Trafficked turtles get a second chance at life in New Jersey sanctuary
Nestled in the rural hills of New Jersey, a top-secret animal sanctuary keeps its occupants safe. The oasis is not intended for the official state animal (the horse) or even the birds rescued from the Jersey shores. This hidden refuge belongs to tortoises and tortoises.
“The goal of most of them is to return them to the wild,” Maurice Rodrigues said. Popular science during a recent visit to the shrine.
A conservation biologist and real estate agent by training, Rodrigues co-founded the Turtle Conservancy in 2005 with entrepreneur and filmmaker Eric Goode. This eastern outpost of the Turtle Conservancy houses abandoned, homeless and illegally trafficked reptiles confiscated from airports throughout the New York metropolitan area. According to law enforcement officers working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, inspectors seize approximately 600 to 1,000 native turtles per year at John F. Kennedy International Airport alone. The nonprofit organization has a separate sanctuary in Ojai, California, that houses turtles rescued from locations closer to the West Coast.
At both facilities, the reptiles are fed, sheltered and cared for by dedicated volunteers until they recover enough to be released. In New Jersey, Rodrigues built several enclosures filled with shrubs and other plants in which the turtles can live and feed. A raised bed is fed by a natural stream, allowing semi-aquatic reptiles access to fresh water amidst all that greenery. Tropical species enjoy the sun all summer before heading indoors when temperatures begin to drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while local turtles naturally hibernate outdoors.
Meet the “ball”
In the wild, a group of turtles is known as a ball or nest. Turtles currently in this New Jersey ball include endangered Burmese narrow-headed softshell turtles (Chitra vandijki)Indian spotted turtles (Geoclemys hamiltoni), and the alien Mata Mata turtles (Chelus fimbriata) from Amazonia. The habitat isn’t just home to reptiles from faraway places: endangered species from the Midwest and Northeast also call it home. In August, several spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) newborns approximately the size of a quarter were born on site. Rodrigues tries to protect these tiny turtles from the area’s natural predators, including vultures and some unlikely animals.
“Even frogs and toads eat a baby turtle, so they are very vulnerable,” Rodrigues says. “That’s why they come inside. I usually get them to a decent size before putting them back outside, and then they’ll live their lives outside until we’re ready to release them.”
And they have Ruby, the undisputed star of the shrine and queen of the ball. The expressive 35-pound reptile with a distinctive nose is a Burmese roofed turtle (Batagur trivittata), which represents some hope for a species in difficulty. Her previous owner was a veterinarian and taxonomist who died, leaving her in the care of Rodrigues.
“She’s one of the rarest animals on the planet, so it’s weird that she’s here in my home,” Rodrigues says with a laugh. “I don’t usually name turtles, but she’s from Myanmar and their number one gemstone is ruby, so that’s her name.”
In the early 2000s, Burma’s covered tortoises almost became extinct. Five females and three males were found and placed together to form the first captive insurance colonies for the species. Insurance colonies keep animals in danger of extinction in zoos, aquariums or in semi-wild conditions like in the turtle sanctuary so that they can hopefully reproduce and keep the species alive.
With colonies assured, preserving DNA and trying to allow species to reproduce and return to the wild is the ultimate goal when possible.
“It’s not always safe,” Rodrigues explains. “There are species that we have bred in captivity, but we cannot release them yet, because there is no safe place for them, because their habitats are still destroyed, or there is too much poaching, or the government has not put laws in place to protect them.”
All of today’s Burmese covered tortoises are descended from these five females. Ruby has the potential to become the sixth founding female, if conservation volunteers can get her to breed and produce viable offspring. They are currently trying to find a male, preferably two, as these turtles need males to fight over females in order to reproduce. These offspring could return to Myanmar to contribute to the captive breeding program in their home country.
Despite her already impressive size, Ruby is expected to be even bigger. She currently weighs around 35 pounds, but is expected to weigh around 80.
“Because she was kept in captivity for so long and in less than optimal conditions, her growth is a little stunted,” Rodrigues explains. “She’s primarily a vegetarian, but she’s an omnivore. She accidentally catches things from eating vegetation, like snails, fish, all sorts of things.”
Fortunately, under the care of the Turtle Conservancy, she is gaining weight and growing.
“We are preparing her to go meet the males that we are going to bring,” explains Rodrigues.
Building towards the future
For the army of volunteers who care for these somewhat nonconformist pets, it is both a commitment and a scientific vocation. Rodrigues, who also owns a dog, even finds caring for the shelled reptiles a little easier than her dog, but much more expensive. Rodrigues spends hundreds of dollars a month on live fish to feed the animals.
“Luckily, I have solar power. But in the winter, the electric bill could be $500 a month just for electricity,” he says. “Then there is the work, which I do myself, and I have volunteers to help me.”
Some of these volunteers help raise money through the arts and other fundraisers to keep these lights on and help Turtle Conservancy raise money to build a greenhouse. This new structure will give species from more tropical regions that the Garden State’s climate cannot mimic more space to roam and in an environment more similar to their native habitats. Yet even with dedicated volunteers and motivation, caring for animals like these is not for the faint of heart.
“I don’t recommend them to those who can’t afford it,” warns Rodrigues. “If you can’t afford it, the animals will suffer. They will be kept inhumanely. Personally, I don’t like keeping them inside here, that’s why I’m fighting and working hard to build this greenhouse.”
It’s not easy being green
Along with amphibians, turtles are among the most threatened groups of vertebrates due to continued pressures from habitat loss and climate change. These constant threats help fuel the team that cares for Ruby and her compatriots, preserves their precious DNA, and keeps the species alive.
“I am fascinated by turtles. I find them beautiful. I also feel that they are so vulnerable,” explains Rodrigues. “The first group of animals to disappear will be turtles. This really bothers me and I want to be part of the team that stops this from happening.”
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