Radiated Tortoise Crisis

RADIATED TORTOISE CRISIS IN MADAGASCAR- Please help us return these magnificent animals to the wild! 
*Please email me at [email redacted] to receive your t-shirt if you donate $40 or more*

Hello! My name is Josh Lucas and I am the Lead Keeper of Herpetology at the Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden and a member of the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). The TSA works all over the world to protect turtles and tortoises from the threat of extinction. Basically I am obsessed with chelonians (fancy word for turtles and tortoises) and have been fortunate enough to spend the bulk of my professional life working with and conserving many different species. Unfortunately, many turtles are in desperate need of YOUR help! Turtles and Tortoises are the most endangered group of vertebrates on the planet, and many are going extinct at an alarming rate due to poaching and habitat loss. Over 50% of the worlds turtles and tortoises are under threat of extinction! There are five species that are only found on Madagascar, and all five of those species are CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.  

Nothing makes me happier than chelonian conservation and I am here asking for your help to protect a truly remarkable species, the Radiated Tortoise from Madagascar. Radiated Tortoises are some of the most beautiful in the entire world. These tortoises are under a horrific poaching threat that will likely drive them to complete extinction in the wild within 10-20 years. They are being removed from the wild in numbers that were never before thought possible to supply the black market food and pet trade. In April of 2018 over 10,000 (*UPDATE* Another 7,000+ confiscated in October, 2018)  of these critically endangered tortoises were discovered in a house in the town of Tulear, Madagascar. The house was covered in filth and the tortoises crammed into every square inch of floor, bathtub, and sink. In a massive scale effort driven by the TSA I was chosen to represent the Oklahoma City Zoo and sent to Madagascar to assist with the triage and care of those animals after they had been confiscated. 

The tortoises were fortunate in that experts from all over the world arrived to help, but now we have the daunting task of developing a scientifically sound reintroduction plan to get them back where they belong. I have taken on the role of Reintroduction Strategy Manager for the TSA and in pursuit of my Master's thesis will be developing a reintroduction plan for these animals. The Oklahoma City Zoo has graciously stepped up to fund a large portion of my research and time spent in the field- and while I've applied for more grant funding there are still some critical aspects of the project that we need to get funded. 

What your donation will do for Radiated Tortoises:
The money from this campaign will be going towards two key things.

1.) Videographer- I am looking to fund the transportation, lodging, and food costs of a videographer to join me in Madagascar for the first field season (June/July 2019). We NEED to be able to share the story and message of Madagascar's extinction crisis, and I simply will not have the time or the knowhow to do all of the filming and editing myself. I have an accomplished videographer who is willing to do the entire trip free of salary/stipend, we just need to fund his travel and amenities. He will be a key part in sharing this story. We may even get this documentary on Netflix or Hulu! 
Estimated cost: $2,500-$3,500 (Airfare to/from Madagascar plus a few additional in country flights), $1,500-$2,500 (Food/Lodging/Taxi/Car/Fuel)

2.) Herpetologist/Field Hand- I would like to fund the travel of at least one student, or potentially another accomplished Zoo professional/Herpetologist to join in as a field hand. They will be asked to donate their time and to potentially be responsible for some in country costs, but if we can provide an airfare scholarship for an additional 1-2 people it will exponentially increase what we can accomplish on the ground. This would be an incredible opportunity that your donations would be funding. If the money is raised I will begin an application style submission process to select a student. What a fantastic opportunity for an undergrad or graduate student to be able to experience on the ground conservation in Madagascar! 

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, also if you just want to talk about turtles you can feel free to contact me for that too.