ISSN 0265-5411

NEWSLETTER NO. 214 JULY/AUGUST 2013 ISSUE

For tortoise, terrapin and turtle care and conservation.Company Limited by Guarantee (England and Wales) No. 07541800. Registered Charity No. 1140830The British Chelonia Group. Registered Office: Cowley Cottage, 1 High Street, Sutton Benger, Wiltshire SN15 4RE

www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk

BRITISH CHELONIA GROUPPATRON: PROFESSOR DAVID J. BELLAMY OBE

A Hawksbill Turtle(Eretmochelys imbricata)

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EDITORIAL

Copy dates for 2013;

1st Septemberand 1st November.

.Copy should be sent before

the appropriate date to:

The Newsletter EditorH.Fenwick

New Barn FarmhouseToft Road, KingstonCambs CB23 2NS

May we have your veterinary questions for the veterinary corner? Direct these directly to our VLO, Kevin Eatwell(e-mail: Kevin.Eatwell@ed.ac.uk)Tel: (0131) 650 7650Fax: (0131) 650 7652

or to the Newsletter Editor.

Imageset and printed byElitian Ltd. Mill Road, Cambridge

sales@elitian.co.uk www.elitian.co.uk

IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial ...............................................................2

Conservation Corner ...........................................3

A MEDASSET Report .......................................4-5

Tortoises in a Cold Climate ..............................6-8

News from the Regions ..................................9-11

Puzzle Corner ....................................................11

Small Advertisements........................................12

CITES Part 2 .................................................13-14

Lost and Stolen Tortoises ..................................15

Chester Tortoise Day Report ........................16-17

More Advertisements .......................................18

BCG Re-homing ................................................18

Photographic Competition ................................18

BCG Sales Goods .........................centrefold +19

Northern Symposium .................................. 19-20

Colour pictures 1,17, 20

Tel: (0131) 650 7650Fax: (0131) 650 7652

Any views expressed in the BCG Newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editor or the British Chelonia Group.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:Chester Symposium 2013:

5th October 2013

BCG Spring Symposium 2014: 15th March 2014

CENTREFOLD: BCG Sales Goods

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LEFKADA’S SEA TURTLE NESTING LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED A report by Nikos Vallianos and Kostis Grimanis Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles ( MEDASSET)During the 2012 nesting season, a team of volunteers organized by MEDASSET and supported by the British Chelonia Group (BCG) performed a two-week rapid assessment survey of sea turtle nesting on the island of Lefkada in Western Greece. The increased number of dead stranded turtles reported around Lefkada prompted us to visit the area and investigate whether this was reflected in the nesting activity in the area. The island was previously surveyed during the summer of 1990 and the nesting activity was estimated to be around 50 nests per season[1]. No surveys had been performed since, so this year’s survey was conducted to assess the nesting trend.A small team of volunteers from Greece, Albania and Serbia (Figure 1) came together not to visit this beautiful island for a quick holiday, but to help MEDASSET gather valuable data on its sea turtle population. Although opportunities for a swim in its cyan-coloured waters were not missed, the team worked relentlessly to cover all of the island’s potential nesting beaches. The rough terrain of Lefkada posed significant difficulties, since

at some locations a long hike or drive up and down the steep cliffs of the island’s west coast was necessary just to move to the next beach.The team surveyed all potential nesting beaches of the island, walking along their entire length and looking

Figure 1

Figure 2

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for evidence of sea turtle nesting activity. The evidence primarily consisted of sea turtle tracks leading from the sea to the sand dunes and back into the sea. On occasions, the only evidence left from non-fresh nesting activity was mild dents at the nest locations, since the tracks had already been erased by the sea.The results of the survey were significant, though less than encouraging for Lefkada’s sea turtles. Three Caretta caretta nests (Figure 2) were found and confirmed during the two weeks of beach surveys (Figure 3). Using simple linear extrapolation and knowledge of nesting seasonality in the region, we can estimate that there was a total of fewer than 15 nests on Lefkada this season. It should be noted that this is a simplified extrapolation, but the two weeks of daily surveys during the peak nesting season suggest it is not far from truth.One beach with observed sea turtle presence was suffering from significant anthropogenic disturbance: the beach of Agios Ioannis, where locals go for a swim during the summer. Incidents of hatchling disorientation due to light pollution, as well as nest predation by stray dogs have been reported on that beach. Locals often report turtle activity to Lefkada’s Animal Welfare Society. After cooperating with them in the field for two weeks, and with our continued communication, we are confident they will continue monitoring sea turtle nests on this beach.Lefkada is not only a nesting area for sea turtles; its surrounding waters are part of a significant migratory route for sea turtles moving into the Adriatic Sea as well as Amvrakikos Bay, two important sea turtle foraging regions for the Mediterranean Sea. The biggest threat for these turtles is mortality at sea due to fishing, plastic waste, and other causes.Mortality at sea is becoming increasingly significant, with 8, 30, and 17 sea turtles found dead on the coasts of Lefkada and its nearby coast on the mainland in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. During the same three-year period, 11 sea turtles have been found injured or deceased in this area and were sent to ARCHELON’s Sea Turtle Rescue Centre for rehabilitation. Mortality and injury of sea turtles in the Mediterranean is the issue we need to focus more of our attention to save our sea turtles.

Reference[1] Margaritoulis, D., Dretakis, M. & Kotitsas, A., 1995. Discovering new nesting areas of Caretta caretta in Greece. In J. I. Richardson & T. H. Richardson, eds. Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-361. Miami, USA, pp. 214–217

Figure 3