The Iconic Pignosed Turtle

The Iconic Pignosed Turtle

The pignosed turtle is the sole remaining species of what was once a widespread family distributed through Asia, Europe and North America. As such it is of considerable conservation interest, and its biology holds many novel surprises. We have unravelled the complexities of temperature-dependent sex determination in natural nests of the species, learned much of its reproductive biology including the habit of nesting twice every second year and its split personality when it comes to nesting in the New Guinea lowlands. Its conservation biology in Papua New Guinea is a focus of our current research, working along side local communities in bringing about solutions to ensure sustainability of populations of this important food resource for future generations.

Nesting Biology

Aging eggs and embryos Embryonic aestivation and emergence behaviour Activity and movements Nest site selection Gregarious behaviour during nesting Nesting twice every second year Reporductive success and offspring sex Carla Eisemberg Thesis: Nesting ecology, harvest and management Coastal nesting and salinity

Sex Determination

Embryonic developmetal series Kerry Beggs Thesis: Embryonic development Offspring sex in field nests -- affect of egg depth Pivotal temperature and thermosensitive period Sean Doody Thesis: Ecology and sex determination

Environmental Education

Adventures of Piggy in the Kikori Monty and the Lake Kutubu Invasion Little Al in Big Trouble Piku on Radio -- Plays by the Kikori Kids PNG LNG Report on Activities 2013-16

Management

River flows and impact of water extraction Impact of cane toads on nest predation PNG piggies are in decline Defining priority conservation areas for the Kikori Spatial and temporal patterns of harvest in the Kikori

Outreach

Hands on the Daly -- Australian National Geographic Reptiles Magazine -- Species profile OSL World Environment Day 2007 Kantri Laif -- Piku in Trouble Turtle tail tantalizes PNG pupils Trekking in the Transfly The Piku Project -- Saving PNG's endangered pig-nosed turtle Visiting scientist account of Wau Creek

Publications

Truscott, H., Amepou, Y., Manu, F., Eisemberg, C. and Georges, A. 2020. Measuring the Piku Project Effectiveness and Impact after 10 years of the Pig-nosed Turtle Conservation in the Kikori Region, Papua New Guinea. 17th Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, Belize SAM.

Bower, D., Clulow, S., Amepou, Y. and Georges, A. 2017. Diaries of Frog Research Adventures in Wau Creek Research Station, Papua New Guinea. FrogLog 25(2):17-21. [pdf]

Bower, D., Clulow, S.,, Richards, S., Amepou, Y. and Georges, A. 2017. Frogs of Wau Creek. Rokrok bilong Hanwara Wau. Poster prepared for public circulation. [pdf]

John, F. (Piku Team) 2017. Pig-nose turtle conservation and livelihood benefits. Endemic and Flagship Species Workshop. CEPA and Mama Graun, Lamana Hotel, Port Moresby. March 2-3, 2017.

Amepou, L., Eisemberg, C.E., Lynch, J. and Georges, A. 2016. Community engagement in the conservation and management of the declining pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) in Kikori, Papua New Guinea. The 8th World Congress of Herpetology, 15-21 August, 2016. Hangzhou, China.

Amepou, Y. 2016. The Piku Project: Saving Papua New Guinea's endangered pig nosed turtle. The Tortoise 5:52-19 [pdf]

Eisemberg, C.C., Costa, B.G., Guterres, E.C. , Christian, K., Amepou, Y. & Georges, A. 2016. Connections between local taboos and reptile conservation projects in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. The 8th World Congress of Herpetology, 15-21 August, 2016. Hangzou, China.

Georges, A., Bower, D., Clulow, S. and Amepou, Y. 2016. Reptiles of Wau Creek. Palai, Sinek, Trausel na Pukpuk. Poster for public circulation. [pdf]

Eisemberg, C., Rose, M., Yaru, B., Amepou, Y. and Georges, A. 2015. Salinity of the coastal nesting environment and its association with body size in the estuarine pig-nosed turtle. Journal of Zoology, London 295:65-74 [pdf]

Eisemberg, C.C., Amepou, Y., Rose, M., Yaru, B. and Georges, A. 2015. Defining priority areas through social and biological data for the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) conservation program in the Kikori Region, Papua New Guinea. Journal for Nature Conservation 28:19-25. [pdf]

Eisemberg, C.C., Rose, M., Yaru, B. and Georges, A. 2015. Spatial and temporal trends in pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) harvest in Papua New Guinea. Oryx 49:659-668. [pdf]

Georges, A., Eisemberg, C., Amepou, Y. and Manasi, E. 2014. Turtle Conservation Challenges in Papua New Guinea Turtle Survival August 2014:22-24. [pdf]

Eisemberg, C.C. 2011. Nesting ecology, harvest and conservation of the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) in the Kikori Region, Papua New Guinea. PhD Thesis, Applied Ecology, University of Canberra [pdf]

