Philadelphia Zoo Staff Travel to Guatemala to Survey Endangered Turtles
How do you protect species from extinction? By counting them first.
For her 40th birthday, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians Lauren Augustine traveled to Guatemala with her twin sister to celebrate. Like many of their trips, they spent a lot of time in forests and parks looking for reptiles and amphibians. On that trip in 2021, they encountered many mud and musk turtles, which Lauren then reported to the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). She returned and found out that no one was studying these species in Guatemala. Mud and musk turtles (kinosternidae) are small freshwater turtle species that prefer slow-moving or still bodies of water. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) had recently listed many of them as threated by the international trade.
While information on these species exists or has ongoing research for Mexico and Belize, the lack of research in Guatemala presented a serious problem for their protection. Without knowing these populations, it’s impossible for the data to be complete.
“I have been traveling the globe for over a decade participating in various conservation projects to protect reptiles,” says Augustine. “When looking for ways that I can help protect species, I’m most interested in finding a gap or hole in research so I can be most impactful. Guatemala presented a huge opportunity to make a difference. I knew two great biologists from Guatemala and one in the USA, so the opportunity to collaborate was perfect.”
Lauren Augustine (pictured front right), Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at Philadelphia Zoo, assembled a team to conduct field research on Guatemalan turtle species—research that had not existed prior to these collection efforts.
Filling the gap in Guatemalan turtle research
In 2023, Augustine began developing a collaboration to fill these gaps. Working with colleagues from both Guatemala and other AZA Accredited Zoos, Lauren formed a team and received funding from Turtle Conservation Fund for a preliminary trip in October. During that two-week trip in the northern department of Petén, the team caught and surveyed a total of 109 turtles, proving this research can be done.
This preliminary trip was not without its challenges. Weather, crocodiles and accessibility to sites all presented opportunities for the team to demonstrate its flexibility and creativity. Even though it was the rainy season, some areas had little or no water where there would be ponds or vernal pools. This made the search for acceptable spots tricky. The team traveled via boat down rivers to protected areas with guides and had to trek to small portions of forest to find small bodies of water to survey. Plus, the team had to choose appropriate locations to avoid crocodiles destroying the traps.
In June 2024, Lauren, her original team (two Guatemalan collaborators and one from the USA), and Philly Zoo Keeper Andrew Ahl headed back to Guatemala, this time to the eastern department of Izabal. Surveying six locations over two weeks, the team caught 151 wild turtles and 8 turtles that were rescued, representing five species, and were able to also collect more data, including blood samples, cloacal swabs, oral swabs and toe nail clippings. The blood samples will be used in an ongoing genetics study to clarify species within Central America; the toe nail clippings will be used for stable isotope analysis, the results of which can provide insight into the diet and there for trophic level impact of these turtles; and the swabs will be used to study the presence or absence of diseases in these populations, as nothing is known about them.
In June 2024, Lauren traveled to Guatemala with her original team of researchers and Philly Zoo keeper Andrew Ahl to continue the research on Guatemalan turtles.
“It is very rewarding to conduct field work and see the animals we love and care so much about in nature,” says Augustine. “This project in particular was so motivating because not only were we able to document these species and start filing gaps in our knowledge about them, but we also developed a strong team with Guatemalan support. We are fortunate that our collaborators have good, long withstanding relationships with governmental and non-governmental agencies in Guatemala, and that the local agencies are keen on this type of work.”
“I discovered my passion for reptiles and amphibians in high school. This guided me to incredibly rewarding work supporting research and conservation that will ensure these threated species are protected,” says Ahl. “This experience was amazing, but hard work. Day and night of setting traps, checking, and processing turtles. It involved teamwork, trust, training, and accurate data collection.”
Stay tuned as the Zoo’s team continues to participate in this important conservation work.
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