Drop by and see us tomorrow at the Mississauga Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo.

Where can you go and see over 20,000 square feet of snakes, lizards, amphibians, insects, parrots, turtles, tortoises, arachnids, small animals, fish, corals, supplies for all and novelties for most....

Well here it is this Sunday February 22nd at the Capital Banquet Hall located at 6435 Dixie Rd in Mississauga From 9 am to 4 pm you will be marveled at the animals on display for one day. Over 125 tables of Canada's leading breeders and providers of the Exotic Small Pet Hobby will be on hand for Ontario's largest Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo.

For more information check out the website at www.reptileexpo.ca or www.reptilescanada.com.

Hope to see you there!

There are many needs at Caño Palma Biological Station and at our office in Canada. Right now we are in need of:

• Your favorite biology and ecology technical books for the library
• Binoculars and spotting scope
• Night vision binoculars and scope
• Good power tools - because the salt air and humidity have ruined most of what we have
• 18 volt cordless drill
• Butterfly nets and mist nets - for capturing and identifying insects, bats and birds
• Dissecting microscopes - for continual research
• Small portable backpack gasoline powered generator - to use away from usual power sources
• Digital movie camera - for filming wildlife
• Motion sensitive cameras to monitor wildlife migrations in the forest
• 5 drawer lateral filing cabinet
• Ink cartridges for HP #'s 27,28,56,57

Take a guided tour through one of the most diverse reptile and amphibian regions of Central America Travel with a recognized expert to regions in Limon Province visited by some of the most famous herpetologists in the world Come face to face with species you thought you’d only see in cages

WHEN: End of March, 2009
COST: $2,800—$3,000 all inclusive (alcohol & souvenirs excluded)
CONTACT:
COTERC OFFICE (905) 831-8809 or by email

Tuesday February 7, 2009 was another fun Euchre Tournament night with a full 9 table of players! The night raised $731.00 to help COTERC in our work here and in Costa Rica. Amy Lathrop took home Highest Score Female, while Dan Anderson took High Score Male. Kevin and Annette Omura took home certificates for the most Honest Male and the Most Honest Female. The most lone hands certificate was taken home by Marc Sammons.

A special thanks to Amy Lathrop for making up new table signs and rule sheets and to Brad Hubley for bringing along a great selection of tunes for the evening. Thanks to Blue Enright for arranging to lug all the goods to the event and to Barry McKee who, although feeling poorly was also there to help. Once again Fran Mason and others were quick to lend a hand, which was greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to the Bulk Barn in Pickering at Liverpool Road for providing some cost breaks on goodies for the evening.

We hope everyone had a good time and look forward to hearing from you! Thanks to all those that attended.

- June Enright

COTERC is raising funds to build another 200 meters of boardwalk at the Caño Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica.

Josh from Destination Conservation is shown here working with his Son on the boardwalk.

The boardwalk along the Colibri trail provides access to the forest ecosystem while preserving delicate plant life and water quality during times of flooding. Visiting tour groups from local lodges and local residents can easily access this trail but need interpretive information to gain the most benefit from their experience.



Please help us reach our goal.

Sea turtles face various threats from a vast number of natural predators, however it is the impact of human activities which have threatened their survival the most. Bycatch from the industrial fishing fleets, loss of nesting habitat due to beach development and poaching for their products (i.e tortoiseshell) or direct human consumption, have threatened all sea turtle populations, pushing some to the brink of extinction. Many conservation programs, governments, scientists and concerned citizens alike have been working to help save these animals by developing stewardship programs, new technologies (i.e. Turtle Excluding Devices which prevent trawling by-catch) and protective laws.

However a new threat has arisen which could counteract these successful efforts – global warming. As reptiles, sea turtles are more susceptible to changes in their thermal surroundings since they regulate their body temperature environmentally rather than metabolically. Furthermore, sea turtles exhibit temperature-sex-determination (TSD). That is, the sex of the hatchling is determined from the temperature it experiences as a developing egg in the nest. Warmer temperatures produce females and cooler temperatures produce males with intermediary temperatures producing mixed ratios of both sexes. Incubating sea turtle eggs also have upper lethal limits - if sand temperatures become too hot, embryogenesis will not succeed. Thus, with increasing climatic temperatures beaches face either feminization – all hatchlings produced are female, or ultimately - fatality due to lethal temperatures.

