Posted on: 2018-12-14 10:30:04
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Turtle stories were a bit scarce this week … kind of like turtles themselves in much of the US. Cold-stunned sea turtles do keep washing ashore along the east coast. And they’re keeping rescuers like the head turtle research coordinator at Mass. Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary quite busy.
Sadly turtle traffickers are not scarce (but they are busy), as a new report makes entirely too clear. 🙁
But on the brighter side, people who want to help turtles, including schoolchildren, also are not scarce. Hopefully they can make enough of a difference in time to save these ancient and fascinating creatures.
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Recent Box Turtle News
This week’s boxie news is not so much news as a short blurb & a cute picture. The little boxie is unreleasable and now spends his time “… warming hearts all over Cape Cod …”.
Meet turtle #45: This Eastern box turtle, looking comfy on a winter-themed blanket, is educational ambassador at Wild Care of Cape Cod.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Most turtles around the US are staying out of the news these days. Except for the unlucky ones who get caught in cold waters & wash ashore. There’s still lots of those, but they’re getting all the help turtle-lovers like Maureen Duffy can give.
In other news, it’s never too early to encourage students’ love of turtles & other wildlife. Plus we found a cute story about one of the Sea Turtle Hospital’s patients.
Meet the woman racing around Cape Cod to save cold turtles: She’s the head turtle research coordinator at the Mass. Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. It looks like it’s going to be a bad year for cold-stunning, but Maureen Duffy likes to stay busy. And she’s loved marine animals since she was 4 or 5 years old.
Maybe some of these 1st graders will grow up to be like Ms. Duffy: The students in Pennsylvania are working to protect local frogs & turtles. They’ve been studying recycling and asked the school’s food service provider to help them reduce plastic waste. They also made turtle platforms to give pond turtles some nice basking spots.
All Kenny wants for Christmas is to go home: He’s been recovering at the Sea Turtle Hospital in Topsail Beach after swallowing a hook back in May. But he’s doing great and may get his wish! 😮
Recent International Turtle News
This week we found some encouraging conservation news, but also some frustrating news … including an eye-opening look at just how big the illegal turtle trade really is. ☹️
But first, an amusing picture showing just how adaptable animals of all kinds can be…
Turtles bask on whatever’s available: Even if it’s a hippo’s back! And apparently the hippo’s taking it in stride. Funny pictures. (South Africa)
Turtle conservation news
Divers and sea turtles are a natural pairing: After all, diving is the perfect way to see the turtles. A new initiative called Divers for Turtles is helping divers learn about sea turtles and how to help protect them. 💚
Sea Turtle Soiree a success: It was the highlight of the Bermuda Turtle Project’s 50th anniversary celebrations. And it raised $200,000 for the turtles!
Ontario’s eastern musk turtles need more protection: Researchers are worried the 2012 status change from ‘threatened’ to ‘special concern’ is putting them at increased risk of becoming endangered.
10x more nests than 20 years ago in the Caymans: The Department of Environment has been monitoring nesting since 1998. They’ve even found Hawksbill nests, which they had thought were extinct in the area. 💚
Turtle stranding news
Leatherback sea turtle washed ashore on Prince Edward Island: Sadly it was frozen and had probably been dead several days. Wildlife officials needed a crane to lift it and Atlantic Veterinary College did a necropsy after it thawed. But so far they’re not sure what killed it. Includes pictures. (Canada)
Storm washes sea turtle onto Israeli beach: She was upside down when a photography teacher found her. He got her righted, but when she didn’t move he called for help. The Sea Turtle Rescue Center believes she will survive. Includes pictures & video.
Turtle trafficking news
Turtle meat & turtle stew confiscated, sellers arrested: Officials found at least 6 sea turtle heads. One turtle even had a tag. 😥 (Philippines)
Illegal turtle trade is huge: Most weeks we find at least one story about traffickers getting arrested and/or turtles rescued from the wildlife trade. But a new report makes clear just how big the illegal turtle trade network really is. 😡 More information here.
Miscellaneous turtle news
Primary school students eager to save the planet: They’ve focused on reducing plastic use, increasing recycling, and cleaning local beaches. And to show how big the problem is, they have a big turtle sculpture made from the plastic they collected from the beach. (England)
Where are the Olive Ridleys? They usually show up on the Nagapattinam coast in early November, but as of early this week not a single turtle has appeared. Just the same, officials are rebuilding hatcheries destroyed by Cyclone Gaga in hopes the turtles are just delayed. (India)
Doris goes home after 2 years: She lost a flipper after getting tangled in abandoned nets. But she’s learned to get along just fine with 3. She went back to sea with a tracker. (Malta)