Posted on: 2018-01-12 10:30:48
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Turtle news we found interesting this week includes a creek needing protection from hungry turtles, hundreds of cold-stunned turtles recovering nicely, and how drinking beer can help turtles.
Also, turtles saved from suitcases, a leatherback nest hatches, green sea turtle nests are too warm, and more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
Studying our box turtle cousins in Asia, and learning more about how they live.
Studying Southeast Asian box turtle populations: A research team will be looking at populations inside and outside Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park in Southeast Sulawesi. They’ll study things like habitat use, movements, and diet. (Indonesia) 💗
Recent U. S. Turtle News
We’re a bit light on U.S. news this week. But the good news is the cold-stunned sea turtles from last week are warming up and many have already gone back home!
We also have more conservation news, voracious turtles eating everything in sight, and a really old fossilized shell in … an interesting place.
Yoda & friends warm up at the Gulfarium: The marine adventure park joined other area organizations caring for sea turtles suffering from the cold snap.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center gets another conservation partner: Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa wants to help keep local beaches pristine for guests and sea life alike. It uses paper straws instead of plastic and donates a portion of the sales of “Lagerhead” Beer (produced locally by Due South Brewery) to LMC, among other efforts.
Sometimes the environment needs protection from turtles! In Florida turtles are eating the tape grass in Fort Pierce Creek as fast as the St. Lucie County Reef Builders can plant it. Now, nobody’s begrudging the turtles food, but they need the grasses to grow & become self sustaining for a healthy creek.
395 sea turtles go back home: They were some of the 2000+ sea turtles across Texas affected by the recent cold snap. But they’ve warmed up & were ready to get back to the sea (which has also warmed up). Includes pictures.
Baby turtle’s shell immortalized … in poop? Really old poop, in fact. Fossilized poop from millions of years ago! And now scientists are writing about it. 😳
Recent International Turtle News
Lots of sea turtle nesting news, from potentially illegal excavation near a nesting beach to preparations for nesting season. And worries about nesting site temperatures.
Other turtles in the news this week include black soft-shell turtles and pig-nosed turtles.
We also have another “drugs lead to turtle rescue” story, an inspiring young lady determined to keep the oceans clean, and much more.
Sea turtle nesting site threatened: A developer was excavating right next to Las Cuevas Bay, a known nesting site for green and leatherback turtles. The Environmental Management Authority sent a team to investigate. Hopefully they put a stop to it! Fishermen and Friends of the Sea has also sent a letter to the editor of Caribbean News Now to bring more attention to the matter. (Trinidad & Tobago)
Protecting the rare black soft-shell turtle: This turtle is very rare and most live in temple or community ponds in a few states in India. Fourteen hatchlings raised in captivity for about 6 months were recently released into a temple pond.
It’s never to early to care: She may be “only” 13, but Tallulah Veal-Sinclair is passionate about keeping the ocean clean. And she’s spreading that passion to her community. Recently she organized a beach cleanup along the Maroochy River. I’m sure the turtles & other aquatic life thanks her. 💗 (Queensland, Australia)
More drug-smuggling turtles? Nah. These guys weren’t actually caught with the loot. But after a drug bust in the Arabian Sea, Royal Navy forces discovered a loggerhead sea turtle family caught in a mass of fishing nets. They freed the turtles & sent them on their way.
An all-female turtle population is not empowering: Girl power makes a great slogan, but we still need boys. But for green sea turtles (and some other animals), a warming world may be doing away with the males. That’s because their sex is determined by incubation temperature, not genetics. And warmer temperatures makes girls. In some places 99% of recent hatchlings are females. 🙁
Protecting Oman’s nesting sites: The diverse nesting habitats and almost year-round nesting in some parts of Oman could help protect local populations from turning all female. But only if the turtles are able to keep nesting there.
Year’s 1st hatchlings in Sodwana Bay: Watch leatherback babies crawl out of their nest for the 1st time. Too cute. 💗
Green sea turtle enjoys a feast: Guests on a tour at Mackay Reef were treated to the sight of a green sea turtle munching a jellyfish. Includes video. (Far North Queensland, Australia)
Protecting Indonesia’s sea turtles: Efforts in West Kalimantan include moving newly laid eggs to a protected area and creating a channel for hatchlings to use to get to the sea themselves. Letting them crawl to the sea on their own gives them a more natural experience.
Turtle surfacing for air: The amateur photographer who snapped this shot is ecstatic at being in the right place at the right time. (Australia)
Diving for turtles: Not to catch them, but to collect abandoned fishing gear so the turtles don’t get trapped in it. This needs to be a more widespread activity!
Baby pig-nosed turtles rescued at airport: Six plastic boxes inside 2 suitcases held 1,161 of the vulnerable turtles. Police hope to get them back to their natural habitat.
They’re getting ready for arrival of Olive Ridleys: Authorities have prepared the ground & are setting up rookeries to protect the eggs and hatchlings before release. They’ve also doubled the number of rookeries from last year! 💗 (Andhra Pradesh state, India)