On the road to recovery: in situ and ex situ conservation of the Burmese Roofed Turtle in Myanmar

© Mandai Wildlife Group

The emergency

The economic sanctions imposed on the military junta in Myanmar have discouraged donors from investing in conservation in the country. This has impacted WCS's long running ex situ recovery programme for Burmese Roofed Turtle.

Part of the programme includes building and maintaining artificial sand banks for nesting turtles; heavy rainfall in the 2024 wet season destroyed these nesting areas. Funds were urgently needed to rebuild the nesting banks.

Results

• Work to restore the artificial sandbanks was initiated at the Yangon Zoological Gardens, Yadanabon Zoological Gardens (Mandalay), and Lawkanandar Wildlife Park (Bagan) soon after cessation of the annual monsoonal rains. New retaining walls were constructed, existing retaining walls were repaired, and sand replenished at the artificial nesting sandbanks at all three assurance colonies.

• Evidence of preliminary nesting activity (tracks and drag marks, exploratory diggings, etc.) were visible at the sandbanks in early December 2024. Shortly thereafter, the first nest with eggs was found at the Yangon Zoo and nesting was confirmed at Lawkanandar Wildlife Park. A minimum of 21 nests have been confirmed at Lawkanandar Wildlife Park and another 18 nests at the Yangon Zoo.

• Given an average clutch size of about 25 eggs, more than 900 eggs are now estimated to be incubating in the sandbanks at these facilities. Abundant signs of nesting were also noted at the Yadanabon Zoo. The eggs will be incubated in situ until the hatchlings are ready to be transferred to specially designed rearing tanks.

Reports

AT A GLANCE

Organisation: Wildlife Conservation Society

Country: Myanmar

Year project started: 2024

Species: Burmese Roofed Turtle

Supported by: Fondation Segré