Another problem from climate change that sea turtles face is rising sea level from glacial melting due to increasing temperatures. If the beach has nowhere to progress landwards, significant nesting habitat may be lost completely. This is of particular concern in the Caribbean as most beaches are at low-lying elevations and human development prevents inward progression.

As sea turtles nest on the beach they were born on, high nest productivity is the major source of recruitment for a population. In other words, little to no recruitment results from individuals migrating from other populations. Thus, loss of suitable nesting ground in addition to beach feminization, could lead to complete population failure in localized areas.

Costa Rican beaches are not exempt from these potential problems. So what can we do to help prevent these potential problems from affecting these magnificent animals in Costa Rica? COTERC, in partnership with McMaster University, will begin a three year research project starting in Feb. 2009 to address these issues. Investigations into the current sex ratios being produced and mapping potential nesting habitat loss using GIS technology will begin. This research will allow for conservation policies and strategies to be developed and implemented before the problems arise, helping us to continue to protect these magnificent animals.

I would like to acknowledge COTERC for providing logistical support and the Donner Canadian Foundation for funding this important project, and my advisor Dr. Patricia Chow-Fraser, Office of Research Services, McMaster University.

April Stevens

Originally Published in Raphia Winter 2009

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is Canada's premier polytechnic where education and training are enhanced through applied research, technology transfer and innovation activities. SAIT conducts applied research based on identified industry need aimed at meeting their objectives.

The Bachelor of Applied Technology Geographic Information Systems Program is collaborating with COTERC to use spatial information tools in support of conservation-focused research activities. The initial phase will see this year's group of students providing base digital maps and spatial analysis of large mammals in the Caño Palma Bio logical Station area.

The students will use information provided by COTERC and the Costa Rican Government in completing a major project." COTERC is very pleased to establish this relationship with SAIT, and we look forward to some fascinating findings from their students.

COTERC volunteers provided invaluable support to several fund raising events, and other initiatives, in 2009. Annette Simms proactively undertook the task of designing and writing fact sheets for animal and plant species found at, or near, the Cano Palma Research Station in Costa Rica.

Forty-four colourful and informative sheets have been produced to date and can be found on the COTERC website under the Education tab. Thanks to Annette Buchkowski who has also contributed fact sheets to the collection. Volunteer, Sara Yeomans has created an attractive pamphlet to support a new fund raising campaign called HUG (Help Us Grow). This campaign lends itself to “gift giving” for special occasions. Packages range from $35 and comes with a personalized certificate and the fact sheet of your choice- to a $250 purchase of a quarter of an acre of Costa Rican rainforest. Other opportunities include “Monitor a Monkey”, “Tag a Travelling Turtle” and “Support Research of Migratory Birds”. There is definitely something for everyone on your list. (hint – think Valentine’s Day)

On June 14 COTERC launched a new fund raiser to support conservation work in Costa Rica. The event was hosted by Reptilia in Vaughan, home to Canada’ largest crocodile, venomous snake and rattlesnake! The diversity of intriguing reptiles and amphibians produced the perfect setting for an exhibition of art featuring plants, animals and landscapes.

A big thank you to Susan Kunanec who, for over a year, has done a tremendous job of organizing and updating the membership data base. Susan has visited the research station in Costa Rica numerous times and is a big supporter of COTERC.

Over $2,000 was raised with the support and generosity of the 16 participating artists and the guests who bought admission tickets and kept on giving throughout the evening. Hats off to the small but mighty group of volunteers who helped make such a success of the evening – managing everything from bartending and preparing delicious horsd’oeuvres to registration and selling art. Thanks to Reptilia’s manager, Josh Feltham, who made all the necessary adjustments to the venue and educated and entertained guests with live animal demonstrations. The second annual art show and sale will take place at Reptilia in April 2009 – stay tuned for details.

Volunteers continued to help the Fiesta Verde event run without a glitch in October of this year. This is a much bigger affair than the art sale and so it was a relief to have on hand a small army of volunteers! I feel honoured to work with such a committed (and fun) group of people - thank
you - to all of you.

And finally – we need more COTERC members. Members support the organization financially and bring ideas to enrich the programs and broaden our spectrum. Please invite your friends and family to join in the New Year – a lot is going on both in Canada and Costa Rica that is both exciting and worthwhile. If you have suggestions for how we can increase membership, please get in touch with me or any of the COTERC board members.

Caroline Greenland
Membership & Volunteer Development

Originally published in Raphia Winter 2009