Developing Collegial Relationships to Address Hurdles in Ex Situ Turtle Conservation on an Indonesian University Campus

Baba Dioum (a Senagalese forester) stated, “…we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.” Dioum’s words reflect the importance of conservation education. A facet of conservation education is imparting scientific knowledge about conserving ecosystems and wildlife within a local context and taking into consideration sociocultural perspectives [1]. Therefore, we situated our work and this article within sociocultural theory. When developing international collegial relationships, researchers must respect the context of the culture [2] and the social interactions of the individual members of the cultural group [3]. In the case of international collegial relationships, researchers are learning from each other about conservation topics which are culturally and socially mediated from intrapersonal and interpersonal perspectives. These interactions shaped the ways the researchers interacted and addressed local conservation topics. The relationship described below developed between researchers from the University of Bengkulu (UNIB; Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia) and the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG; Greensboro, NC, USA). The leaders of the university groups interacted culturally and socially based on their prior experiences and knowledge.

Below, we describe an instrumental case study by breaking down the work into five sections: (1) the plight of turtles in Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia, (2) turtle conservation efforts at UNIB, (3) the hurdles in turtle conservation at UNIB, (4) reflection and suggestions, and (5) summary: work accomplished and remaining. This is an instrumental case study because we view the authors as insiders sharing their experiences [4] about the development of a turtle conservation program. We bound the case study by definition (group leaders working directly with the project) and context (the interactions between group leaders) [5].

Even though tortoises and semiaquatic turtles are essential elements of biodiversity, they face an uncertain future [6]. More than half of the world’s 356 turtle species are threatened or are already extinct [7]. The 65 turtle species in Southeast Asia are in grave danger [8].

Indonesia, a Southeast Asian country, is comprised of more than 17,000 islands and the fourth highest human population in the world (over 275 million people with a current yearly population growth of 1.07% (https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/indonesia-population/). Indonesia has 781 species of reptiles and amphibians. Their 29 tortoise and semiaquatic turtles face numerous human population-related threats. They are in danger of extirpation due to habitat destruction/loss, degradation, and fragmentation (from deforestation, conversion to intensive agriculture, residential and commercial development, transmigration areas, and logging [7, 9, 10]) and water pollution (siltation and pollutants from sewage, fertilizers, agriculture, and manufacturing [9], pet trade [8, 9, 10], road mortality [9], competition from invasive turtle species [9], disease [7], and the food and traditional medicine trade [9, 10]).

Sumatra, the second largest island in Indonesia, provides habitat for 10 species of native tortoise and freshwater turtles [11]. Some of these turtles are exported to other Asian countries. As of 2000 (this is the most recent data we were able to locate), two companies in the provinces of North Sumatra and Riau exported more than 25 tons of live turtles each week to China, Hong Kong, and Singapore [12]. The Sumatran export trade relies on wild caught or imported turtles as there is no commercial breeding of turtles in Indonesia. A review of the 1998–2007 international trade data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species-listed animals in Southeast Asian nations stated 17.4 million reptiles were exported, nearly all of them wild caught [13]. Indonesia was listed as one of the countries.

Turtles are captured and exported to meet the needs of markets outside Sumatra. “Even though the Indonesian government outlawed turtle exportation in 2002, the illegal trade of turtles…continues” (https://www.turtleconservancy.org/news/2019/4/species-highlight). Conservation monitoring and law enforcement in Sumatra are inadequate and have not been effective at controlling the harvesting of turtles in part because some species with international protection are not protected in Indonesia. For example, only one of the five targeted species in this article is protected in Indonesia: Manouria emys (Peraturan Menteri Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Republik Indonesia Nomor P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018). According to Dr. Ruyani (first author), over the past 10 years, due to land conversion, habitat destruction, and the take for international and Indonesian domestic trade, the 10 species of turtles most recently documented on Sumatra are increasingly difficult to locate. Ruyani believes captive breeding may provide sufficient numbers of individuals to release into habitats, which may be protected in the future. Taking animals out of their natural habitats for research and protection is ex situ conservation. Ruyani began his work with turtles he was gifted and turtles purchased in markets. The turtles were removed from their natural habitats from across Sumatra. To provide the turtles with safe habitats suitable for reproduction, his team of professors and graduate and undergraduate students established or modified five on campus conservation sites. Ruyani asked the UNCG team (figure 1) to partner with his team on the UNIB: A Safe Home for Turtles Project due to UNCG’s previous herpetology focused grant work. In the next section, we examine the development of the turtle conservation focused relationship.

