User:JorveUltrech/sandbox

Conservation efforts in Timor-Leste

Mauremys reevesii was not known to be present in Timor-Leste but during conservation surveying for other reptiles researchers confirmed its presence. M. reevesii is used in traditional Chinese medicine and kept as pets in Timor-Leste. The turtles are sold on the street in the more affluent districts of the capital. In order to ensure the viability of the population of M. reevesii in Timor-Leste researchers informed individuals buying the turtles of their endangered species status to persuade them to hand the turtles over for conservation efforts. Buyers in the few instances where talking to buyers has been used as a technique the buyers were not purchasing the turtles for food or medicine but were purchasing them as either pets or to release them for good luck (in relation to the Chinese New Year in this instance) and would hand the turtles over to the researchers. In Timor-Leste the researchers found that official looking volunteers telling people about the over exploited species is the best way to conserve the species.