Turtle Survival

The Hatchling Room received a much-needed upgrade this year, greatly increasing the capacity for both aquatic and
terrestrial hatchling turtles. PHOTO CREDIT: NATHAN HAISLIP
The Cuora Complex is the latest facility to be completed at the TSC, and has multiple layers of protection and security.
Forty-eight individual enclosures, half of them aquatic and half terrestrial, provide optimal breeding conditions for
some of the TSC’s irreplaceable residents. PHOTO CREDIT: NATHAN HAISLIP
est known, acclimated captive group of Sulawesi
Forest Turtles (Leucocephalon yuwonoi). The Sulawesi
Forest Turtles are housed individually in
medium Waterland Tubs to prevent aggression,
which is fairly common in this species, especially
during the breeding season. This greenhouse
is also home to a large population of Forsten’s
Tortoise (Indotestudo forsteni), which are also
housed individually.
In addition to serving as habitat for both of
these species, the greenhouse is home to more
than 75 varieties of food-producing plants and
gives us the opportunity to grow a large variety
of tropical fruits and other plants not normally
grown in South Carolina. This capacity allows
us to produce food, on-site and year-round, for
resident turtles.
RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES, AND THE FUTURE
In addition to new construction, several
existing areas were renovated or upgraded this
year, including a new water circulation and
filtration system for the Hatchling Room, and
remodeling of the Animal Clinic.
Raising hatchling aquatic turtles is made
very labor intensive by the frequent need for
water changes. To reduce this workload, the
Hatchling Room is now equipped with a new
re-circulating system that allows us to house
numerous aquatic species on the same system.
That system sends water to the enclosures
through a pump located in a centralized sump
that contains various biological and mechanical
filtration media and a U.V. sterilizer to ensure
our hatchling enclosures always receive fresh,
clean water.
A designated incubation area was also incorporated
for incubating eggs at varying temperatures,
depending on the needs of the particular
species. Other changes included the installation
of terrestrial turtle tables in front of two large
viewing windows to allow guests to view the
turtles without entering the room.
The busy construction year also saw the addition
of two large paddocks to the Tortoise Barn.
These wooden-fenced areas provide a generous
amount of outdoor space for larger species such
as the Burmese Mountain Tortoise (Manouria
emys phayrei).
Animal Clinic upgrades included a donated
digital x-ray machine, new outdoor runs, and extensive
interior remodeling to utilize previously
wasted space and to allow for expanded animal
holding. We were also able to build a secure
fenced area and kennel for the TSC’s resident
guard dog, with the help of volunteers from the
North Carolina Zoo, as well as Jessica and Will
McGuire.
Perhaps the most useful, yet hidden improvement
came thanks to overall changes in property
slope and drainage. In 2013, torrential rains
halted construction and flooded much of the
property. Now, thanks to a newly installed drainage
system, excess water flows off-site quickly
and efficiently.
During the installation of this system, Southard
Brothers Construction Company also graded,
trenched, and prepared a number of additional
sites for a planned African Forest Tortoise
(Kinixys) facility and several Forest Complexes.
These preparations should keep the facilities
crew and our dedicated corps of volunteers busy
with new projects well into the future.
Contact: Nathan Haislip, Turtle Survival Center, PO Box
396, Cross, SC 29436 nhaislip@turtlesurvival.org
a publication of the turtle survival alliance 09 visit us online at www.turtlesurvival.org