Chersina Angulata Working Group

Sterant

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Announcing the Chersina Angulata Working Group

You may have noticed some increased activity on the forum around Bowsprit tortoises lately. About 3 months ago, after talking to many, many people (the majority of which are on the forum), I initiated a project which was ultimately named the “Chersina Angulata Working Group”.

Though the project has affiliations with the Zoo I work with, primarily for the purposes of creating a North American studbook, it was founded by individuals. Over the past 3 months, we have been collecting as much information as we can about the species, both in-situ and in historical US based collections. In the US, this species has earned the reputation of being very difficult to maintain successfully, while in some areas of the world, they are known to be hearty and resilient. These opposing views intrigued many of us and prompted the creation of this group.
Our mission includes the following:

1) Obtain a large captive colony of C. angulata in the US as founders of at least 5 disparate breeding groups around the country.

2) Through collaboration, understand and document successful captive husbandry techniques.

3) Build a sustainable CB generation in the US.

4) Create and maintain an official North American studbook.

Today the group consists of the following founding members (in alphabetical order):
  • Dwight Lawson – CAWG Cofounder
  • Chris Leone – CAWG Cofounder
  • Tom Roach – CAWG Cofounder
  • Kingsley Rodrigo - CAWG Cofounder
  • Dan Sterantino – CAWG Cofounder, Director and Studbook keeper
Between us, we currently have 7.8.3 animals within collections in NY, NJ, OK and AZ.

We will be working diligently to accomplish the mission outlined above and will be reporting our progress here, on the Tortoise Forum. We are trying to get a separate “Bowsprit Tortoise” section on the forum so watch for that in case this thread moves.

Please consider this notification a call for help. If you know of any Bowsprit tortoises in the US, we would like to know about them. If you have prior experiences with these animals you can share with us, please do.
I am also very excited to share our newest additions to the group. The attached adult females have been recently acquired and will hopefully be major contributors to our breeding group going forward.

Thanks to all of you I have spoken to over the past few months – Most notably:

@Will , @Tom , @HermanniChris , @kingsley , Dwight Lawson, @zovick , @CarolM, @JeannineD and Jonathan Gray.
20171129_115947.jpg
 

CarolM

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Announcing the Chersina Angulata Working Group

You may have noticed some increased activity on the forum around Bowsprit tortoises lately. About 3 months ago, after talking to many, many people (the majority of which are on the forum), I initiated a project which was ultimately named the “Chersina Angulata Working Group”.

Though the project has affiliations with the Zoo I work with, primarily for the purposes of creating a North American studbook, it was founded by individuals. Over the past 3 months, we have been collecting as much information as we can about the species, both in-situ and in historical US based collections. In the US, this species has earned the reputation of being very difficult to maintain successfully, while in some areas of the world, they are known to be hearty and resilient. These opposing views intrigued many of us and prompted the creation of this group.
Our mission includes the following:

1) Obtain a large captive colony of C. angulata in the US as founders of at least 5 disparate breeding groups around the country.

2) Through collaboration, understand and document successful captive husbandry techniques.

3) Build a sustainable CB generation in the US.

4) Create and maintain an official North American studbook.

Today the group consists of the following founding members (in alphabetical order):
  • Dwight Lawson – CAWG Cofounder
  • Chris Leone – CAWG Cofounder
  • Tom Roach – CAWG Cofounder
  • Kingsley Rodrigo - CAWG Cofounder
  • Dan Sterantino – CAWG Cofounder, Director and Studbook keeper
Between us, we currently have 7.8.3 animals within collections in NY, NJ, OK and AZ.

We will be working diligently to accomplish the mission outlined above and will be reporting our progress here, on the Tortoise Forum. We are trying to get a separate “Bowsprit Tortoise” section on the forum so watch for that in case this thread moves.

Please consider this notification a call for help. If you know of any Bowsprit tortoises in the US, we would like to know about them. If you have prior experiences with these animals you can share with us, please do.
I am also very excited to share our newest additions to the group. The attached adult females have been recently acquired and will hopefully be major contributors to our breeding group going forward.

