The Atlas of Turtle Genomes for Conservation

Turtles are arguably the most endangered group of vertebrates on Earth. Worldwide, nearly 60% of the 364 living species of turtles and tortoises are threatened, driven by habitat loss, illegal trade, overharvesting, and climate change. More than one million live turtles enter the illegal trade each year, with tens of thousands passing through major U.S. airports alone. There, they may be confiscated only to await permanent captivity or, more often, euthanasia. And in the rare cases when they are released back into the wild, it is currently impossible to identify their exact points of origin. Placed far from their native homes, these animals most likely die agonizingly slow deaths, or survive as unfortunate genetic and ecaological invaders of the ecosystems receiving them. We can, and must, do better.

To address these urgent challenges, the Turtle Survival Alliance and UCLA La Kretz Center director Brad Shaffer have joined forces to launch the Atlas of Turtle Genomes for Conservation (ATGC) – a national initiative to generate thousands of high-quality turtle genomes. We will use these genomic resources to pinpoint poaching hotspots for law enforcement and to determine the site of origin for the release of confiscated turtles. What’s more, the tools and approaches that we develop can be used on other species, from cacti and cycads to parrots and primates, that are enmeshed in the multi-billion dollar wildlife poaching trade, one of the great challenges to biodiversity conservation on earth.

We’re launching the project this year. And we need your help!

Explore our website for full details on the project: https://turtlesurvival.org/genetics/atgc/