Posted on: 2018-08-03 10:30:03
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Recent turtle news you may have missed.
As usual we have a mix of happy news …
The Tour de Turtles is off & swimming!
Pet turtle survives a devastating fire.
Green sea turtle spotted decades after her 1st visit.
And not so happy news, including disturbing nests, smuggling eggs, & turtle suffers for human carelessness.
Plus more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
The boxies have been pretty quiet lately. But there was this guy who got himself detained for loitering in the road. The nice officer let him off with a warning to stay in safer areas. 😍
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Some people just can’t help themselves … they just can’t leave turtles in peace. But other people also can’t help themselves … they build deluxe accommodations for turtles!
We also have hatchlings, a rough year on some nesting beaches, and trying to help Washington’s western pond turtles.
Plus more.
First a bit of fun … naming a turtle!
Help name the Virginia Living Museum’s sea turtle: You have until August 8 to decide if the turtle should be Gingersnap, Lola, or Shelldon. Vote on the museum’s Facebook page poll. Or on the museum’s website. There’s also paper ballots in the museum’s lobby.
And the Tour de Turtles is officially underway …
Meet Bion and Turtlette: The 2 Tour de Turtles competitors were tagged & released last Sunday, just 3 days before the official race start date.
Follow their progress & all the other contestants on the Tour de Turtles website.
People causing trouble for turtles
Who’s vandalizing turtle fences?: The fences keep turtles & other wildlife from easily getting to the road. It saves lives. But recently someone cut 3 holes in it. 😠 At least 1 river otter has died as a result. Why must people be deliberately cruel? (Indiana)
Their hearts were in the right place? Apparently the people who put the baby loggerheads in a hotel garbage can were “saving” them from other tourists on the beach. Oh, and they were drunk. (Florida)
Please leave sea turtle nests alone: Someone dug up a nest on Kure Beach but didn’t disturb the eggs. That’s still not ok.
And don’t go back to try again! Yep, apparently the same nest was dug up the next night too. 😠
Know the rules about holes on the beach: Some towns now have actual legal regulations about size & filling of holes. It’s for safety of both turtles and people.
Sea turtle news
Pensacola Beach sees its first hatchlings of the season: One Kemp’s Ridley and one loggerhead nest hatched last week.
A hard year for SW Florida sea turtles: Between the red tide, artificial lighting, and beach changes caused by Irma last year the turtles need all the help they can get. Especially the disoriented hatchlings.
Fewer sea turtle nests in Georgia this year: This report doesn’t speculate on reasons, but nest numbers often go up & down. So hopefully this is not a reason to worry.
Miscellaneous turtle news
They built a 2-story shed for their tortoises: They have box turtles, sulcatas, Russian tortoises, and more. All as pampered as possible.
Turtles on a log: At least 9 turtles just enjoying the sunshine. That’s it, just a Minnesota newspaper’s photo of the week. 💚 Enjoy!
A bright spot in a deadly fire: While we mourn the lives lost, we celebrate the survival of little Holst the turtle. Holst’s owner is likewise thrilled. (Texas)
Illinois researchers working to help Washington’s western pond turtles: They’re trying to figure out what’s causing a shell disease in the turtles. And then how to stop it.
Recent International Turtle News
We hope one day there’s no more turtle & turtle egg smuggling. For now we’ll have to be happy one most-wanted smuggler remains behind bars.
In happier news, a green sea turtle came home to nest after 21 years away. 💚
Also a turtle lover looks to expand his turtle sanctuary, protecting Nova Scotia’s snapping turtles, and more.
First some fun for a good cause.
Punk rockers work to help save the punk turtle: They recently held a benefit gig to raise funds and awareness. Love it. 💚
Turtle smuggling news
At least one story is positive …
684 sea turtle eggs packed in a cardboard box: Police discovered it in a bus station in Oaxaca, Mexico. 😥
Smuggled turtles going back to where they came from: Unfortunately that’s Sri Lanka, where the red eared sliders are still not native. They most likely came from an illegal breeding facility. 😠
They were supposed to be protecting the sea turtle eggs: Instead these conservation workers apparently stole some of them to sell.
India gets recognition for arrest of turtle smuggler: The law caught up with the 3rd most wanted turtle smugger in the world last January. An Indian court rejected bail & he remains in jail. Interpol recently praised India for the arrest.
Sea turtle news
Protecting Barbuda’s sea turtles: The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Antigua Sea Turtle Project have been monitoring nesting on the island & collecting data. The goal is to improve conservation & protection measures.
Rare daytime nest in Mombasa: The mama turtle took 2 hours to make her nest as residents & tourists watched. Officials moved them to a safer place to incubate. Includes video.
21 years after they first met, she’s back: “They” being a green sea turtle and Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs workers. Her tag showed she had been on the beach back in 1997.
Other turtle news
Turtle dies trapped in discarded tire: The turtle & tire were found floating in a lake. 😥 Please dispose of trash properly! (Ontario)
He needs more room for his turtles: Around 1,000 of them, taking up too much room in the house & garden. He wants to build them a proper sanctuary. And like so many stories we’ve seen, this turtle sanctuary started with saving just one.
Nova Scotia’s snapping turtles have a friend in the Turtle Patrol: Started in 2016 the Turtle Patrol monitors all kinds of turtles, but protecting & saving the snappers is a priority.