Before proceeding to the next section, discuss the following questions:

1. Researchers and governments sometimes preserve habitat in order to conserve species. Species research completed in the field is called in situ studies. Less often, researchers take individual organisms from their degraded habitats (which no longer adequately support these organisms) to house them in created habitats. Which is best for the well-being of the species ex situ or in situ conservation? Should the species be removed for ex situ conservation if there are conflicts with local people who do not support conservation measures? Why?

2. Does the UNCG team have a right to impose or suggest actions for UNIB to save Sumatran turtles? Why?

3. What might be the similarities and differences in the challenges a conservation program faces in Bengkulu and the United States?

4. What shared core values and beliefs do you think these researchers will need to develop a collegial relationship?

In the following paragraphs, we discuss the development of the collegial partnership between Ruyani and Matthews. We recognize their universities for funding travel and some aspects of the research and the organizations funding the respective herpetology/herpetology education programs (U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] and the National Science Foundation [NSF]). However, this instrumental case study focuses on the relationship development between the leading colleagues and the challenges they faced.

Dr. Aceng Ruyani (first author) was born in 1960 and raised in West Java (Indonesia) near a river and several ponds. His interest in turtles began when he was a child locating turtles using a traditional Indonesian technique of sticking a metal rod into the aquatic substrate and listening for “tokk,” which can indicate the presence of a turtle. His interest in turtles led him to study biology and biology education in the 1980s and become a lecturer at UNIB. At that time, turtles were abundant in Bengkulu. However, Sumatran turtles faced a bleak future. During a visit to a wildlife sales facility, Ruyani discovered that turtles were a commodity and could go extinct without interventions. Before he left the facility, the turtle trader gifted him a few individual turtles of three species (Cyclemys dentata, Cuora amboinensis, and Notochelys platynota). He released the turtles in a habitat he constructed at his home, which began his work in ex situ turtle conservation.

In 1995–1996, Ruyani received funding from the Indonesian Minister of Education to study at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. While exploring experimental research on early amphibian development, he purchased a copy of Turtles of the World [14] and taught himself to identify turtles. His experiences became the basis for recording the existence of turtles in Bengkulu and writing a research grant proposal.

In 1998, Ruyani received funding from the KEHATI Foundation (https://www.kehati.or.id/en/home-en/) to inventory turtles in Kerinci Seblat National Park, the largest national park on Sumatra. This survey of freshwater and terrestrial turtles in Bengkulu confirmed the presence of 10 Sumatran turtle species: Cyclemys dentata, Cuora amboinensis, Siebenrockiella crassicollis, Heosemys spinosa, Manouria emys, Amyda cartilaginea, Notochelys platynotan, Orlitia borneensis, Dogania subplana, and Pelochelys cantorii. In 2006, the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) funded Ruyani’s research and students’ theses work (https://turtlesurvival.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TSANewsletter2006.pdf) focusing on the development of educational content about Bengkulu turtles for teachers and students aged 6–12.

In 2007, his team developed a Biological Garden, which was funded by a government grant from the Republic of Indonesia. He constructed the Biological Garden behind the Biology building on the UNIB campus. The Garden supports academic activities including teaching and learning and serves as a resource for biological research (figure 2). UNIB students from the science teacher training program (future teachers) use the Garden to present turtle programs to school students aged 6–18. Through these projects, he promulgated his work and became known across campus as a turtle specialist. Because of his extensive knowledge of turtles, he was sought after by interested students, including Mr. Deni Parlindungan. In 2010, Parlindungan (second author), who was an undergraduate biology education major at UNIB, took a paid position feeding and caring for the turtles in the Biological Garden. Parlindungan completed his biology education masters’ program and is now a lecturer at UNIB and works with the ex situ turtle conservation program.

