The New York Turtle and Tortoise Society

Remembering Peter Pritchard, 1943–2020

In Memoriam: Peter C. H. Pritchard

June 26, 1943–February 25, 2020

The most well-known and celebrated turtle conservationist and scientist has died. NYTTS members enjoyed many of his lectures at our Annual Seminar meetings over the years. Indeed, nearly everyone interested in turtles knew of him and have at least one of his books. His passing is a great loss to the turtle world. We received this announcement today:

The Turtle Conservancy Mourns the Loss of its Founder, Dr. Peter Charles Howard Pritchard.

A visionary in the world of conservation. A man of immense intellect, integrity and a source of inspiration around the globe. We are committed to continuing his legacy and join a global community of scientists, researchers and friends in honoring a man who has made an indelible impression on the world through his life’s work.






The World Honors Peter Pritchard

The African Sea Turtle Newsletter has published a special issue to honor the memory of Peter Pritchard, compiling a remark­able collection of tibutes from scientists, colleagues and the worldwide turtle community. To view this document online, go to African Sea Turtle Newsletter. Or download the document directly.

See also Senegalese biologist and activist Tomas Diagne’s tribure to Prichard and overview of African turtle and toroises “Saving African freshwater turtle and tortoises” (YouTube video).


The Turtle Planet

We honor the memory of Peter C.H. Pritchard, who passed away February 25, 2020, at the age of 76 after a long illness.
The 14th Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles (New Orleans, 2016)
honored Peter Pritchard for his life time accomplishments. Produced by the Turtles Conservancy.


The scientists paying tribute to Peter in this video, in order of their first appearance, are as follows:
  1. Russell Mittermeier, Turtle Survival Alliance
  2. Rick Hudson, Turtle Survival Alliance
  3. Eric Goode, Filmmaker and Conservationist
  4. Craig Stanford, Professor of Biological Sciences and Anthropology at the University of Southern California
  5. John Iverson, Turtle Conservancy; author of A Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of Turtles of the World
  6. Ross Kiester, Chief Program Officer for the Turtle Conservancy
  7. Bernard Devaux, Village des Tortues (Turtle Village), Carnoules in the Var, France
  8. James O. Juvik, Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, Emeritus, University of Hawai'i at Hilo
  9. Roger Wood, former Director of Research, The Wetlands Institute, and Professor Emeritus of Biology, Stockton University

     “Peter Pritchard’s vast turtle, tortoise collection in Oviedo heads to California”
     by By Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel. Updated: February 25, 2021