Notes on Chelodina mccordi timorensis Biology, Harvest, Current Threats, and Community Perceptions in the Lake Iralalaro Region, Timor-Leste

Abstract The long-necked turtle Chelodina mccordi is considered Critically Endangered under IUCN Red List criteria. In Timor-Leste, the subspecies Chelodina mccordi timorensis is restricted to a small area of lacustrine habitat near the eastern tip of Timor around Lake Iralalaro in the Lautém District. We collected information on C. m. timorensis biology and harvest and assessed current threats and community perceptions. Data were collected during 2 surveys (February and July 2014) around Lake Iralalaro in Nino Konis Santana National Park. Threats were identified by direct observation, and local perceptions were recorded during expert interviews. Human harvest is the main threat in the area. Animals are captured using fishing line, are located using a bamboo stick in shallow water to probe the mud, or are captured by hand at the edge of the lake or under dry grass. Turtles are captured mainly during the dry season (April to October). Most experts identified C. m. timorensis under 2 different names according to the color (staining) of the plastron (veu = yellow and clear; sepe veu = dark and red). Local perspectives as to the population status of the turtle (stable, declining, or increasing) varied between 2 villages. Factors that may be reducing the capacity of this turtle to survive human harvest include predation by pigs and dogs. Fire and climate change are also likely to be important factors resulting in declines.

[1]  A. Rhodin,et al.  Turtles of the World, 7th Edition: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution with Maps, and Conservation Status. , 2014 .

[2]  K. Christian,et al.  Assessment of Chelodina mccordi current status and community awareness along the Lake Iralalaro, Timor-Leste , 2014 .

[3]  N. Turner,et al.  Climate Change and Population Growth in Timor Leste: Implications for Food Security , 2012, AMBIO.

[4]  B. Chessman.  Declines of freshwater turtles associated with climatic drying in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin , 2011 .

[5]  A. Georges,et al.  Diversity of Australasian freshwater turtles, with an annotated synonymy and keys to species , 2010 .

[6]  P. Freed,et al.  A widely traveled turtle: Mauremys reevesii (Testudines: Geoemydidae) in Timor-Leste , 2010 .

[7]  N. White,et al.  Hydro-electric power proposal, Iralalaro-Paitchau Karst, Timor-Leste. , 2009 .

[8]  A. Georges,et al.  Terrestrial activity, movements and spatial ecology of an Australian freshwater turtle, Chelodina longicollis, in a temporally dynamic wetland system , 2008 .

[9]  B. Green,et al.  Energy and Water Flux during Terrestrial Estivation and Overland Movement in a Freshwater Turtle , 2008, Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.

[10]  A. Rhodin,et al.  Chelodina mccordi Rhodin 1994 – Roti Island Snake-Necked Turtle, McCord’s Snake-Necked Turtle, Kura-Kura Rote , 2008 .

[11]  A. Georges,et al.  Maintenance of variable responses for coping with wetland drying in freshwater turtles. , 2008, Ecology.

[12]  Colin R. Trainor,et al.  A New Subspecies of the Snakeneck Turtle Chelodina mccordi from Timor-Leste (East Timor) (Testudines: Chelidae) , 2007 .

[13]  Damien A. Fordham,et al.  Indigenous harvest, exotic pig predation and local persistence of a long-lived vertebrate: managing a tropical freshwater turtle for sustainability and conservation , 2007 .

[14]  Damien A. Fordham,et al.  Demographic response of snake-necked turtles correlates with indigenous harvest and feral pig predation in tropical northern Australia. , 2007, The Journal of animal ecology.

[15]  J. Barnett,et al.  Vulnerability to Climate Variability and Change in East Timor , 2007, Ambio.

[16]  A. Georges,et al.  Sex-ratio bias across populations of a freshwater turtle (Testudines : Chelidae) with genotypic sex determination , 2006 .

[17]  Mike Letnic,et al.  Incorporating known sources of uncertainty to determine precautionary harvests of saltwater crocodiles. , 2006, Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America.

[18]  P. Fearnside.  Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming , 2006, Science.

[19]  P. Duringer,et al.  Scientific Description Can Imperil Species , 2006, Science.

[20]  D. B. Ligon,et al.  Physiological and Behavioral Variation in Estivation among Mud Turtles (Kinosternon spp.) , 2002, Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.

[21]  P. A. Stone,et al.  Physiological Capacity for Estivation of the Sonoran Mud Turtle, Kinosternon sonoriense , 2000, Copeia.

[22]  Joel T. Heinen,et al.  Convention on international trade in endangered species (cites) , 1999 .

[23]  Selina S. Heppell,et al.  Application of Life-History Theory and Population Model Analysis to Turtle Conservation , 1998 .

[24]  A. Georges,et al.  Terrestrial orientation by the eastern long-necked turtle, Chelodina longicollis, from Australia , 1996 .

[25]  K. Christian,et al.  Metabolic Depression in Estivating Long-Neck Turtles (Chelodina rugosa) , 1994, Physiological Zoology.

[26]  A. Rhodin.  Chelid turtles of the Australasian Archipelago: II. A new species of Chelodina from Roti Island, Indonesia , 1994 .

[27]  A. Dunham,et al.  Delayed sexual maturity and demographics of blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii): implications for conservation and management of long-lived organisms , 1993 .

[28]  N. Frazer.  Sea Turtle Conservation and Halfway Technology , 1992 .

[29]  A. Georges,et al.  Habitat utilization and its relationship to growth and reproduction of the eastern long-necked turtle, Chelodina longicollis (Testudinata: Chelidae), from Australia , 1990 .

[30]  G. Kuchling.  Gonadal cycles of the Western Australian Long-necked Turtles Chelodina oblonga and Chelodina steindachneri (Chelonia: Chelidae) , 1988 .

[31]  G. Grigg,et al.  Facultative aestivation in a tropical freshwater turtle Chelodina rugosa , 1986 .

[32]  J. M. Legler.  A simple and inexpensive device for trapping aquatic turtles , 1960 .