Initiatives
vildwerk. is proud to support the following initatives:
#therubyinitiative
Ruby is a Burmese Roofed Turtle (Batagur trivittata) from Myanmar, a country engaged in an ongoing civil war. She is one of the rarest turtles currently in North America and might soon become extinct without intense conservation efforts to save her kind. In fact, Ruby is one of the very last of her kind.
Ruby arrived in the U.S. after being smuggled across borders from Myanmar to a wet-market in Hong Kong, where she was abused for 20 years, kept in a dark basement in a cage too small to allow her to move freely or even turn around. She was a third the size of a normal turtle her age. Since being rescued from captivity, Ruby has been housed in a hidden location in the U.S. where she is finally growing and thriving. Ruby is extremely sought after by poachers and smugglers because many people collect rare and almost extinct turtles or tortoises as status symbols, living with them as pets. Collectors pay many hundreds of thousands of dollars to “possess” such animals. It is a desire to own the ” Last Unicorn” and leads to the increased risk of extinction of these beautiful animals.
vildwerk. is grateful for the opportunity to shed light on Ruby’s plight and tell her story in hope of helping to establish an assurance colony of her species, with hatchlings eventually being re-wilded to Myanmar, so that this species can thrive in her native habitat in the wild.
Thank you Wildlife Conservation Society, Turtle Conservancy, Re:Wild and all of the other dedicated wildlife experts who fight – every single day – for her survival and her vital position in the circle of life and a valued component of our ecosystem. Thank you to choreographer Joshua Beamish and Mara Galeazzi (Principal The Royal Ballet) for creating The Golden Turtle for vildwerk.
#nameaturtle
“When live wild animals and plants are seized at U.S. ports of entry, it is critical to provide the highest standard of care as quickly as possible. It is also essential to grant safe and appropriate housing for species that cannot be returned to their country of origin.” — Martha Williams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director.
Help support a confiscated turtle and form a deeper connection with an animal in need of local conservation efforts.
Name an Eastern Box Turtle, Wood Turtle, Blanding’s turtle, Bog Turtle, Spotted Turtle or Map Turtle and join U.S Fish and Wildlife, together with Turtle Conservancy, in their efforts to re-wild these precious animals back into their native habitat.
Levels of support include:
- Name a turtle $100/year
- Name a turtle and visit your turtle $250
- Name a turtle and take part in annual confiscated turtle counting with US Fish and Wildlife and other volunteers in New Jersey $500.
Read more: NPR The slowest of trailblazers: Better DNA testing means trafficked turtles can go home.
#protectthecaves
the yucatán peninsula karst aquifer in mexico is one of the most extensive and spectacular karst aquifer systems on the planet. award winning photographer and design innovator, vildwerk. supporter Martin Broen captured these spectacular underwater caves for the first time in the history in a breathtaking manner like never before. vildwerk. is proud to be part of an initiative that helps support the protection of these caves as national heritage sites. Email [email protected] for more information.
#exploregalapagos
Be a conservationist – Join vildwerk. on April 4th, 2025 for an unforgettable ten day trip to Galápagos aboard National Geographic Endeavour II with Lindblad Expeditions. Experience wildlife conservation at one of the earth’s most diverse hot spots and seek inspiration from Turtle Conservancy board member and keynote speaker Professor Craig Stanford at an unforgettable journey. Places are very limited. Email [email protected] to sign up.
