News from Turtle Survival Alliance

June 19, 2009

Turtle Survival Alliance Newsletter

In This Issue

Turtles in Textbook

TSA T-shirts

Tortoise through the Lens

Important Dates

July 7 - Early, discounted conference registration ends

July 8 - Conference registration continues

August 5-8 - 7th Annual TSA Symposium, St. Louis

Conference Schedule

A preliminary conference schedule will be sent out today, in a separate message. Stay tuned for details!

Help us meet our commitment to zero turtle extinctions!

Support the TSA!

Teaching Turtles

The 10th edition of McGraw-Hill's Biology, by Sylvia Mader, has been published and TSA supporter Andrew Baldwin, PhD served as a contributing author. It includes (on page 899) text written by Peter Paul van Dijk (TSA Advisory Committee) and Bruce Weissgold on turtle and tortoise conservation, highlighted with photographs. Dr. Baldwin worked to include this topic in the book with the hope of exposing masses of beginning science-majors to the turtle crisis - information that does not seem to exist in other textbooks.

T-Shirts Are Here
Get Yours Today!

Show your support for the Turtle Survival Alliance by wearing one of our new t-shirts, made possible with the help of Nature's Own. T-shirts are 100% pre-shrunk cotton and are available in small, medium, large and x-large. Shirts are $20, members receive a 10% discount ($18). Shipping is included.

Click here to contact Heather for more details or to place your order via e-mail.

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Photography fellowship leads students to desert tortoise conservation
By David Lamfrom-National Parks Conservation Association

Bridging arts and science, the Tortoises through the Lens program is teaching high school students about the imminent threat to the Mojave population of the desert tortoise by teaching them tortoise ecology, taking them out into the tortoise's environment, and teaching them wildlife photography. The project gives each of the 13 students selected a digital camera to keep, and will use the student's photos to develop a desert tortoise conservation photobook that will be used to raise community awareness about the plight of this iconic species. Books will be distributed to multiple outlets, and any donations generated will be used to fund desert tortoise conservation efforts. To learn more about the project and how you help, please click here.

Note: The TSA was asked to support this project by promoting it in our e-newsletter. Please contact David directly if you are interested in learning more.

TSA Conference - Register Early!

August 5-8, St. Louis

Registration is underway for our 7th annual Symposium, generously hosted by the renowned St. Louis Zoo. This event is the largest gathering of non-marine chelonian biologists and captive breeding specialists in the world. This meeting will be an extraordinary value, with an icebreaker, zoo tour, awards banquet, BBQ and auction, and breakfasts included in the cost of registration. Double rooms are available for under $100.00 per night. Learn more and register by clicking here. Save even more by registering early - pre-registration ends July 7.