Educational Media Reviews Online

This documentary chronicles the attempts made by Richard Ogust to keep a group of endangered species in captivity until the time and conditions are right to re-introduce them to the wild; a practice called “assurance colonies” or “arks”. For those who have not heard of Mr. Ogust, he was keeping such “assurance colonies”, totaling over 1,200 turtles and tortoises, in his Manhattan penthouse. When neighbors finally complained and he was displaced, Mr. Ogust set out to create a turtle conservation institute. During the course of this documentary, we see Mr. Ogust giving his turtles to other private individuals also keeping such “arks”. This film has received some very positive reviews based on the emotional appeal of Mr. Gust’s undertaking, including the 2006 “Conservation Award” from the newly launched Bend Film Festival. Unfortunately, we see Mr. Ogust collapse under the weight of his endeavors and ultimately fail to meet his goal. I recommend the video, with reservations, for public libraries. My reservations have to do with the fact that the film neglected to address the impacts, including health issues, associated with private attempts to maintain “assurance colonies.” While this film documents Mr. Ogust’s personal crusade, it fails to address the environmental and biological issues involved. Those interested in learning about turtle biology and conservation may also want to consider two other highly recommended films: Ancient Sea Turtles Stranded in a Modern World and Creatures of the Sun: A Natural History of the Painted Turtle.