Thanks to all of you I have spoken to over the past few months – Most notably:

@Will , @Tom , @HermanniChris , @kingsley , Dwight Lawson, @zovick , @CarolM, @JeannineD and Jonathan Gray.
View attachment 226182
Oh what beautiful females. So happy this getting somewhere and looking forward to lots of interesting posts. Can't wait for the updates.
 

KevinGG

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This is great. Hope to get some in the future.

You might try getting in contact with the person that runs startortoises.net. Perhaps the most comprehensive care info on the internet. I know they have successfully bred and hatched Chersina.
 
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Sterant

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This is great. Hope to get some in the future.

You might try getting in contact with the person that runs startortoises.net. Perhaps the most comprehensive care info on the internet. I know they have successfully bred and hatched Chersina.
Agreed - it is very comprehensive. I have contacted them (not actually sure who I was emailing) with minimal response other than the fact that they have none available for sale. If you know who is at the helm there - I would love to have a conversation.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Agreed - it is very comprehensive. I have contacted them (not actually sure who I was emailing) with minimal response other than the fact that they have none available for sale. If you know who is at the helm there - I would love to have a conversation.
Pretty cryptic people or person. Perhaps with good cause? Also V.S. in north county San Diego, been breeding them for several years. Also a fairly private person.
 

KevinGG

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Agreed - it is very comprehensive. I have contacted them (not actually sure who I was emailing) with minimal response other than the fact that they have none available for sale. If you know who is at the helm there - I would love to have a conversation.

I’ve had a few email exchanges with that person. Any inquiry kind of ends things. First time I asked about babies, they said no and stopped responding. Second time, I asked about a name in a friendly way, never heard back. Third time, i stuck to tortoise care and got all of the info I wanted. I know they are a fan of Chris, so might be interested. I’ll try and contact them.
 

Sterant

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Pretty cryptic people or person. Perhaps with good cause? Also V.S. in north county San Diego, been breeding them for several years. Also a fairly private person.
I think Kingsley spent some time with VS at TTPG.
 

Sterant

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I’ve had a few email exchanges with that person. Any inquiry kind of ends things. First time I asked about babies, they said no and stopped responding. Second time, I asked about a name in a friendly way, never heard back. Third time, i stuck to tortoise care and got all of the info I wanted. I know they are a fan of Chris, so might be interested. I’ll try and contact them.

Thanks. Yes - they like Chris. When they told me they didn't have anything for sale, they told me the check with Chris.
 

jonathan gray

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Pritchard states in his Encyclopedia of Turtles that "The species was imported into Britain in large numbers after the Second World War, but before long the British pet trade switched to southern Europe and North Africa for its tortoise supplies." I'd be curious to know if any progeny from those British imports are still around. Pritchard also states this species "is reported to do quite well in captivity."
 

Sterant

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Pritchard states in his Encyclopedia of Turtles that "The species was imported into Britain in large numbers after the Second World War, but before long the British pet trade switched to southern Europe and North Africa for its tortoise supplies." I'd be curious to know if any progeny from those British imports are still around. Pritchard also states this species "is reported to do quite well in captivity."
Well I know there is a good community of people in Germany and Spain (and probably other European countries) that breed them. Not sure if they would have been from the importation mentioned by Pritchard, but maybe.
 

jonathan gray

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What piqued my curiosity is Pritchard's assertion that bowsprits reportedly do well in captivity. If bowsprits were the garden tortoises for English gardens, the climate in that country is not conducive to that species doing well.
 

Sterant

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What piqued my curiosity is Pritchard's assertion that bowsprits reportedly do well in captivity. If bowsprits were the garden tortoises for English gardens, the climate in that country is not conducive to that species doing well.
Right. I'm not aware of any English breeders.
 

Sterant

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Hi Dan
How are your torts and the eggs doing?
Hi Carol. They are doing great. The females have both been laying eggs right along through the spring with the latest nest two days ago. They have produced 6 eggs so far this season. I'm hopeful the latest two are fertile - assuming my male was successful breeding with them. If I see any signs of life, I will certainly let you know!
 

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