We analyzed the taxon richness and endemism of tortoises and freshwater turtles in the world’s premier biodiversity conservation priority areas and countries with greatest turtle richness. Turtle hotspots include biodiversity hotspots (BHS), high-biodiversity wilderness areas (HBWA), and additional turtle priority areas (TPA) previously identified. We present taxon richness and endemism values for the 16 turtle hotspots with highest richness and endemicity. These 16 turtle hotspots together contain 262 species (83% of total), of which 149 (47%) are endemic to these areas combined, and 134 species (43%) are endemic to just a single priority area. At the terminal taxon (subspecies) level, these 16 areas harbor 342 taxa (79%), of which 210 (48%) are endemic to these combined areas, and 195 (45%) are endemic to a single priority area. These 16 BHS, HBWA, and TPA account for less than 24 million square kilometers, or 16.0% of planet Earth’s land surface, with an estimated 10.4 million square kilometers of original habitat remaining, or 7.0% of the planet’s land surface. Twenty-one countries are recorded to harbor 15 or more species of non-marine turtles, with the percentage of endemic species ranging from 0% to 88%. Collectively, these 21 countries are inhabited by 275 (87%) species and 352 (81%) taxa, of which 115 (37%) species and 175 (40%) taxa are endemic to just a single country. Identification of these conservation priority areas and countries should assist conservation of turtles worldwide by focusing on areas where the greatest number of species and taxa can be secured and where the authorities and institutions that exist hope to accomplish these goals.

Situated about 500 km off the Malagasy east coast, the island of Tromelin is a key nesting site for the endangered green turtle, Chelonia mydas, in the south Western Indian Ocean. Nesting turtles found in this isolated island have been closely monitored since the 1970s, but the most recent estimates of nesting parameters date from 1986. Using mark–recapture data, track counts, and nests monitoring data collected over the 2009/2010 nesting peak, reproductive characteristics, population size, and offspring production were updated and discussed in the light of the track survey undertaken from 1986 to 2010. Females showed a consistent reproductive behaviour compared with previous studies in terms of clutch frequency (2.75 ± 1.46) and nesting success (0.65). Nest indices such as hatching success (0.76 ± 0.25) and emergence success (0.61 ± 0.33) were also included in the range of values calculated in the 1980s. Importantly, the estimated number of nesters and production in eggs and hatchlings were similar to older estimates, suggesting a relative demographic stability. For the 2009/2010 year-long nesting season, the size of the nesting population was estimated at about 1500 individuals, which produced around 480,900 eggs (± 103,900), resulting in 289,200 emerging hatchlings (± 152,000). These results are promising and support the effectiveness of conservation measures undertaken in the Iles Eparses, but further comparable monitoring is needed in the coming years to confirm the stability in Tromelin's green turtle nesting population.

Chilean marine habitats have supported sea turtle species since prehistorical times. Although information exists regarding their contemporary distribution and ecological role in the region, it is diffuse. This study aims to bring such data together and provide an up-to-date review of the ecology and conservation status of sea turtles in Chile. Detailed available data largely reflect interactions between Dermochelys coriacea and Caretta caretta with oceanic fisheries. Newspaper and local studies have reported the regular presence of Chelonia mydas and Lepidochelys olivacea in certain locations in northern Chile during the past decade. The latter species were particularly abundant in the area around a thermal discharge from a water-cooled power plant (Mejillones Bay, 23°S) in the Antofagasta Region, and accounts included several reports of negative interactions between these species and sea lions (Otaria flavescens). Sea turtles found in Chilean waters are probably juveniles or subadults. No estimates have been made regarding the potential of the Chilean waters as feeding grounds or the relative importance of putative food items for sea turtles. Sea turtles are clearly present in Chilean waters, but we know little about factors that drive variation in their abundance. As such, there is a need for further exploration of the ecology of sea turtles in this region.

