Good breeding is important, even for turtles. In the midwest, the alligator snapping turtle became trapped to near extinction decades ago. Since then, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has attempted to restore the turtles’ populations in captive breeding programs. These programs' facilities often serve as only temporary homes for the declining … [Read more...] about Breeding the bite for survival
Each year, Sigma Xi gives out grants for students to continue their research. This is through their Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research program. Kammie Voves, a biology graduate student, was awarded $750 this year. About her research Voves investigates food and diet relationships between turtles. Alligator snapping turtle populations are drastically declining due to … [Read more...] about Biology student wins grant money
The Turtles Survival Alliance Conference was held Aug. 4-8 in Tuscon, Arizona. Several biology faculty, students and alumni attended: Melisa Blasky, graduate student Anthony Grate, undergraduate Sam Hannabass, graduate student Ethan Hollander, graduate student Day Ligon, professor of biology Donald McKnight, alumnus Denise Thompson, research associate … [Read more...] about Saving turtles one conference at a time
Collectively, turtles are among the most endangered vertebrate groups on the planet, according to Dr. Day Ligon, associate professor of biology at Missouri State. Ligon was recently in Belize studying a turtle species of especially great conservation concern, the critically endangered Central American River Turtle. It Is locally known as the Hicatee. About his … [Read more...] about Studying endangered turtles in Belize
Kammie Voves and Sam Hannabass, both biology graduate students in Dr. Day Ligon’s turtle ecology lab, traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico to attend the 66th Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists (SWAN). About the presentations Hannabass gave an oral presentation over her research comparing the physiological condition of alligator snapping turtles living in … [Read more...] about Biology students present, win award