Posted on: 2019-02-15 10:30:08
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Recent turtle news you may have missed.
We didn’t find too much happening this week. A couple of hatchings, a couple of rescues & releases, and a sand sculpting contest.
Also new protections for a fun-looking turtle, a newly identified species of Chinese softshell turtle, and a new partnership for better marine research.
Plus a bit more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
No box turtle news this week. Enjoy the unique look of the male Yucatan box turtle instead.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Nesting season is right around the corner, poaching & trafficking season never ends, and one community shows what working together can do. Plus more.
Sea turtle nesting news
Sea turtle nesting season is almost here! And the Padre Island National Seashore is looking for volunteers to help with spotting nesting turtles.
Speaking of nesting season … It’s time for reminders about lights, boats, and leaving turtles & their nests in peace.
Turtle rescue & rehab news
Saved from voodoo, one of 2 chained turtles goes home: The peninsula cooter has recovered enough for release. The other needs a little more time before going to live in a sanctuary. Includes pictures. (Florida)
Community efforts saves almost 200 turtles: The turtles had been living in a canal that’s being filled in. Volunteers have been trying to find & capture as many of them as possible and relocating them to ponds in the area. (Georgia)
Lady Bradley happy to head out to sea: The loggerhead sea turtle lost a back flipper to crab trap ropes, but she had no trouble getting into the water & swimming away last week. With mating season almost here, hopefully she’ll soon be back to nest. Includes pictures & video. (Florida)
Rehabbing cold-stunned sea turtles: What goes into getting these turtles healthy and ready for release? Check out this segment of the National Aquarium’s Rescue to Release series of blog posts. Includes video.
Sea turtle strandings rising in the St. Augustine area: That’s actually common this time of year. If you’re heading to the beach, keep an eye out for them & call for help if you see one.
Other turtle news
Meet Snaplet: The snapping turtle has called the New Mexico Museum of Natural History home since she was a little 3-inch baby.
Proving turtle poaching & trafficking can be hard: Often officials know where it’s happening, but they don’t have enough evidence to prove it in specific cases.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ramps up its research efforts: Along with the Sea to Shore Alliance it is forming the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute to better conserve and protect marine life.
Recent International Turtle News
Most of the news this week centers on sea turtles. They’re hatching, getting rescued, and sadly dying with stomachs full of plastic. Plus a new program helps protect a unique looking turtle, Chinese softshell turtles are in more trouble than we realized & more.
Sea turtle hatching news
Turtles hatching on Ningaloo coast: And they still face their usual predators along with possible human-created dangers including artificial light, people walking or driving on the beach, & others. Please help protect them! Includes pictures. (Western Australia)
Leatherback nest hatches on Phang-Nga: They needed a bit of human help, but in the end 48 of the 57 that hatched survived & made it to the sea. About 1/3 of the eggs didn’t hatch. Another nest should be hatching soon.
Other sea turtle news
Family sailing around the world was in the right place at the right time: They found & rescued a turtle trapped in a plastic sack. It couldn’t dive, so it most likely would have died without help.
Sand turtles raise awareness of real ones: A sand sculpting contest made it fun to learn more about the olive ridley sea turtles that nest in the area. And at the end of the day 180 sand turtles graced the beach.
What do plastic filters, pieces of a cup & an M&M’s wrapper have in common? They were just a few of the items found in the stomach of a dead loggerhead turtle. 🙁 We really need to do better, people!
If they were going to release the turtle into the sea … why were they driving away from the beach with it? The officers who stopped the men didn’t buy the story either. The men were charged the next day & the turtle was released shortly after their court appearance. See video of its release here. (Trinidad and Tobago)
Miscellaneous turtle news
Just discovered and already critically endangered: As researchers look more closely at some animals they realize that what they thought was one species is actually 2 or more closely related species. That’s what happened in the last 20 years or so to the Chinese Softshell Turtle. These turtles are actually at least 5 different species, and the most recently identified one is in serious danger of disappearing forever.
New program to protect the punk rocker turtle! The Sunshine Coast Council has officially implemented a program to protect the endangered Mary River Turtle from predators.
Can you use a 125 watt heat light for a new turtle?
Hi Chris,
The wattage you need will depend on your habitat setup. You want the habitat to have a temperature gradient in the right range for your turtle. We have information on boxie temperature needs that you can check out. Although it’s not clear from your question if your pet is a box turtle?
You may need to experiment with different wattages to get the right one for your setup. But unless you have a big habitat, we’d start with a lower wattage & increase if necessary. Hope this helps!