Dr. Matthews, who is a professor in the science teacher education program at UNCG, became interested in herpetology in high school. Her interests in herpetology expanded during her university work and experiences with herpetology groups, such as the Kansas and Idaho Herpetological Societies. She was fascinated with the abundance and easy access of backyard amphibians and reptiles but disheartened by the general public’s common perception of herps as unappealing. These notions prompted her to use herps while teaching science education and environmental education concepts in her science education courses. To fund her herpetology work, she received a US$2.7 million NSF grant—The Herpetology Education in Rural Places and Spaces Project (HERP; https://theherpproject.uncg.edu). The HERP Project provided opportunities for her science education students (future teachers) and their students aged 6–18 to participate in herping—setting up aquatic turtle traps, identifying, measuring, marking turtles, and recording data.

In 2011, Ruyani invited Matthews to join him in his turtle conservation efforts at UNIB. Matthews traveled to UNIB in 2012. During her time at UNIB, she presented workshops on informal science education (teaching science outside the classroom) and inquiry learning (builds on student curiosity). Additionally, she visited the Biological Garden, off-site schools in Bengkulu and surrounding areas, and university classrooms and worked with Ruyani and his students to determine best teaching practices for the educational programs in the Biological Garden. She reproduced some of The HERP Project work in Bengkulu through teacher workshops and presentations at schools for students aged 10–18. Additionally, she spearheaded faculty and student short-term residencies in both countries.

In 2015, Ruyani received a Partnership for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) grant, Developing Science and Learning Research Capacity of Bengkulu University in Ex Situ Conservation of Sumatran Freshwater and Terrestial Turtles, funded by USAID to support the project we describe in this article. He used the funding to purchase turtles from turtle traders or wildlife sales facilities, establish and/or prepare five different conservation areas at UNIB to house turtles and tortoises, and develop locations for conducting turtle research with school and university students. Additionally, the grant funded the development of turtle-focused learning modules for educators who teach students aged 6–18.

The PEER funding supported hiring Parlindungan as the UNIB field manager of turtle conservation. During his appointment, Parlindungan interacted with visiting international education and science faculty, researchers, and students, worked with the turtles, and attended workshops on turtle breeding in Jakarta, Indonesia, and turtle egg incubation in Vietnam.

Matthews returned to UNIB in 2016 for eight days accompanied by two colleagues, selected specifically to meet the needs of the UNIB turtle conservation PEER project. She recruited Ms. Ann Somers, a UNCG Lecturer in the Biology Department and a founder of the North Carolina Herpetological Society, and Mr. John Groves, curator emeritus of reptiles and amphibians at the North Carolina Zoological Park. The team worked (and continues to work electronically) with the UNIB faculty and students to address challenges in turtle conservation. This collaborative effort was supported and funded by USAID.

In 2013 and 2016, Ruyani visited the United States to strengthen the relationship between UNIB and UNCG. In 2016, he spent time at The International Crane Foundation (ICF) and the TSA. These organizations offer excellent examples of successful ex situ conservation efforts. The ICF located in Baraboo, WI, USA, was important because its mission is to conserve worldwide all 15 crane species and the ecosystems, watersheds, and flyways on which they depend. The ICF addresses sustaining healthy landscapes for cranes, people, and biological diversity (www.savingcranes.org). They model ex situ conservation efforts, successful breeding around the world, and restoration of crane habitats in many countries. The TSA was organized in 2001 in response to the Asian Turtle Crisis. TSA is a global partnership (with its central base the Turtle Survival Center in South Carolina, USA) focusing on turtle species at high risk of extinction in turtle diversity hotspots around the world. Widely recognized as a global catalyst for turtle conservation based on its reputation for swift and decisive action, the TSA made a bold commitment to zero turtle extinctions in the twenty-first century. The organization is successful with ex situ and in situ turtle conservation worldwide. TSA funded one of Ruyani’s herpetological conservation education programs in 2006 described earlier in this article.

