrupt Louisiana turtle
farm. Their lucrative product: rattlesnakes, snapping turtles and salamanders.

This was the portrait of a trade in illegal reptiles and amphibians that New
York State environmental authorities painted on Thursday, when a two-year
undercover investigation called Operation Shellshock ended with criminal charges
against 17 people. More charges were filed by officials in other states and
Canada, the New York officials said.

The case had the familiar ring of a drug bust, but it was instead built in
the unlikely world of herpetological shows and included charges against leaders
at organizations like the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society, the Long
Island Herpetological Society, and the pet Web site turtlesale.com, a
Florida-based company that is also facing New York charges.

"Our investigators began this operation with a simple question: Is there a
commercial threat to our critical wildlife species?" Pete Grannis, the
commissioner of the State Department of Environmental Conservation, which
conducted
the investigation, said in a statement.

What they found alarmed them. "A very lucrative illegal market for these
creatures does exist, fostered by a strong, clandestine culture of people who
want to exploit wildlife for illegal profit," Mr. Grannis said.

In New York, 17 people were charged with 14 felonies, 11 misdemeanors and
dozens of violations. Six people were charged in Pennsylvania, and one in
Canada. The United States attorney's office for the Western District of New York
is pursuing charges against a Maryland meat processor, Turtle Deluxe, and a
Louisiana turtle farm that was not identified, the authorities said.

The authorities said that Emanuele Tesoro, a prison guard from Watertown,
Ontario, drove 33 endangered Massasauga rattlesnakes - hidden throughout his van
in door compartments, behind speakers and in the trunk hatch - across the
border to make a deal with undercover authorities in a parking lot in Niagara
Falls, N.Y. To reduce suspicion, his wife and children were also in the van as
he crossed into the United States, said Capt. Michael Van Durme, of the
environmental crimes investigation unit.

Two Long Island men, Adam C. Borisuk and Michael D. Brooks, sent tens of
thousands of young snapping turtle hatchlings, collected from ponds and lakes
throughout the area, to a turtle farm in Louisiana, Captain Van Durme said. The
farm's owner would then mix the illegally harvested common snapping turtles
with the alligator snapping turtles he was licensed to farm, for export to
China and eventually dinner plates, he said.

New York State law prohibits the illegal commercialization of wildlife and
possession of protected species, and a 2006 law specifically protects all
reptiles and amphibians.

The case began after an entire population of spotted turtles being studied
by students at the University of Buffalo simply disappeared, said Captain Van
Durme, who supervised the investigation. State environmental protection
officials had learned of cases breaking up reptile smuggling rings in other
states, and opened an undercover investigation. Officers made contacts while
pretending to operate a wildlife photography booth at reptile shows, then moved
to
buying and selling animals as they built their case.

Buyers included collectors who paid thousands of dollars to add highlights
to their collections with hard-to-get specimens, as well as Chinese consumers
with a well-known taste for snapping turtle meat, which can be had at roughly
$1 a pound.

Frank Indiviglio, a former keeper at the Staten Island and Bronx Zoos who
has written and spoken extensively about reptiles, said that while illegal trade
was well known, it did not reflect the reptile-loving community in general.

"The local herpetological societies are almost always conservation-oriented,"
he said.



ARTICLE SOURCE:

www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/nyregion/20smuggle.html

Pets or meat: Investigators allege reptile smuggling

Pets or meat: Investigators allege reptile smuggling
DEC, numerous agencies round up 18 following two-year operation
By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer

ALBANY - State officials today announced a two-year undercover investigation of illegal trade in snakes, turtles and other wildlife that stretched across eight states and as far as Germany and China. Eighteen people have been charged for allegedly selling protected wildlife though the Internet and at collectors shows. Investigators documented more than 2,400 illegal sales and are now holding 400 animals as evidence, poisonous snakes and snapping turtles. Most of the arrests took place within the metropolitan New York area and lower Hudson Valley, although a Ballston Spa man, Sean Kirk, 34, was among those charged. Kirk allegedly sold three Eastern Box turtles captured in New York state to a DEC undercover investigator for $550. Investigators showing off the animals seized in the probe say dozens of endangered rattlesnakes were hidden in the door panels of a minivan and smuggled from Canada in exchange for timber rattlesnakes, a threatened species in New York.
Several rattlers were on display at a morning news conference, and the sound of the agitated snakers' rattles could be heard. The DEC worked with wildlife officials from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida as well as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Service, Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The investigation was into the illegal wildlife trade was sparked in 2006, in part by a complaint from Buffalo State University, which had reported that a population of 30 turtles, some embedded with radio transmitters, suddenly vanished. Those turtles have never been found. Some of the animals found in the investigation were prized by collectors, particularly venomous snakes, while others, including turtles, were sold for meat, particularly in the Chinese market. State officials found that a legitimate turtle farm in Louisiana was "laundering" illegally captured turtles before shipping them to China.