The Florida softshell turtle, Apalone ferox (Schneider 1783) is considered common and easily visible in many freshwater habitats throughout its range. However, very little population research has been completed on the species due to difficulties associated with capture and long-term marking. We have conducted a mark–recapture study of this species since 2007 as part of a long-term freshwater turtle population monitoring program at Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka, Florida. From 2007 to 2012 we captured 56 individual Florida softshell turtles with 101 total captures. The male∶female ratio was 1∶2.6 and females were larger than males. Population estimates were 92 adults and 49 juveniles with a total estimate of 141 Florida softshell turtles in the 2.67-ha study site. Our data from a protected population centrally located within the species range provide a baseline for comparison to other populations.

Reintroduction is a common management tool for conserving imperiled species, but many reintroductions have included little or no postrelease assessment of project success. The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a long-lived species that has experienced significant declines throughout its range, although suitable habitat remains. We report the findings of a reintroduction effort that was initiated in 2008 near the northwestern limit of the species' range. Two hundred forty-six M. temminckii were released into the Caney River and its tributary, Pond Creek, from 2008 to 2010. All turtles exhibited measurable growth by their first recapture 1–3 yrs after release, and no decline in body condition was observed, either in comparison to prerelease body condition or to the condition of animals in the same cohorts that remained in captivity. Apparent survival and recapture probabilities increased with age. Apparent survivorship values were higher for turtles released in the main channel of the Caney River, but recapture probabilities were higher in its tributary. Ultimately, survivorship values may have been influenced by low recapture rates and emigration, in addition to mortality.

Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting-beach management is an integral component of population recovery efforts for this internationally threatened species. In Georgia, nests threatened by tidal inundation are commonly relocated to elevated dunes, and screens are placed over nests to prevent depredation. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of nest relocation and nest screening on both hatching success (proportion of successfully hatched eggs) and emergence success (proportion of hatchlings successfully emerging from the egg chamber) at Sapelo Island, Georgia. Results suggest that high hatching and emergence success rates can be maintained on Sapelo Island without nest relocation. Predator screens do not appear to affect hatching or emergence success and should continue to be used to protect nests from depredation.

The objective quantification of integumentary color and its pigmentary basis have been relatively little studied in turtles. We used reflectance spectrometry to measure the color of the chin, neck, and leg stripes and spots of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) and the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta), and we used absorbance spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography to identify pigments in these colored patches. Both species had stripes and patches that were predominantly yellow and orange, but the yellow stripes typically contained a small ultraviolet (UV) reflectance peak. Chin, neck, and leg stripes of the painted turtle and chin and neck stripes of the red-eared slider contained an unidentified apocarotenoid and a ketocarotenoid (astaxanthin), but the postorbital eyespot of the red-eared slider contained only astaxanthin. These findings add painted turtles and red-eared sliders to the growing list of animals that use carotenoids in part to generate red, orange, yellow, and UV colors. We discuss these findings in the context of dual pigment production, pigment metabolic production costs, immune system health, and visual signal use in emydid turtles and other vertebrates.

Visible sign produced by nesting turtles has been suggested to be a cue used by foraging raccoons (Procyon lotor) to locate nests. Experiments investigating the potential for reducing turtle nest predation by eliminating these surface markings by broom sweeping nesting areas were conducted at 2 Graptemys nesting sites along the lower Wisconsin River in Iowa County, Wisconsin, during 2013 and 2014. Ninety-five percent of the natural nests in unswept control areas (n = 20) and all of the nests in swept treatment areas (n = 16) were depredated by raccoons within 24 hrs. Supplemental artificial nests with refilled manufactured cavities but lacking potential olfactory turtle- or egg-related cues were also excavated by raccoons within similar time lines (97% within 24 hrs) and at high rates both when unswept (100%, n = 20) and when swept (95%, n = 19). However, artificial facsimiles of the surface markings left by nesting turtles, lacking cavities, were disturbed less frequently (26%, n = 19). Findings suggest that broom sweeping was ineffective because the location cues used by raccoons to find newly constructed nests are not primarily visual but olfactory and related to soil profile disturbance, possibly via the microbial metabolite geosmin.

