How Scientists Are Giving Rare Turtle Babies a Head Start on Life

How Scientists Are Giving Rare Turtle Babies a Head Start on Life

How can scientists help endangered turtles survive? In this episode, we explore how wildlife conservation professionals in Michigan are using a technique called "headstarting" to raise rare baby turtles in captivity before releasing them into the wild. You'll learn why young turtles face such steep odds from predators, habitat loss, road mortality, and the illegal pet trade, and how researchers are measuring whether this approach can rebuild wild populations. We also discuss the importance of protecting wetlands and why captive rearing is only one piece of the conservation puzzle. It's a story about endangered species recovery, hands-on science, and what it takes to give wildlife a better chance at survival. The episode features Bill Flanagan of John Ball Zoo, Will Miller of Calvin University, and Dan Earl of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory.   Key Points: 1:01 – Testing if headstarting might help spotted turtles 2:00 – Combining conservation and educating the next generation of biologists 3:17 – Spotted turtles’ reclusive habits make them difficult to study 4:44 – Dangers from the illegal pet trade 5:25 – Aging ‘ghost populations’ concern researchers 6:09 – What you can do to help turtles   Resources & Links: IUCN Red List: Spotted Turtle [https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4968/97411228] IUCN Red List: Eastern Box Turtle [https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21641/97428179] International Convention on Wetlands: Global Wetland Outlook 2025 [https://www.global-wetland-outlook.ramsar.org/] United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report [https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/] Michigan EGLE: Status and Trends of Michigan's Wetlands: Pre-European Settlement to 2005 [https://www.michigan.gov/egle/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Programs/WRD/Wetlands/Status-Trends-of-Michigans-Wetlands-PreEuropean-Settlement-to-2005.pdf?rev=30194c230acd42d98c2d92624ab19a6c&hash=6C6A51B2F341BF30A7FE82990CDC94BE] John Ball Zoo's Great Lakes Rare Turtles Program [https://jbzoo.org/2026/03/18/john-ball-zoo-great-lakes-conservation-projects/] Michigan Herp Atlas [https://miherpatlas.org/] Turtle Survival Alliance [https://turtlesurvival.org/] Cornell Wildlife Health Lab: What the heck is herping [https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/article/what-heck-herping]? Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Climate change is already causing local extinctions. The biggest surprise is where.

Scientists long assumed tropical species would be hit hardest by climate change. But a new global study found that animals and plants in temperate regions, including North America and Europe, are already disappearing from parts of their range at alarming rates. We explore how wildlife and plants are responding to warming temperatures, why local extinctions are rising around the world, why many species aren’t moving into cooler habitats, and what the findings mean for biodiversity and conservation. The episode also features Dr. John J. Wiens, a professor at the University of Arizona, and Dr. Gopal Murali, a former postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona. Key points:  1:07 - Digging through the data to track survival of animals and plants over time. 2:34 - Nearly half of species in temperate zones have disappeared from parts of their range. 3:40 - The world has gotten hotter. 4:45 - Most temperate species are not moving north in response to climate change. 5:47 - What it means for conservation. Useful resources: Murali, G., Karger, D.N. & Wiens, J.J. Temperate local extinctions from climate change are outpacing tropical extinctions [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-026-02669-y]. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2026). Kristen E. Saban, John J. Wiens; Unpacking the extinction crisis: rates, patterns and causes of recent extinctions in plants and animals [https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article/292/2057/20251717/234788/Unpacking-the-extinction-crisis-rates-patterns-and]. Proc Biol Sci. (2025) World Meteorological Organization: 2025 State of Climate Report [https://library.wmo.int/records/item/69807-state-of-the-global-climate-2025]. Berkeley Earth: Global Temperature Report for 2025 [https://berkeleyearth.org/global-temperature-report-for-2025/]. New York Times, 5/26/2026, by Brad Plumer and Eric Niiler: Why scientists retired the dire climate scenario used for over a decade [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/climate/emissions-worst-case-scenario-rcp.html]. NOAA's Science on a Sphere program: Climate Model: Temperature Change (RCP 8.5) - 2006 - 2100 [https://sos.noaa.gov/catalog/datasets/climate-model-temperature-change-rcp-85-2006-2100/]. European Commission: Five things you should know about climate scenarios [https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-other-reads/news/five-things-you-should-know-about-climate-scenarios-2026-06-05_en]. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Wolves could expand across the eastern U.S. - but they might need help

Gray wolves have recovered in parts of the Great Lakes region after decades of federal protection, but research suggests they could thrive across much more of the eastern United States. Scientists identified several large areas with suitable wolf habitat, yet highways, cities, farmland and human-caused mortality make expansion difficult. The findings also fuel ongoing debate over whether wolves should remain protected under the Endangered Species Act, raising broader questions about conservation, coexistence and how much space society is willing to share with one of North America's most iconic predators. This episode features Jerrold Belant from Michigan State University, Merijn van den Bosch with Colorado State University and John Vucetich with Michigan Technological University. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The State of Nature Update #26 Podcast

