Posted on: 2018-05-25 10:30:06
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Recent turtle news you may have missed.
Rescuing turtles from roadways & markets.
Sending baby turtles into the world.
Also researching turtles, reporting turtle sightings, and learning a new language to be more effective at helping the turtles.
Plus much more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
We didn’t find any box turtle news this week.
Instead, enjoy this curious three-toed boxie.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
This week some Blanding’s turtles gained their freedom, others got a little more protection, and one needs a name!
Elsewhere, sea turtles are slowly but surely laying nests while others finish their rehab & go home. Also one less restaurant is using plastic straws, a snapping turtle does not want its picture taken, and South Carolina wants your help counting diamondback terrapins.
Plus more.
Blanding’s turtles get a lot of love this week
Turtle ambassador needs a name: The Forest Preserve District of Will County (Illinois) has opened voting to name the female Blanding’s turtle. She’ll live at a Romeoville museum, helping teach people about efforts to save the turtles from extinction.
Girl Scout project to protect Blanding’s turtles: The troop is putting up turtle crossing signs and teaching others about the turtles & how to protect them. The project will hopefully help the turtles and gain the Bronze Award in Scouting for the girls.
50 Blanding’s turtle hatchlings head off into the wild: A few of the little cuties got close-ups before they left. They also had their shells notched so they can be identified if caught in the future. Includes pictures. (Massachusetts)
88 Blanding’s turtles shell-ebrate their freedom for World Turtle Day: They spent their first few months safe & protected in captivity. But now that they’re big enough to have a better chance at surviving, it’s time for them to head out into their marshy home. Includes video of the smiling turtles. 💚 (Illinois)
Sea turtle nesting season chugs along
A reminder about nesting season and lights: Both adults and babies can get confused by bright lights on the beach. So it’s important for property owners and visitors to remember to keep nesting beaches dark during the whole season.
It’s time to sign up for turtle walks & hatchling releases: The Loggerhead Marinelife Center invites you to plan to join it as it conducts turtle walks to watch nesting turtles & later in the season hatchling releases. There’s also biologist beach walks to learn more about what the center does (and possibly witness a nest excavation!).
Kemp’s ridley season is in full swing: See a photo gallery of nesting turtles, nest excavations, & hatchling releases at Padre Island. And find a few videos here.
Slow start to Anna Maria Island’s nesting season: There’s fewer nests than last year at this time. Cooler temperatures may be to blame. But there’s still time for it to pick up.
North Carolina has a leatherback nest: It’s the 1st one in 6 years. 💚
Miscellaneous turtle stories
Report your diamondback terrapin sightings! the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wants your help monitoring these beautiful endangered turtles. The Department has a form for you to fill out detailing your sighting (link at the bottom of the article).
Another restaurant ditches plastic straws: The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grill chose World Turtle Day to go plastic straw free. Seems appropriate! The restaurant will supply biodegradable straws on request.
Harass the snapper at your own risk: It’s a pretty cool up-close look at a snapping turtle … but apparently it didn’t much like the camera.
Man ends up in hospital after trying to help a turtle: A truck hit his parked car and pushed it into him. ☹️ No word on the turtle. A good reminder to be aware of your surroundings when helping turtles! (Oklahoma)
He planned to eat the gopher tortoises: 😡 He already had 2. Luckily police arrived as he was searching for more. When he told them what he was planning, they arrested him. Includes video.
Sea turtles get the best World Turtle Day present: Their freedom! Fourteen turtles named for breakfast foods headed out to sea on Wednesday. Includes video (Florida)
Recent International Turtle News
This week we have some rescues, some research, and a release.
Plus much more, including a turtle yarn bomb (Huh?!).
Remember, turtles are out & about on roads
And one town had a creative reminder recently.
Turtles take over the town: They’re all over signs, fences, and more. These adorable knit and crocheted turtles are a reminder to watch out for real turtles crossing the road. What a wonderful and creative idea! 💚 (Ontario, Canada)
Saving one turtle at a time
A lot of effort for one little turtle: He thought he’d just move the Blanding’s turtle safely to the side of the road. But then he saw it’s injuries. So it turned into a lot of research & driving to get it to a safe place.
11-year-old buys endangered turtle to save it: He saw the turtle for sale at a roadside market. Knowing whoever bought it would most likely eat it, he bought it. On World Turtle Day he turned it over to the forest department. 💚
There’s so much we still need to know about turtles
Green turtles aren’t strict vegetarians: Scientists knew they eat jellyfish as juveniles and believed they switched to eating plants as adults. This is true up to a point. Apparently they will continue to eat some jellyfish & other animals.
Understanding turtle migration is key to protecting them: Turtles know nothing of countries & politics. They just know feeding grounds & nesting beaches & the like. But these things are usually in different countries, and each country offers different protections. So scientists are using satellite tag data to track where the turtles go to understand where they need protecting.
Monitoring western painted turtles: Cameras are set up & ready to record nesting activity. And artificial nesting sites will hopefully provide some protection for the nests (assuming the turtles use them).
A long trip to lay her eggs: She traveled from Ningaloo to the Kimberley, which surprised researchers. They say this proves there’s still a lot we don’t know about turtles. (Western Australia)
More turtle stories
Educating the public about turtle egg poaching: Sea Life Trust ANZ is helping to rebuild turtle populations in East Timor with education programs & partnerships.
5 loggerheads finally go home in northern Italy: They each spent several months recovering from various illnesses & injuries. At least two had swallowed fishing line. ☹️ They were chipped so they can be tracked. (Includes pictures).
Spend your Canadian summer being a turtle: Or several turtles … Sooo … snorkeling like Spiny Softshell Turtles, taking a nature walk like Blanding’s turtles, and more. Check out the article for the other 6 suggestions!
Czech scientist is passionate about sea turtles: She learned to love turtles after getting one at age 6. More recently she started a NGO dedicated to protecting sea turtles. And she learned the Indonesian language so she could be more effective at helping the turtles there.
Greek Island’s turtles in danger, according to complaint: Four environmental groups have charged illegal activities, including construction of 2 buildings, are putting the nesting grounds on Zakynthos in danger.