Well people I just got home from the TTPG conference and as always

Neal

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How was Kenan?


He was an extremely charismatic guy. I actually really liked his presentation which was focused around the importance of introducing others to turtles and tortoises, especially younger children. I was glad to see a good portion of the new Batagur dedicated to the same subject.

Someone had made the comment that the average age in the crowd appeared to be 50 and next year it will probably be 51. It was an interesting observation, and it seems like there is some good effort being made to get younger generations excited about turtles and tortoises.

I was inspired by his presentation.
 

Neal

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but I estimate that one sulcata breeder may well turn out about 10,000 hatchlings a year?

I calculated a rough estimate of just over 2,000 hatchlings there. According to his neighbor that is all the production from this year. I'd imagine a large amount are eaten by all the wildlife there or are just not found. There were lots of deep looking burrows there that a hatchling could easily make its way down.
 

GodStillBlesses

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I am more than pleased at the TTPG conference. I have never gotten to be around such kind people. Some shows are very snooty and make a new comer feel Unwelcome. Grandpa Turtle....... You turned our to be quite a surprise. I always try not to judge a person, but as humans we all do. Kindness to a stranger...... For no reason...... Appreciated. It was a pleasure meeting you. And the others!
 

Kapidolo Farms

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I calculated a rough estimate of just over 2,000 hatchlings there. According to his neighbor that is all the production from this year. I'd imagine a large amount are eaten by all the wildlife there or are just not found. There were lots of deep looking burrows there that a hatchling could easily make its way down.

The actual count of the hetchlings there at the time was 2600. I did not count, but this is what a few people said that Bob said. No matter the nature of how he incubates, natural in the ground or in one of those small buildings that were not a part of the tour, there would still be three, maybe four periods of abundance of hatchlings each year.

Conservatively: I did not actualy count the tortoises, as many were no doubt underground, but consider that there were at least 100 plus larger females, each laying 3 sets of 25 eggs. That's 7500 eggs. I think the 2600 hatchlings which would be about 33% hatch reate is crazy low.

Bob did say he losses eggs to predators, I didn't hear him say that about hatchlings. I don't know what I don't know, but I think he produces quit a few more than what we saw there on Wednesday. I imagine we represented the most invasive looky lews he has had there. I learned so much from seeing over hearing, that the two tours represented to me a standard that will make subsequent years hard to impress as this year did.
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The average age of attendees sorta meant to me the person who made the observation was not seeing that many people there were in ther 20's and 30's. Many there were significantly over 50 as well.
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I think my favorite speaker was the Alligator Snapper talk. The speaker was engaging, story felt honest and sincere, the result of the work was well presented, it was sober, but not boring. And frankly it not a talk I would have sought out, yet there it was and really good. He spoke about the animals he new well. Other people spoke about knowing turtles well, but did not so much demonstrate it in their presentation. I'd easily believe that the Alligator snapper speaker could have been an alligator snapper in a former life. I don't literally believe that, but he knows his animals extremely well.
 

turtlemanfla88

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I am glad you guys had a great time at TTPG conference . I wish AZ was closer to FLA . My wife is in not into turtles and tortoises she thinks they are ok. so when we got married in 2001 and we went to LAS VEGAS for our honeymoon she wanted to kill me when I was planning and said you know we are going to check out the desert. My kids share my passion they even use latin names instead of common names.
I hope one day to get out there to meet you guys one year. I hope you guys can all come to FLA one year maybe TSA conference.
 
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