This episode explores six biodiversity stories from around the world: how elephant dung supports diverse dung beetle communities that drive nutrient cycling and seed dispersal in African ecosystems; the death of the last known Sacramento Mountains checkerspot caterpillar, which could mean that the rare butterfly is now extinct; surprising new evidence that daddy longlegs in South America can hunt and kill frogs despite their seemingly harmless appearance;  the tagging of a nesting female sea turtle in Ecuador to better understand migration routes and reduce deadly fishing-net entanglements of eastern Pacific leatherback turtles; how an Italian farm is using forest-inspired, biodiversity-rich practices to build resilience against climate change while improving soil health; and it considers the argument that restoring and protecting nature may be one of the most effective climate solutions, simultaneously storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and benefiting local communities. Key points: 1:01 – Elephant poop’s essential role in African ecosystems, thanks to dunk beetles. 4:04 - The last known caterpillar of a rare butterfly has died, all but eliminating all hope of reviving the species. 5:43 - Daddy longlegs don’t just eat insects - they also hunt down frogs. 7:15 - Scientists tagged a rare sea turtle while she was laying eggs, hoping to discover her migration and feeding patterns to help with conservation decisions. 8:18 - Incorporating nature into farming practices to make crops resilient to climate change. 10:47 - Biodiversity conservation as a solution for climate change. Articles & Resources: Anthropocene Magazine, 5/28/2026, by Warren Cornwall: What happens to the small things when the big things disappear [https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2026/05/what-happens-to-the-small-things-when-the-big-things-disappear/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-happens-to-the-small-things-when-the-big-things-disappear]? Gijsman, Nutter, and Pringle, 2026: Importance of elephants for dung beetle diversity and ecosystem functions [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aeb7062?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D73834258047650117354211606907526172973%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1779817362]. Science: 392(6801). The New York Times, 5/21/2026, by Catrin Einhorn: A very lonely caterpillar, possibly the last of its kind, has died [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/climate/a-very-lonely-caterpillar-the-sacramento-mountains-checkerspot-has-died.html] The New York Times, 3/6/2025, by Catrin Einhorn and Harry Stevens: See how butterflies are surviving, or not, near you [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/06/climate/us-butterfly-population.html]. Scientific American, 5/21/2026, by Jake Buehler: Daddy longlegs are actually bloodthirsty killers - of frogs [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/daddy-longlegs-are-actually-bloodthirsty-killers-of-frogs/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Earth+%26+Enviro+5%2F27%2F26&utm_term=Daddy+longlegs+are+actually+bloodthirsty+killers%E2%80%94of+frogs&_kx=szbrv5WTpVDdvMFHZRxlv5edhqDQOMo8EAjivofnd80.WEer5A]. Calvache et al., 2026: Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) as overlooked predators of anurans in the neotropics [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.73542]. Ecology and Evolution: 16 (4). Mongabay, 5/26/2026, by Bobby Bascomb: Tracking Lucero: Scientists follow a rare Eastern Pacific leatherback sea turtle [https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/tracking-lucero-scientists-follow-a-rare-eastern-pacific-leatherback-sea-turtle/?utm_source=Global+English&utm_campaign=417dcfd6f2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_08_20_01_05_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_940652e1f4-7512940ea4-677570646&mc_cid=417dcfd6f2&mc_eid=cc8a99e792]. IUCN: Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) [https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6494/43526147]. Atmos, 5/25/2026, by Becca Warner: For more successful farming, follow the forest [https://atmos.earth/climate-solutions/for-more-successful-farming-follow-the-forest/]. Biomimicry Center [https://globalfutures.asu.edu/biomimicry-center/], Arizona State University. The Guardian, 5/24/2026, editorial: Could nature itself hold the solution to climate change? [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/may/24/could-nature-itself-hold-the-solution-to-climate-change?utm_term=6a142380d298ff5f87db928d803b925a&utm_campaign=USMorningBriefing&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=usbriefing_email] Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Podcast: Hidden 'forever chemicals' found in Great Lakes fish raise new health concerns

A recent study found dozens of previously unidentified PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in Lake Huron’s water, fish and mussels, suggesting contamination is more widespread than previously thought. Some PFAS are linked to serious health risks, but most of the thousands of PFAS compounds in use remain poorly studied. The episode features Clarkson University environmental chemist Bernard Crimmins, who explains the advanced testing method the researchers used to find new PFAS chemicals, a fishing charter captain describing his concerns around PFAS and other contaminants in fish in the Great Lakes, and a Michigan representative who talks about a bill she introduced to limit PFAS in consumer products but which failed. Together, their insights highlight the growing challenge of understanding the health and environmental impacts of PFAS pollution across the Great Lakes region and globally. Key points: 1:29 – A 2025 study finds dozens of previously unknown PFAS chemicals in the fish, mussels, and waters of Lake Huron. 3:55 – “Captain Steve” Hubert with Chum Bucket Charters explains his concerns about PFAS in fish and their potential impact on his business. 4:42 – Gillian Miller with Ecology Center outlines the state and federal regulatory structure. 6:06 – A 2024 Michigan bill attempts to limit PFAS in consumer products but is not passed.  Resources: To read this article, check out my Substack newsletter Nature Signals [https://ruththornton.substack.com/]. Resources: Study: Ren et al., 2025. Suspect screening and nontargeted analysis of polyfluoroalkyl substances in Lake Huron water and biota [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0380133025000012]. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 51(2):102507. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) [https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc]. European Food Safety Authority: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) [https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas]. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: PFAS explained [https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained].  Study: Yu et al., 2025. A global overview of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance regulatory strategies and their environmental impact [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12030800/]. Toxics, 13(4): 251. Michigan Eat Safe Fish Guides [https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental-health/topics/eatsafefish/guides]. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]