:"The world noted the passing of Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise, this week. Few know, however, that a species of turtle living in a small area in Palawan is facing the same danger that Lonesome George did.
The Philippine Forest Turtle, locally known as “bakoko”, was thought extinct until the 2000s, when specimens were found in pet markets in the Philippines. Specimens were found in the wild in 2004 but researchers report they have become rare."
for full article please visit http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ph-forest-turt ... anger.html
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i've read that in other countries, turtles are abundant (they can be found in swamps, marshes, lakes, walking across the streets, found in pools, lurking on damp/wet places, etc.). Here, turtles are rapidly becoming rare. i am partly happy that our government is taking measures to save these species.
it was difficult to be a RES owner here. first, reptile supplies are often unavailable. second, most of the vets here cater to dogs and cats, not really herpetologists. third, the pet stores think of RES hatchlings as just a way to earn more money, often disregarding health and lighting concerns (50 hatchlings in a small container sold in bulk)
.in result, the hatchlings were not given the proper care resulting in sick and light deprived turts.
lucky for me, i found this site. for me, this site is a way to raise awareness of turtles, especially red eared sliders. the turtle talk is not just a forum -- it is a community designed to educate and inform RES owners not only in the states, but all around the world. it became a tool that keeps every member abreast in topics involving RES, from basic info, to nutrition, to health, and any other topic in between. this site made me realize that somewhere out there, there's a crazy, paranoid, obsessed turt owner, who thinks that this site is the answer to all prayers.
to steve and all the other moderators who keep this site GREAT: keep up the good work!
and to the members like me, let's continue to support this forum by recommending it to other RES owners and by providing useful information to others.
p.s. sorry for becoming a bit melodramatic at the end
