Posted on: 2018-08-17 10:30:29
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Recent turtle news you may have missed.
Lots of sea turtle news as nesting continues & hatching has begun.
Also a turtle knows which door to choose to find lunch. Turtles vs hippo?! And can artificial islands help save river turtles?
Plus much more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
American box turtles have been staying out of the news again this week.
But a pretty little member of the Asian box turtle family is critically endangered. Sadly that’s not stopping poachers from trying to find every last one.
Pet trade puts Hong Kong’s golden coin turtle in serious danger of extinction: This Asian box turtle (genus Cuora) can fetch HK$100,000 in pet shops, making poaching a lucrative business. This little turtle is rarely found in the wild anywhere except Hong Kong. 😥
And for a smile, a happy albino cutie:
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Turtle rescues, nests, and hatchlings. A hungry, hungry turtle and a funny-lookin’ box turtle. We found ‘em all and more this week. And yes, there’s a couple of hatchling videos to squeal over. 😍
But first, some very important turtle naming news …
Did you vote in the loggerhead naming contest? Did your favorite name win? In case you missed it, the Virginia Living Museum announced its ambassador’s new name … (You’ll have to click to find out which name won!)
Turtle rescues
Silly turtle, pools aren’t for hatchlings! This disoriented little hatchling got lucky. He was found in time, and someone knew what to do (in this case call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). Would you know what to do if you found a turtle in your pool drain?
Another snapper rescued from the road: This was a big one (40 pounds!) in Massachusetts. It’s unclear if he received a citation. 😉 Includes pictures.
Mama turtle’s last act: She didn’t survive an encounter with a lawn mower. But she made sure her eggs did. See video of one of them hatching. 💚
Sea turtle nest news
Ten Thousand Islands Refuge closes 3 beaches to protect turtle nests: Nesting has declined over the years, and they want to give the nests they do have a chance at successful hatching. (Florida)
Would turtle nests in your back yard upset you? For some Belleair shore residents the answer is yes. Technically these nests are on the beach, but some are right by residents’ yards. And the problem is apparently that turtles didn’t put them there … they were relocated from other less safe areas. (Florida)
Sea turtle hatchings & nest excavation news
Daytime hatching on Key West beach: Watch the little loggerheads toddle down a path created just for them, funneling them right to the water. 💚
Watch adorable little hatchling crawl across sand: That’s it; just a 33 second, close-up of its journey toward the sea. We could watch it all day … 💚
Nest excavation on Flagler Beach (Florida): The nests are hatching & Turtle Patrol checks on each 3 days after hatching. This nest had one little straggler. Includes video & pictures.
Loggerhead nest excavation on Ocracoke beach (North Carolina): This nest yielded a couple dozen little cuties left behind. They were released into the water later in the day. Includes pictures.
Nest excavation on Fort Morgan Beach (Alabama): This was another nest with lots of stragglers. Watch some of the sand-covered little cuties crawl across the sand. Includes video & pictures.
Sea turtle releases
Peach and Fuzzy Wuzzy and 4 friends finally head home: Most of last winter’s cold-stunned turtles have already gone back to sea. But these 6 needed longer rehab, and earlier this week it was finally time! Includes pictures. (Massachusetts)
Leechy is swimming free again after miraculous recovery: She got her name from the leeches covering her body when she was found. She was so sick Sea Turtle Inc staff didn’t expect her to survive the night much less ever recover. But that didn’t stop them from giving her every chance to do just that … and so she did. 💚 (South Padre Island, Texas)
Help the sea turtles
Want to help the turtles but aren’t sure how? Here are some ideas we came across this week.
Adopt a sea turtle: Symbolically of course. When you adopt one of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center patients you get a letter from your turtle, a picture of your turtle, monthly updates about your turtle & more.
Do you live in/near St. Johns County, Florida? Have you ever wanted to get hands-on to help the sea turtles? Now’s your chance! The county is looking for volunteers to look for “washback” baby sea turtles and do beach cleanups now through November.
Volunteer with the Caretta Research Project: You’ll have to be near Savannah, Georgia for this opportunity. Or you can donate or buy merchandise to support the project.
Miscellaneous turtle news
Turtle comes looking for lunch every summer: For the past 10 years or so a turtle has been visiting a pair of sisters every summer looking for lunch. 😮 Apparently he has discovered there is, in fact, such a thing as a free lunch (at least for a cute turtle)!
Protecting Texas’ turtles: The state wildlife board is about to vote on a proposal to ban all commercial trapping
A case of serious mistaken identity: A family found a “box turtle” & decided to keep it as a pet. Keeping wildlife as a pet is illegal in Virginia, and officers seized the “not a box” turtle.
A reminder to boaters to slow down & watch for sea turtles: 2 turtles died from boat strikes recently. One had 3 gouges from a propeller on its shell. 😥 The story is about Long Island Sound, but the advice applies to boating anywhere sea turtles come ashore.
Turtles injured by boats get CT scans: The scans help vets evaluate how well the turtles are healing. Alexander Graham Bell is doing well. But Jonas Salk may have to stay in captivity. Includes pictures.
“Turtle Trail” coming to Gulf County, Florida: The decorated turtle sculptures aim “to bring awareness and education about turtles and the local environment.” The plan is to “hatch” turtles over a few years, hopefully throughout the county.
Recent International Turtle News
International turtle news was a bit light this week. We do have a mix of positive stories about efforts to help the turtles and negative stories about harassing & smuggling turtles. We need more of the former & none of the latter!
But if you’re a turtle it’s perfectly ok to harass a hippo … as long as the hippo lets you anyway …
Hippo harassed by gang of turtles: Enjoy this series of photos showing how one turtle sunning itself on a hippo’s back turned into dozens!
Turtle conservation
Building islands to save turtles? That’s what researchers think might help save the Murray River turtles. This idea may give all the turtle species that call the river home safe places to nest. (Australia)
3 new beers to help protect sea turtles: A small independent brewing company has pledged to help save one of the smallest sea turtle species. And it’s donating a portion of its profits from 3 news beers to a charity dedicated to doing just that.
Smuggling & harassing turtles … Please don’t!
Endangered turtles rescued from smuggler: A man had 11 Black softshell turtles stuffed in a bag & was waiting for someone to come get them. He has been detained.
Authorities want to know who hung the turtle: In a wanton act of cruelty, someone hung a turtle on a post by its intestines. 😥 Warning: story includes a photo of the hanging turtle. (Busselton, Western Australia)
Please don’t harass the sea turtles: Authorities in Cyprus are reminding divers to leave the animals alone.