A 350-kilometer drive away from the frenzy of the nearest city, the thatched desert village of Lavavolo, Madagascar seems to lie in infinite stillness. But homeostasis is never a given.…

Beneath their prehistoric-looking shells, turtles conceal an extraordinary ability to hold their breath underwater, going without oxygen for hours, even months, at a time. This cellular-level capacity to survive underwater…

Malaysian customs officials have seized 330 tortoises that were smuggle into the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The tortoises, which included 325 Radiated tortoises as well as five Ploughshare tortoises, were…

On the streets of Morocco, several species of lizards, tortoise and snakes are being sold openly for use in traditional medicine, a new study has found. Many of these species are…

The Critically Endangered Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is being hunted to extinction for its shell. Colored in hues of gold, amber, and brown, the animal's striking shell is carved…

One of the world’s rarest tortoises, the ploughshare tortoise, is about to become extinct. Fewer than 100 ploughshare tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora) remain in the wild, conservationists estimate, and continued poaching…

Last Thursday, U.S. President Barrack Obama announced the creation of the first national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The announcement was made at the ongoing Our Ocean Conference at…

On July 26, a Chinese court sentenced seven people to prison terms for smuggling more than 300 rare radiated tortoises. These critically endangered tortoises, popular as pets, were being smuggled…

Sea turtles spend most of their lives at sea, below the waves and out of human sight. Fortunately, in India, they nest in large numbers, giving biologists a chance to peek…

This year’s Whitley Awards -- often referred to as the “Green Oscars” -- has been given to seven conservationists chosen from a pool of over 120 applicants from 53 countries…

In 2014, Canadian border guards arrested Kai Xu, a Canadian man, for attempting to smuggle 51 live turtles in his trousers. The border guards found "41 turtles taped to his…

The waters off the coast of Middle East and North Africa are proving to be death traps for the Mediterranean loggerhead turtles. As adult loggerhead turtles migrate to these regions…

Conditions at wildlife markets in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) could lead to public health “catastrophes”, a new study warns. Poor biosafety standards and high volume of wild animals illegally…