Protecting Critically Endangered Turtle Species
By Nicholas Mott ‘26The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) is an organization dedicated to freshwater turtle and tortoise conservation; a group of animals with over 50% of species threatened with extinction. The TSA combines ex-situ (in captivity) breeding centers with in-situ (in nature) field programs in 15 countries to support their mission of zero turtle extinctions. The Turtle Survival Center (TSC) is their flagship captive breeding center in South Carolina and is a leading example for captive collections worldwide.
The TSC maintains a collection of over 750 turtles, including 16 of the 25 most endangered turtle species in the world. I worked alongside staff members to facilitate the daily care routine to help successfully breed these critically endangered turtles. My responsibilities included cleaning habitats, feeding, tracking egg incubation and assisting various veterinarian procedures including x-rays and ultrasounds to track follicular growth and egg development.
I greatly enjoyed my time at the TSC and especially loved conversing with my incredibly knowledgeable mentors about all things turtles and the current and historical global situation of turtle conservation. I am confident that my time at the TSC will position me well for a future career in any animal conservation related path.
Internship funded by the Peter Buck Internship Fund.