Eisemberg, C.C., Rose, M., Yaru, B. and Georges, A. 2011. Demonstrating decline of an iconic species under sustained indigenous harvest -- the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) in Papua New Guinea. Biological Conservation 144:2282-2288. [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Pauza, M., Stewart, B. and Camacho, C. 2010. Nesting behaviour of the Pig-Nosed Turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in Australia Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 8:185-191

Georges, A., Alacs, E.,Pauza, M. Kinginapi, F., Ona, A. and Eisemberg, C. 2008. Freshwater turtles of the Kikori Drainage, Papua New Guinea, with special reference to the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta. Wildlife Research 35:700-711. [pdf]

Georges, A., Doody, J.S., Eisemberg, C., Alacs, E.A. and Rose, M. 2008. Carettochelys insculpta Ramsay 1886: Pig-nosed Turtle, Fly River Turtle. Chelonian Research Monographs 5:9.1-9.17 [doi:103854/crm.5.009.insculpta.v1.2008] [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Green, B., Sims, R., Rhind, D., West, P. and Steer, D. 2006. Indirect impacts of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) on nest survival of Pig-nosed Turtles (Carettochelys insculpta). Wildlife Research 33:349-354.

Doody, J.S., Guarino, F., Georges, A., Corey, B., Murray, G. and Ewert, M.W. 2006. Nest site choice compensates for climate effects on sex ratios in a lizard with environmental sex determination. Evolutionary Ecology 20:307-330. [pdf]

Doody, S., Guarino, E., Harlow, P., Corey, B. and Murray, G. 2006. Quantifying nest site choice in reptiles using hemispherical photography and gap light analysis. Herpetological Review 37:49-52

Georges, A., Beggs, K., Young, J.E. and Doody, J.S. 2005. Modelling reptilian development under fluctuating temperature regimes. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 78:18-30. [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young J.E. 2004. Determinants of reproductive success and offpring sex in a turtle with environmental sex determination. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, London, 80:1-16. [pdf]

Georges, A., Doody, J.S., Beggs, K. and Young J.E. 2004. Thermal models of TSD under laboratory and field conditions. Pp. 79-89 in Valenzuela, N. and Lance, V. (Eds). Temperature dependent sex determination in reptiles. Smithsonian Institute, Washington. [pdf]

Young, J.E., Georges, A., Doody J.S., West P.B. and Alderman R.L. 2004. Pivotal range and thermosensitive period of the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta (Testudines: Carettochelydidae) from northern Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology 82:1251-1257. [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young, J.E. 2003. Twice every second year reproduction in the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in the wet-dry tropics of Australia. Journal of Zoology, London 259:179-188. [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Sims, R. and Georges, A. 2003. Gregarious behaviour does not dilute predation risk in pig-nosed turtles. Copeia 2003:894-898. [pdf]

Doody, J.S., West, P. and Georges, A. 2003. Beach selection in nesting pig-nosed turtles, Carettochelys insculpta. Journal of Herpetology 37:178-182 [pdf]

Doody, J.S. 2002. The ecology and sex determination of the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in the wet-dry tropics of Australia. PhD Thesis, Applied Ecology, University of Canberra [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Young, J.E. and Georges, A. 2002. Sex differences in activity and movements in the Pig-Nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in the wet-dry tropics of Australia. Copeia. 2002:93-103 [pdf]

Georges, A., Webster, I., Guarino, E., Thoms, M., Jolley, P. and Doody, J.S. 2002. National River Health Program: Modelling dry season flows and predicting the impact of water extraction on a flagship species. Report No. ID 23045, National Heritage Trust via the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment, NT.

Doody, J.S., Georges, A., Young, J.E., Pauza, M.D., Pepper, A.L., Alderman, R.L. and Welsh, M.A. 2001. Embryonic aestivation and emergence behaviour in the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta. Canadian Journal of Zoology 79:1062-1072 [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Sims, R.A. and Georges, A. 2001. Use of localized thermal springs to elevate body temperatures by the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 4:81-87

Beggs, K., Young, J., Georges, A. and West, P. 2000. Ageing the eggs and nests of the pig-nosed turtle Carettochelys insculpta from northern Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78:373-392. [pdf]

Doody, J.S. and Georges, A. 2000. A novel technique for gathering turtle nesting and emergence phenology data. Herpetological Review 31:220-222

Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young, J.E. 2000. Monitoring plan for the pig-nosed turtle in the Daly River, Northern Territory Unpublished report to the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Noerthern Territory, Darwin. June 2000. [pdf]

Doody, J.S., Georges, A. and Young, J.E. 1999. Reproductive biology of the pignose turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, in Australia: Why lay two clutches every other year rather than one clutch each year? Pp. 93 in Joint Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists American Elasmobranch Society, Herpetologists League, and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Pennsylvania State University.

Beggs, K.E. 1998. Embryonic development of the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, under constant and fluctuating temperature regimes. Honours Thesis, Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, January 1998. [pdf]

Powered by