Posted on: 2018-03-09 10:30:20
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Recent turtle news we found interesting.
In the US, we found good news for Missouri’s freshwater turtles. And with sea turtles returning to southern beaches this week, a reminder about beach etiquette. Plus some of last year’s babies go home.
Elsewhere we discover a hatching turtle egg in an unlikely spot. And a brumating (hibernating) turtle in an equally unlikely spot.
Plus people making a difference, each in their own way, and much more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
We found two stories about (or partially about) box turtles this week. One is a plan to help box turtle populations survive. The other is part of the reason box turtles (and others) need help … smugglers 😡 .
A box turtle recovery plan for north Texas: Ornate & three-toed box turtles are much less common than they were just 30 years ago. The Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area hopes to save them before it’s too late. They might even need volunteers!
3 men caught smuggling turtles … some labeled “snacks”! They shipped turtles in & out of the country by USPS and FedEx. The species they trafficked included Eastern & Florida box turtles.
Recent U. S. Turtle New
The first sea turtle nests of the season have been counted! A few of last year’s babies finally get to go home. And David Attenborough never fails to delight when he cozies up to sea turtles. Plus more.
Yay! Missouri bans commercial freshwater turtle trapping: Turtles now protected include both spiny and smooth softshells, and common snapping turtles. Until this ban trappers could take unlimited numbers of these turtles.
Massachusetts grant benefits the Spotted Turtle: Although this turtle isn’t endangered, it’s important to manage its habitat & population to make sure it stays off the endangered list.
Reminder of sea turtle season etiquette: Nesting season is officially underway in Florida. So remember to keep bright lights off at night, and take beach furniture & other “stuff” with you when you leave.
David Attenborough lays on a beach with a nesting leatherback: Then he introduces us to the man who is single-handedly responsible for the leatherback conservation program on Trinidad.
First sea turtle nest of the season on Juno Beach: It’s still pretty chilly in much of the country (even downright cold!). But on warmer southern beaches sea turtles are coming ashore to lay their nests. Strong surf is making it harder, but one leatherback mama got it done. Another tried but gave up.
12 little loggerheads go home: The approximately year-old turtles spent some time recovering at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center. The boat captains who took them out to the Gulf Stream placed each one gently into the water & wished them well. Includes video.
Oh, the things you find when you clean up a beach: The Big Shell Beach Cleanup on Padre Island yielded the expected haul of plastic and other trash. But also cocaine and a sea turtle. All in all it was a successful day.
And if you’re near Clearwater Beach, remember to put the Sea Turtle Awareness Day on your calendar!
- Sea Turtle Awareness Day at Clearwater Aquarium happens on May 12. It’s a sea turtle-focused day with beach cleanup, educational programs, and even games for the kids.
Recent International Turtle News
A turtle egg in a surprising place. Lots of turtle eggs being laid at once. And protecting turtle eggs from foxes.
Also a snapping turtle in a surprising place, a new restored wetlands for turtles, and (hopefully) more time for a unique turtle museum.
Plus much more.
What’s a turtle egg doing amongst the succulents? Hatching! Of course news spread & Adelaide Botanic Gardens staff members watched the little Eastern longneck emerge. Then they made sure it got to the nearby wetland where it belongs. Includes adorable video. (Australia)
Little Ed tries to help herself at feeding time: The loggerhead lives at the Aquarium of Western Australia. And apparently she feels she deserves more of the treats the diver is doing out (too slowly to suit her!). Video.
Sea turtle nests on Koh Miang beach: The island is part of the Similan Archipelago in Thailand. Officials found 108 eggs and they’re ecstatic about the find.
Meet Odisha’s ‘Turtle Man’: He was just a young student when he started trying to protect Olive Ridley eggs. The villagers ignored & fought with him then. Now, 25 years later, he has devoted his life to the cause and the villagers help him. (India)
Snapping turtle uncovered in England: Quite literally! While removing silt from a lake for a regeneration project, workers disturbed the hibernating turtle. They found a nearby exotic animals shop to take her in temporarily & get her warmed up.
Plastic-Free Boy’s mission still going strong: He’s the boy who made a film about plastic pollution and how it harms the environment & wildlife (specifically turtles!). Now he’s bringing his message to schools, to encourage kids to create a better future.
LaCoste supports UICN’s Save Our Species program: The company has issued limited edition polos in which its iconic crocodile is replaced with endangered species. It has chosen 10 species, and the number of polos with each species will be the same as the number of that animal in the wild. So, for example, they’re only selling 40 polos with the Burmese Roofed Turtle. 30 with the Vaquita (a porpoise). And so on.
Reward offered for id’ing turtle harassers: the Humane Society International/India has offered a reward for any information that helps find & convict people who were seen harassing Olive Ridley turtles in February.
Has time run out for Singapore’s Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum? Its owner sure hopes not, but she hasn’t been able to find a suitable new home for her unique museum. And she must be out of its current home by the end of this month. So she reached out to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook. And he answered! Could this mean he’ll help?
The National Parks Board may give Singapore’s unique turtle museum more time: This news came just days after the Prime Minister responded to the museum owner’s Facebook plea.
They’ll never forget this dive!: 4 tourists and their diving instructor likely saved a sea turtle’s life when they cut a nylon string off its neck. Includes video. (Phillipines)
Turtle volunteers make all the difference: And this year’s Care For Hedland Association’s volunteers deserve thanks. They all got an end-of-season dinner, and the best adult & junior volunteers got awards. Let’s give them all a hand! (Western Australia)
New sea turtle hospital coming: It will be in the Sea Turtle Conservation Center on the Phangnga naval base in southern Thailand.
Long-necked turtles approve of their new wetlands: Well, technically it’s a restored wetland. But either way, they’re thriving & their numbers are growing. (New South Wales, Australia)
A green sea turtle couldn’t stomach her recent meals: Mostly because she had eaten plastic instead of jellyfish. 😥 Luckily someone noticed she couldn’t dive & called for help. (Western Australia)
Olive Ridleys have started their mass nesting (arribada) at the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary: This area is the most important nesting spot for these turtles in the world. A few females made nests earlier in the week. And then more than 128,000 females laid eggs on one beach within 24 hours.
Protecting Bell’s turtle nests from foxes goes to the dogs: Literally. Bunyah the English springer spaniel is helping find nests so his humans can fence them off. Local farmers are also helping keep the foxes at bay. (New South Wales, Australia)
How well do you know Muskoka’s turtles? If you don’t live in central Ontario the answer is probably “not very.” But even if you do, you might find something new in this list.