Macrochelys suwanniensis is a newly described species endemic to the Suwannee River drainage in the southeastern United States. We conducted a study of M. suwanniensis in the Santa Fe River (SFR), the major Florida tributary of the Suwannee River, between 2004 and 2011. We captured 109 individuals (24% immature, 44% adult female, 32% adult male). Adult males (mean straight midline carapace length [CL]  =  530.7 mm, mean mass  =  34.0 kg) were significantly larger than adult females (mean CL  =  424.0 mm, mean mass  =  17.2 kg), with a sexual size dimorphism index of −0.25 based on mean CL. The largest turtle in our study was 623 mm CL and weighed 54.4 kg. Adult females were significantly larger (CL) in the lower SFR than in the upper SFR (these reaches are separated where the river flows underground for 5 km). All adult males > 600 mm CL were captured in the lower SFR. Adult females were proportionately heavier in the upper SFR than in the lower SFR; males did not show this difference. We hypothesize that these differences in body size are related to habitat. The M. suwanniensis population in the SFR presently appears healthy, but we suggest this species requires continued protection because of vulnerability of adults to harvest.

Three satellite-tagged male loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were released from the coastal waters of Satsuma Peninsula, Kyusyu, southwestern Japan (lat 31°42′N, long 130°18′E), and their movements were tracked for up to 449 d. Total distance traveled by the turtles ranged from 1540 to 5519 km. The turtles remained mainly along the coast and islands of the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, except for spending a brief period of time (1–30 d) in the open ocean. The long-distance movement followed a seasonal pattern, evidently triggered by fluctuations in sea surface temperature.

Hydromedusa maximiliani is a freshwater turtle endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern and southeastern Brazil and threatened by extinction. Here, we add 15 new locality records for this species based on photographs of specimens encountered in the field and examination of museum collections. We also used ecological niche modeling tools of 3 different algorithms (GARP, SVM, and Maxent) to suggest potential suitable areas for the occurrence of the species. Models predict 53,679–263,844 km² of suitable habitat for H. maximiliani, with 8396–31,758 km² inside protected areas. Besides being useful in a reassessment of the species' conservation status, our results contribute to the knowledge of distribution patterns of H. maximiliani and highlight potential areas to drive future field surveys.

In the context of declining global hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) populations, the wider Caribbean region is of global conservation importance. This study compiles and presents previously unpublished sea turtle nesting-activity data for North East Tobago (11°19′13.53″N, −060°33′1.57″E) and reports the results of the first comprehensive survey of sea turtle nesting beaches at this southern Caribbean site. The results of this study quantify a previously undocumented, regionally important rookery for the globally critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle, consisting of untagged reproductive females.

Overexploitation has led to the drastic decline of most Asian freshwater turtle populations. We examined the distribution and current status of freshwater turtles using interviews and field surveys in Yinggeling Nature Reserve, Hainan Island. We captured 18 individuals of 4 species in over 8000 trap days. Based on our findings, interviews, and previous studies, illegal turtle harvesting is probably the major cause of population declines; we identified 2 key conservation areas within the reserve for regular patrols to reduce illegal activities.

Among the freshwater turtles recorded in Venezuela, 2 of the most enigmatic species for their scarcity and misleading distributional information are Mesoclemmys raniceps and Mesoclemmys nasuta. Based on the literature, only 3 records pertaining to these 2 species could confirm that they occur in Venezuela; however, a detailed study of the evidence demonstrates that the type of Hydraspis maculata (a synonym of M. raniceps), was not specifically collected in Venezuela and the other 2 records were an adult female of Mesoclemmys zuliae and a juvenile Mesoclemmys heliostemma. Our conclusion is that no records of M. nasuta or M. raniceps are known from Venezuela.

The present study demonstrates the feasibility of in situ endocrine profiling of the Cochin cane turtle (Vijayachelys silvatica) and the Travancore tortoise (Indotestudo travancorica) using noninvasive fecal-steroid analyses. Reproductive (testosterone, progesterone, estradiol) and stress hormones (Glucocorticoids) and their metabolites were detected in fecal samples with unambiguous signatures during their breeding seasons. We validate immunoassays for monitoring reproduction and stress level using fecal steroid analysis.