Beyond the Zoo

Welcome back to a new year of conservation blogs! This year, we look forward to traveling the world with you to explore how Zoo Atlanta team members work beyond the Zoo to support wildlife conservation. Each month, we’ll introduce you to one of our conservation partners, and a second blog will share the experiences of the Zoo team member(s) who have recently ventured out into the field to support their projects. This month, we’re highlighting the Turtle Survival Alliance (also known as the TSA). 

Turtles have walked the Earth for over 200 million years – for reference, the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct a mere 65 million years ago. In the 230 million years since turtles diverged from other reptiles, they have diversified into thousands of species and sub-species. They live on almost every continent (sorry, Antarctica!) and can thrive in a diverse array of ecosystems. As you can imagine, protecting a group of animals that live around the world and face threats as diverse as their genetics is a monumental undertaking. 

The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) works “to protect and restore wild populations of turtles through science-based conservation, global leadership, and local stewardship.”  They strategically ground their programs in species protection, community engagement, and best in class practices. These projects benefit over 150 turtle species, including species that call Zoo Atlanta home such as diamondback terrapins, eastern box turtles, and radiated tortoises. They work around the world, from North America to the island of Madagascar. That’s where we’ll venture in the next blog, but some background information will help you prepare for the journey. 

Madagascar is a large island (almost four times the size of the state of Georgia!) off the southeastern coast of Africa. It is home to hundreds of animal species that are found nowhere else on Earth. One of those endemic species is the critically endangered radiated tortoise, named for the yellow markings which radiate from the center of each scute on their carapace (top part of the shell). Unfortunately, these beautiful markings sometimes lead people to desire them as pets, resulting in animals being illegally collected from the wild to enter the international pet trade. 

In April of 2018, a whopping 10,196 radiated tortoises were confiscated from a residence in coastal Madagascar. Fortunately, TSA had already established conservation work in the region and was able to coordinate a global response of unprecedented proportions. Within weeks, over half a metric ton of veterinary and other critical supplies had arrived, in addition to dozens of people to provide boots-on-the-ground support via veterinary care, habitat construction, and daily husbandry. 

As you can imagine, rehabilitating 10,000 tortoises and reintroducing them to the wild is a long-term project. Not only did many of these animals require medical care, but they cannot simply be released into the nearest natural environment. Releasing animals into the wild requires a significant amount of planning and preparation to ensure that the environment is safe and that the released animals will not strain existing natural resources. In the last few years, TSA has returned 3,000 confiscated radiated tortoises into protected forests.   

Sadly, the illegal trade continues, but TSA has rescued thousands more radiated tortoises that have been poached from the wild. TSA is still caring for many of these animals, continuing its work to ultimately release over 20,000 radiated tortoises back to the wild. And they have help. 

Zoo Atlanta was one of over 70 organizations to have sent support to the TSA Madagascar program back in 2018, and that support continues today. Stay tuned for the next blog to hear from a Zoo team member who recently traveled to Madagascar for the second time to support the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate these tortoises and reintroduce them to their natural habitat. 

Sarah Hamilton
Interpretive Engagement Specialist