Posted on: 2018-02-02 10:30:00
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Recent turtle stories you may have missed.
This issue is short, but (mostly) sweet.
Learn about the turtle lover behind a box turtle sanctuary in Va. See 10 adorable baby turtles, and a snapping turtle plod along under ice.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s TurtleFest is just a few weeks away.
Also saving a baby turtle from a cracked egg and a bigger turtle from a cracked shell.
Plus prison for turtle egg thieves, possible prison for turtle shell smugglers, and more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
Have you heard of the Box Turtle Sanctuary of Central Virginia? We’ve seen some Facebook posts from it, but didn’t know the story of its founder.
Another turtle lover starts a sanctuary: This time a box turtle sanctuary, although she does have a few other species too. And like other stories we’ve shared recently, the Box Turtle Sanctuary of Central Virginia started with one little turtle in need.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
We found an eclectic mix of stories this week. From cute baby pictures to a pond turtle with a cracked shell. And another snapping turtle under ice, this one taking a slow stroll.
Plus studying turtle bones, prison for egg thieves, and more.
Coral heads to phase 2 of her recovery: Remember Coral? We shared her story back in November. She’s been getting stronger at the Seattle Aquarium and will finish recovering at Sea World in San Diego. Includes video.
Lucky turtle gets help for cracked shell: The Western pond turtle was probably hit by a car in the parking lot. The 3-inch crack could easily have been fatal. But a good Samaritan got her to the Peninsula Human Society where she’ll spend 3-6 months healing.
The Bronx Zoo wants to share its baby pictures: And all turtle lovers are sure to find them enchanting. From Asian box turtles to Golden Coin Turtles and Leaf Turtles, these 10 babies will melt your heart. They’re part of the zoo’s efforts to conserve these endangered species.
Turtle bones tell stories of sea turtles lives: Analyzing bones from dead sea turtles offers some surprising insights into these animals’ lives. Like the big difference in how quickly they mature, based on where they’re born.
Meet the Blandings turtle: Two vet students blogged about their summer working as part of the Blanding’s Turtle Recovery Program in Lake County, Illinois. In this post, they describe this endangered turtle.
Community service for baby turtle seller: He was breeding and selling tiny red-eared sliders. Selling tiny turtles is illegal, in part because they’re more likely to spread salmonella. (Newport News, VA)
Are you ready for winter to end? This snapping turtle seems to agree, as it goes for a very slow stroll under the ice. Video. (Kansas)
Stealing sea turtle eggs costs 2 men 7 month of their lives: The two men removed at least 670 eggs from nests in 2 different incidents. They’ll also have to serve 2 years of supervised release after completing their federal prison terms. (Florida)
TurtleFest is coming! The annual festival at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, FL is happening on March 24. If you live in the area, plan to stop in. If you’ve been planning a trip, this might be the time to go! There’ll be a beach cleanup in the morning, too.
Recent International Turtle News
Not too many stories from around the world this week. But we found the baby hawksbill saved from a cracked egg heartwarming. And that sand sculpture contest looked like fun!
But stories of smuggling turtle shells & dredging sand from a nesting beach are discouraging.
Broken eggs can yield miracles: A baby hawksbill released in Singapore last week had a rough start in life. NPParks workers found it barely alive inside its broken egg back in September. But quick treatment helped it live and thrive. And now it’s swimming free, hopefully to help create more little hawksbills in the future. Includes adorable baby pictures.
Having fun to help save olive ridley sea turtles: Students & corporate employees alike got down & dirty (or sandy) with a sand sculpture contest to raise awareness of the need to protect sea turtles. Specifically olive ridleys.
Up to 5 years in prison for smuggling turtle shells: That’s the possible sentence for two men who were trying to smuggle 200 kg of turtle shells to China.
Turtle nesting beach may be destroyed: 🙁 Officials plan a sand dredging project on the beach. Environmental groups fear turtles won’t nest there anymore. That would be a blow to the area’s turtle conservation efforts. (Malaysia)