These short necked medium-sized freshwater turtles, are endemic to Australia and live in a very limited area of the Bellinger River and possibly a portion of the nearby Kalang River in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. In early 2015, a virus – yet to be identified - decimated 90% of the Bellinger River Turtle population. The already small population of about 1200-400 turtles suffered a huge decline. Turtles were found dead or severely sick, displaying clinical signs such as emaciation, immunosuppression, periocular ulcers, lethargy, ataxia and blindness. It is believed that the pathogen causes 100% mortality. Photo: Bellingen Courier It was then obvious that the next step was to intervene. I
FACTS With a wingspan of 2.5 to 3 meters, the California Condor is the largest flying bird to soar the skies of North America. These iconic birds weigh between 7 to 11 kgs (16-25 pounds) and can live up to 60 years. The distinctive bald pink head and neck make them easily identifiable. This physical characteristic is not only for good looks, it also prevents the rotting food from sticking to its head while they are feeding on carcasses. These animals have the lowest reproductive rate of any bird species, as they lay just one egg/year. Picture: Unknown source STATUS AND THREATS The California Condor is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. In 1982, the population of California Cond
Picture by Eric Gevaert / Shutterstock ABOUT THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN The golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) is a primate species living exclusively in the Atlantic coast of south-eastern Brazil. As adults, these small monkeys weigh between 480 and 680 grams and measure betwen 15 - 25 centimeters, with a tail of about 32 to 40 centimeters. GLT are arboreal primates and their diet consists mainly on soft fruits and insects. 78% of the times, females give birth to twins, and every member of the group helps in the rearing of the offspring. The group is composed by two to eight family members. Leontopithecus rosalia. Picture by Elelur © THREATS Deforestation is the primary threat to