GREENPEACE IS UNDER ATTACK!TATA PORT CONSTRUCTION THREATENS ENDANGERED RIDLEY TURTLES! CALLS NEEDED!

Greenpeace is under attack.
We wonder who it could be?


At 9:30am on 5th March, a group of journalists, accompanied by Greenpeace activists, set out to document the construction operations at the Tata port in Dhamra. At 9:35am, we were surrounded by thugs and goons, threatened with grave consequences and physically prevented from going ahead. We wonder why, and who could be behind this? Is someone afraid of public scrutiny?

A couple of days earlier, in a desperate and unethical smear campaign against Greenpeace, thousands of our cyberactivists and supporters (you might be among them!) started getting spurious emails claiming to be from the addresses of Greenpeace employees. The mails accused us of being foreign-funded, anti-development, and even in bed with terrorists. We wonder who it could be.

The next day, our head office in Bangalore came under a massive virus attack that disabled most of our machines and put years of painstakingly collected research data at risk of exposure. We wonder who it could be.

And then, FaxMyWay, the company that's providing the fax service that many of you have used to get in touch with Mr. Ratan Tata, suddenly pulled the plug on its service, saying 'someone' had threatened them not to collaborate with Greenpeace. We wonder who it could be.


As Gandhi once said, "first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win!"

I believe the Tatas have gone beyond ignoring us or laughing at us. And 'someone' is definitely fighting us. Could we be far from winning ?

You can decide that. Forget emails and faxes, it's time now to call Mr. Ratan Tata directly and tell him to live up to the legacy that the TATAs are so proud of, by suspending construction, commissioning a new study, and protecting the turtles.

To let him know that Greenpeace and its 100,000 cyberactivists will not be threatened into submission, simply click here. It's just another phone call for you, but it could be the call the Olive Ridleys are waiting for.






Ashish Fernandes
Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India


Call Mr. Tata right now!
Despite attacks against Greenpeace in the past weeks, we believe we cannot and should not stop our campaign to protect the endangered Olive Ridley turtles from the Tatas’ destructive port in Dhamra.

The good thing about the Tatas is that they listen to their customers. As one of the 100,000 Tata customers that have already supported Greenpeace, you can make sure that your voice is heard.

To speak directly to Mr. Tata, simply follow the instructions below and call 022-66658282 (if you’re calling from outside India, dial +91-22-66658282).

Update!
A number of people who have tried to call have not been able to get through. Mr. Ratan Tata doesn’t seem to want to take calls from his customers.

You could also try these numbers:-
Office of Managing Director, Tata Steel
Ph: +91 22 66657856
Fax: +91 22 66658118

Tata Motors
Phone: +91 (22) 6656 1676

Tata Services
Phone: +91 (22) 6665 8152
Fax: +91 (22) 6665 8153

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

1) Give your name, and ask to speak directly to Mr. Ratan Tata. If you’re not connected to him, leave a message for him.

2) Always be polite. These people are simply doing their jobs and are not our personal enemies.

3) Do not get into a long argument. Please stick to your demand that construction of the Tata port be suspended immediately until a proper study is done, as there has been no mass-nesting of Olive Ridley turtles in the area since construction started. If the port continues, the turtles might disappear forever.

4) Say good-bye and hang up. After your call, please do place on record a summary of your conversation with the Tatas by filling in the box below.