The support of UNIB and UNCG to the partnership was crucial to its success and led to a robust exchange of ideas and innovations in Indonesia and the United States. The UNIB project is supported currently by a grant from the Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (2018), Initiating Informal Science Education and Conservation Education at the Campus of Bengkulu University: Herpetofauna Project-Based Learning. Additionally, the conservation discourse is supported by local stakeholders including the UNIB campus, the local conservation authority, the Governor of Bengkulu, and the Indonesian Herpetological Society. However, there is no financial commitment.

In 2017, to share the relationship they developed, Ruyani and Matthews published a chapter (“A Comparative Look at Informal Science Education and Environmental Education in Bengkulu Province, Indonesia and NC, USA”) in Dr. Patrick’s (editor, third author) book, Preparing Informal Science Educators [15]. After reading about their turtle conservation efforts, Patrick visited Ruyani in 2016 because she was interested in the international collaboration, student excitement and involvement in the project, and how students were mentored. During her trip, she presented workshops on biology education, conservation challenges, and informal science education. Based on her interest in the turtle conservation program, she applied for and received a Fulbright grant (2019–2020) to study Ruyani and his mentoring relationship with students. She discovered students viewed Ruyani as a father/grandfather. Students looked up to him because of his guidance, kindness, knowledge, and passion for the environment and conservation. These characteristics supported students in their development of turtle natural history and conservation concerns.

Before proceeding to the next section, discuss the following questions:

1. What additional support for the relationship between Ruyani and Matthews described above might benefit the efforts to conserve turtles? What organizations would you approach for funding?

2. What hurdles do you believe the team might encounter?

3. If you were building a team to address a conservation hurdle, who would you include on the team? Why? What disagreements do you believe might arise between researchers from different countries? How could they navigate these?

4. What roles do culture, politics, religion, economics, and social beliefs play in conservation efforts at the local, national, and international level?

We note that developing an international partnership requires patience, respect, consideration, diligence, tactfulness, and resilience from both parties. We suggest as partnerships develop between universities from different countries collaborators take into account faculty and students who (1) speak different native languages, (2) hold unfamiliar religious beliefs, and (3) view teaching from different pedagogical perspectives. For example, in our case, we merged programs from a university, UNCG, where all students and faculty members speak English, which is often the only language in which they are proficient, with UNIB where most students and faculty members speak at least two languages—their local indigenous language and Bahasa Indonesia. The Indonesian authors on this article speak English as a third language. Eighty-seven percent of Indonesians are Muslim (https://www.statista.com/statistics/1113891/indonesia-share-of-population-by-religion/); 65% of citizens in the United States identify as Christian (https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/). At UNCG, religious holidays are not celebrated, while at UNIB, classes or workshops are halted during the day while students pray. Instruction is permeated with dominant religious beliefs at UNIB. At UNCG, there is insistence on separation of church and state. UNCG professors implement various pedagogical strategies including direct instruction, inquiry instruction, cooperative learning, and project-based learning, but UNIB professors predominantly practice a direct instruction teaching method.

Even though authors were united by their concern and care for turtle conservation, they came from different places. Indonesia is a developing country with less access to materials and supplies. Additionally, religion and love are central tenets of the curriculum. The United States is a developed country where materials and supplies are readily accessible and religion and love are not germane to the curriculum. These differences became a driving force for their success. In addition to co-constructing a collegial relationship, the teams offered various areas of expertise in different roles with the same notion to guide the project toward the best possible outcomes—safe homes for turtles. Even though the UNIB–UNCG alliance received much attention and funding, the program faced challenges, which may be encountered by other multicountry conservation programs. We describe each hurdle below and include greater detail in table 1 with a description, group response, and resolution of the hurdle.

UNIB designed five conservation areas on campus to support the release of five different turtle species (figures 3–7). However, some of these enclosures did not contain the turtles released. UNIB personnel believed the forested area around the campus might create a safe extension for captive turtles. However, this did not prove effective. While a small number of turtles did breed successfully, turtles disappeared or were killed by motorbikes. The UNCG team (figure 1) worked with researchers to determine best design practices and modifications for habitat enclosures (table 1).

