Field Season is Over, Now the Real Work Starts (With Your Help)!
Hello everyone,
First off, I have some exciting news! While we did not meet our funding goal on our original timeline, Experiment believes we can make it and has given us an extension! We have 15 days left to fundraise, so please consider sharing this project with your friends, family, and any other reptile lovers that you may know. Let’s help save turtles using science!
Our field season has wrapped up for the year. During Blanding’s Bowl we evaluated and sampled about 50 turtles! Ultimately, Timmy Pignato was the victor after catching an impressive number of previously-unknown turtles. Great job!
We now have data and samples for RNA virus testing in over 200 turtles from multiple counties across Illinois. The only thing we need now is funding so that we can perform RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and PCR. The next lab update will provide a little more background on why RNA viruses are important for turtle health, and why we should consider them when planning turtle conservation activities.
I’d like to wrap up by recognizing our recent backers, Deb Kazmerzak, Arden Engel, Aubrey Engel (turtle catcher extraordinaire), Danny Psaltis, Katherine Engel, Rick Wolff, Rodney Lewis, J Van Cleeff, and WEEMING!
Thank you all for your continued support!
-Dr. Laura
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