Palawan forest turtle conservationist Sabine Schoppe dies at age 63

German biologist Sabine Schoppe, who built a refuge for endangered Palawan forest turtles and led conservation efforts for the species, has died at the age of 63, Mongabay reported. [1]

According to Mongabay and Butler Nature, Schoppe organized a major rescue effort in June 2015 after Philippine officials confiscated thousands of turtles from a warehouse in the island province of Palawan. The authorities seized more than 3,800 critically endangered Palawan forest turtles, known scientifically as Siebenrockiella leytensis, which were kept in cement tanks awaiting illegal export. [1][3][4]

Mongabay reported that the animals were found piled up to a dozen deep in the tanks. Many of the rescued turtles suffered from open wounds on their feet, shell ulcers, or bites from other crowded turtles. [1]

The Palawan forest turtle is a freshwater turtle species endemic to the Palawan island group in the Philippines. It is classified as critically endangered and is locally known as bakoko in the Cuyonon language. [4]