The UNIB USAID PEER grant focused on the release of five Sumatran aquatic and terrestrial turtle species (2021 IUCN status): Cyclemys dentata (Near Threatened [16]), Cuora amboinensis (Endangered [17]), Siebenrockiella crassicollis (Vulnerable [18]), Heosemys spinosa (Endangered [19]), and Manouria emys (Critically Endangered [20]; figure 8). UNIB had no clear plan to monitor the presence of turtles in each conservation area and assess their health. Turtles were released in four ponds and one terrestrial area. Seining and hoop net trapping (as appropriate-depending on depth of water) occurred in the ponds to determine the presence of the organisms. The UNCG and UNIB teams worked together to design monitoring protocols and health assessments for turtles in each conservation area.

The UNIB’s goal is to breed turtles ex situ and increase offspring survival by providing safe areas for turtles. The UNCG team provided breeding recommendations. Progress is being made with respect to breeding. The UNCG and UNIB regularly communicate about incubating eggs. All five species of turtles (one near threatened, one vulnerable, two endangered, and one critically endangered) have laid eggs (table 2). The vulnerable species’ (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) eggs and one of the endangered species’ eggs (Cuora amboinensis) have successfully hatched and young are thriving.

University research programs depend on external funding; however, external funding is competitive and not all worthy proposals are funded. UNIB and UNCG waited years to initiate some of the programs described in this case study because of the lack of funding. The availability of continuous funding is vital in supporting work of this nature. When the team identified the challenges of securing and maintaining funding and time limits, they realized they must be diligent, focused, and patient to accomplish their goals.

Before proceeding to the next section, discuss the following questions:

1. In what ways did the teams work together to support the turtles? What more could they have done?

2. Should ex situ studies be supported by funding agencies? Why or why not? If so, when and how long?

3. Universities and funding agencies in both countries provided significant financial support for the partnership projects described in this case. When funding is not available, what are the options for subsidizing conservation programs?

4. What should be the next steps considering their lack of funding?

5. How should funding agencies determine who and what species receive funding?

Today, our relationships are strong and we are dedicated to conserving Sumatran turtles. We frequently communicate by way of email and social media. We all care deeply about the herpetology/herpetology education programs in both countries. We believe it is our responsibility to keep all interested authors informed and engaged about herpetology activity in our geographic areas. Upon reflection, we do have suggestions for future endeavors and for others who may consider developing international partnerships.

• Establish a set of guidelines for the partnership with clear goals and objectives. Establishing partnership guidelines early is important and necessary when applying for funding. However, we offer a word of caution. Due to the cultural, institutional, religious, and societal differences, all involved must understand the relationship will evolve. As with any group, partners must get to know each other and develop strategies for reconciling various working styles and institutional and grantor/grantee expectations.

• Relationships should be long-term. However, teams should be prepared to lose and gain members. The team should focus on the success of the project above all as membership is often dynamic.

• Partners should be involved and supported financially in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project. Team members must have regular face-to-face collaborations and visits and clearly understand the strength each member brings to the project. During our early work, some misconceptions were evident. Ruyani assumed Matthews was experienced in breeding endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles, because she was a Principal Investigator on a herpetology education NSF-funded project. When she arrived in Indonesia for the first time, he asked her for help with breeding. However, she did not have experience in breeding. This example illuminates the assumptions that distant partners may have about others’ capacities.

• Use a translator. Even when collaborators share a language, someone may be speaking it as a secondary language. A language barrier makes communication difficult and promotes miscommunication as described above. Our navigation of the roles and responsibilities were compounded by a language barrier. Carefully, tactfully, and earnestly, we tackled challenges and developed a strong relationship.

• Research the academic customs of the partner institution. UNIB faculty and students have broader defined roles than they do at UNCG. For example, Ruyani has a joint appointment in the Biology and Biology Education programs. He is expected to make contributions to both fields in order to advance his career. Matthews’ appointment in Teacher Education required that she make contributions to the field of teacher education although she was not discouraged from working collaboratively with UNCG science faculty. Additionally, UNIB works under fewer human subjects and animal research project guidelines. Research preparation and monitoring requirements to study both humans and animals are extensive at UNCG.

