The Calusa Herpetological Society
Of Southwest Florida
  

Thursday, March 7, 20197:00 pm

 

SPEAKER & TOPIC: Tonight's speaker is Jordan Gray of the Turtle Survival Alliance (www.turtlesurvival.org) Hi talk is titled: Turtle Survival Alliance: Transforming Passion for Turtles into Effective Conservation Action . Jordan Gray is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator with the Turtle Survival Alliance and field scientist for their North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group. Now based in Charleston, South Carolina, Jordan has spent roughly equal amounts of time cultivating his love of the natural world as a wildlife biologist and naturalist in the woods of New York, Virginia, Georgia, and Texas. It was in these areas where a profound interest and knowledge base for the herpetological world developed. With a focus on turtles and tortoises, his body of work includes field and laboratory research, in situ and ex situ conservation action plans, captive husbandry, and public outreach. Professionally and as a volunteer, Jordan has worked for, and in collaboration with, various non-profit environmental groups, state agencies, Universities, zoological institutions, chelonian conservation groups, and as an ecotour guide. It’s his life’s mission to promote conservation awareness for the turtles and tortoises of the world.

  The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) is an action-oriented global partnership committed to zero turtle extinctions in the 21st century. The TSA was formed in 2001 as an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) partnership for sustainable captive management of freshwater turtles and tortoises. Now, with projects or programs in Belize, Colombia, Europe, Madagascar, the United States, and throughout Asia, the TSA is a globally recognized force for turtle conservation, capable of taking swift and decisive action to save critically endangered chelonians. Today the TSA supports projects or programs – both wild and captive – that benefit 20 of the World’s 25 Most Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles. The TSA’s conservation actions utilize a three-pronged approach:  1) Restoring populations in the wild, 2) Securing species in captivity through assurance colonies, and 3) Building the capacity to restore, secure, and conserve species within their range country. In 2013, the TSA centralized its base of operations in Cross, South Carolina by opening the Turtle Survival Center (TSC).  In just five years the TSC has become recognized as a turtle conservation center, complete with a greenhouse, veterinary clinic, quarantine facility, and multiple indoor/outdoor enclosures. This center is the TSA’s first and only U.S.-based conservation center and is home to a growing collection of more than 700 turtles and tortoises, representing 30 of the world’s critically endangered species. Together, the Turtle Survival Center and our active field conservation programs across the globe impact 117 species and subspecies of tortoise and freshwater turtle—nearly 1/3rd of world’s taxa.

See you there!

WHO'S INVITED ? You are! Anyone with an interest in any aspect of herpetology or herpetoculture is welcome to attend, learn, and exchange their experiences with our friendly membership. Come out to meet others who keep, breed or study reptiles and amphibians, and let them share their fascination with you. We average 15 – 35 people attending every meeting.

Cookies and cold soda, a nightly raffle of live herps, herp products, and books follow each speaker's talk, and lots of herp camaraderie, gossip, and fun can be counted upon at all meetings !

For more info , call (239) 728-2390 or (239) 481-3525 or  EMAIL: info@calusaherp.org   


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