ENDANGERED OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Photo credit: Dr. Bivash Pandav)
CLICK THE TITLE TO LINK TO THE ORIGINAL STORY:
http://www.wild.org/field-projects/endangered-olive-ridley-turtles


On the eastern shore of India, along the Orissa coast, the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle is facing yet another challenge to its survival. Plans are currently underway to construct a massive deep water port at the mouth of the Dhamra River, just north of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary - the largest of only three nesting sites for the Olive Ridley in the world. Every winter, more than half a million of these endangered turtles mate in the shallow, calm ocean waters, then the females journey ashore for the arribada or “mass nesting.” For the first time, in 2008 there was no arribada on the Orissa beach.



In addition to the ongoing threats these turtles face from trawlers, gill netting and environmental factors such as global warming, the construction of the port will introduce numerous new stresses. Increased shipping traffic will deter the turtles from coming in from the sea to mate and nest; dredging, oil spills and chemical leaks with add deadly pollutants to the ocean waters; and artificial lighting will confuse the instinctual movements of both adults and hatchlings.

The Olive Ridley’s will not be able to adapt to these new threats quickly enough to shift the arribada to a safer and more suitable location, however the location of the port can.
Stop Port Construction; Save Ridley Sea Turtles / India
Requested Action: Please write polite letters to the officials listed below

Express your appreciation for the establishment of protected areas along the Orissa coast, including the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, which are critical to the survival of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle and a wealth of marine life.

Urge the Orissa government to continue to protect this ancient and endangered species and preserve the livelihoods of local fishing communities by revoking its approval for the Dhamra port.

Urge TATA Steel to apply the Precautionary Principle as required by the Global Compact and to uphold its reputation for environmental responsibility by relocating its port facility to a site where it will not threaten endangered species, critical ecosystems and fishermen’s livelihoods.

A sample letter is available here.
Sample letter:
DATE


Mr. Ratan Tata
Chairman, TATA Sons
Bombay House
24, Homy Modi Street
Bombay: 400001 INDIA
Fax: Int'l Code + 91 22 6665 7724
Email: coffice@tata.com

Shri Naveen Patanaik
Chief Minister, Orissa
Naveen Nivas,
Aerodrome Gate,
P.O.-Bhubaneswar-751001
Dist.-Khurda (Orissa) INDIA
Fax: Int'l Code + 91 67 4259 0833
Email: cmo@ori.nic.in



Subject: Please halt construction of the Dhamra Port to protect the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Dear Mr. Ratan Tata and Mr. Shri Naveen Patanaik,

The people of Orissa state are very fortunate to be caretakers of one of nature’s grandest spectacles: the annual arribadas of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. I appreciate the efforts you have made to protect this ancient and marvelous species, most notably the establishment of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. These protected areas are necessary to assure safe breeding and nesting areas as well as the turtles’ source of food during their massive gatherings and arribadas.

The protected zones are not, however sufficient to ensure the survival of the Olive Ridley. The species is keenly sensitive to illumination, pollution, ship traffic and many physical characteristics of their nesting beaches. These could all be dramatically affected by construction of the Dhamra Port.

In addition to potentially catastrophic consequences for the Olive Ridleys, the Dhamra Port also threatens the well-being and livelihoods of local fishermen and their families who depend on the health of the fragile mangrove and marine ecosystems. Inevitably, pollution from the Dhamra Port would impact the health of these critical ecosystems that are nurseries for a wealth of marine species.

I urge TATA Steel to apply the Precautionary Principle as required by the Global Compact and to uphold its reputation for environmental responsibility by relocating its port facility to a site where it will not threaten endangered species, critical ecosystems and fishermen’s livelihoods.

Likewise, I urge the Orissa government to continue to protect the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle and preserve the livelihoods of local fishing communities by revoking its approval for the Dhamra Port.

Please give your immediate attention to this matter of urgent global concern.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS




Addresses (postage from the US is 90 cents)

Mr. Ratan Tata
Chairman, TATA Sons
Bombay House
24, Homy Modi Street
Bombay: 400001 INDIA
Fax: Int'l Code + 91 22 6665 7724
Email: coffice@tata.com

Shri Naveen Patanaik
Chief Minister, Orissa
Naveen Nivas,
Aerodrome Gate,
P.O.-Bhubaneswar-751001
Dist.-Khurda (Orissa) INDIA
Fax: 91 67 4259 0833
Email: cmo@ori.nic.in







Impact Scale: (If you can, please print out your letters and mail them!) **** personal letter sent by regular mail
*** personal fax
** personal email
Letterwriting
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