• Develop a local conservation education program focusing on your conservation hurdle. If conservation is to be durable and sustainable, then education must be a primary goal. The UNIB team developed classroom modules for public schools and the UNCG team presented conservation workshops for UNIB and UNCG students, K–12 students, and members of the local community. The words of Baba Dioum underlie all of our conservation programs acknowledging that our teachings lead to understandings which lead to love which lead to conservation.

• When developing conservation programs, teams should take into account local community knowledge related to the problem. Local environmental knowledge and the relationship people have with local organisms are a part of their Sense of Conservation, which cannot be separated from conservation action (AA). When designing and implementing programs, conservationists should examine, evaluate, compare, and contrast the knowledge people have of their local flora and fauna. “Every person in the community has a role to play in local conservation and generating and creating an awareness of local opportunities to implement conservation practices” (BB). Educational programs with local people, where ex situ and in situ conservation work with tortoises and semiaquatic turtles is ongoing, is of paramount importance in both Indonesia and the United States.

Now that you have read the entire case study, discuss these final questions:

1. We quoted Baba Dioum at the beginning of this case study. How do you believe this study reflects his words?

2. We state, “a facet of conservation education is imparting scientific knowledge about conserving ecosystems and wildlife within a local context and taking into consideration sociocultural perspectives.” How did the teams meld conservation of turtles and their sociocultural perspectives? How could they do a better job?

3. Initial efforts to resolve many problems in our countries/societies are fraught with errors. Often, these errors are not reported in scientific studies although they can sometimes be traced through documents on the history of science or the history of the project. Should writers be encouraged to describe their efforts that failed? Why? Where? What can we learn from these reports?

4. What did the researchers in this case study do well? Where could they improve? How can their experiences help others who embark on international partnerships?

The UNIB–UNCG collaboration has been quite successful for the authors on this article. The tortoise and semiaquatic turtle conservation efforts at UNIB began in 1998 and continue to the present. In 2018, UNIB received funding from the Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia to support the collaborative research that is ongoing, Initiating Informal Science Education and Conservation Education at the Campus of Bengkulu University: Herpetofauna Project-Based Learning. We continue to work together to support turtle conservation and search for funding to support these efforts. Examining the key points of the case study as presented in our Reflections and Suggestions (e.g., establishing a long-term partnership where goals and objectives are established by partners who strive to understand the differences in institutions, societies, and cultures while remaining focused on the similar goal they share—to establish safe homes for turtles) may offer insights to others hoping to establish international conservation-based partnerships.

The authors thank their respective universities and funding agencies for their support and their willingness to embrace this international educational partnership and also thank all former participants and affiliates in the Herpetology Education in Rural Places and Spaces Project. They express their gratitude to Bengkulu University leaders (Dr. Ridwan Nurazi, Dr. Rambat Nursasongko, Dr. Sudarwan Danim, and Dr. Sigit Sudjatmiko) who supported the space for ex situ conservation areas and management for orderly project administration and thank Bengkulu University researchers (Dr. Agus Sundaryono, Dr. Bhakti Karyadi, Dr. Hery Suhartoyo, Dr. Wiryono) and U.S. partners (Mr. John Groves, Ms. Ann Somers, Dr. Terry Tomasek, and Mr. Jeff Hall), who provided valuable academic advice to ensure the project ran smoothly. Undergraduates from University of Bengkulu (Annisa Puji Astuti) and University of North Carolina Greensboro (Douglas Lawton and Allison Sermarini) provided valuable assistance.

AR and CM completed the initial writing, acquired funding, and provided resources. DP collected data and added information to the draft. PP developed pedagogical perspectives for the Sense of Conservation, provided supportive writing and reviewing, and revised and edited the final submission.

The authors declare no competing interests exist.

The work in Bengkulu and NC was supported by the University of Bengkulu, U.S. Agency for International Development’s Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research, the Indonesian government, the National Science Foundation, and University of North Carolina Greensboro.