Posted on: 2017-11-10 10:30:19
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This week’s turtle stories include some good news … extra protections for sea turtles, and Coral is recovering nicely.
Some feel-good stories … a box turtle nest finally hatches, a leopard tortoise out for a stroll, and a contest to name the baby sea turtle. 💗
And some sad news … 400 dead sea turtles, another sea turtle eats too much plastic, and the US seems to be in no hurry to better protect sea turtles from shrimp nets.
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Recent Box Turtle News
Wild box turtles in most of the country have slowed down and may even be hibernating. Depending on the weather where they’re living.
But we did come across this story of box turtle anticipation.
After 4 months of waiting, her baby boxie arrived: No, mama turtle wasn’t waiting. She covered her nest & left, as mama turtles do. But the woman in whose yard mama laid her eggs went into mom mode. She protected the nest & then waited. And waited. On Oct. 17 she was rewarded with an adorable little half-dollar sized Eastern box turtle. 💗 (Maryland)
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Sea turtle nesting season is over, but cold stranding season is here. 🙁 And the US was supposed to pass new rules to better protect sea turtles from shrimp nets … it hasn’t happened yet.
In happier news, the Maritime Aquarium’s new baby sea turtle needs a name. And you get to vote! Also, Sea Turtle Inc’s expansion is almost done. Plus much more.
Coral is doing much better: She’s an Olive Ridley sea turtle who came in to the Seattle Aquarium with hypothermia & trouble breathing. She’s this year’s first victim of “stranding season,” when turtles get disoriented in the colder water & end up stranded on the beach. See more about Coral on the aquarium’s blog [http://blog.seattleaquarium.org/seattle-aquarium/sea-turtle-coral/].
Sea Turtle Inc’s new educational center is almost ready: By also moving offices & the gift shop to the new space, the older area can be all hospital space. So it can help many more turtles! 💗
Name the baby sea turtle! Remember the baby loggerhead who moved into the Maritime Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Nursery a few weeks ago? The Aquarium has opened voting on its name. Choose from eco (ee-ko), Nibbler, Sounder, Squirt, or Shell Turtlestein. It costs $1 per vote, but the money goes right into the Aquarium’s conservation efforts.
A new rule to better protect sea turtles still not finalized: The rule requires turtle excluder devices on all shrimp boats, not just the bigger ones, where they’re already required. The federal government was supposed to do that by last June. Now Oceana has reinitiated a lawsuit to get those protections done.
Slow progress in fighting the virus causing tumors in sea turtles: The Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) has been seeing more turtles with the potentially deadly tumors.
Meet Cha Cha the leopard tortoise: This laid-back tortoise loves walks around South Lake Union (in Seattle), Southern greens, and strawberries. 💗 Includes video.
Savannah harbor deepening is important but dangerous: To sea life, anyway. During the project’s 1st two years, it has killed or injured 9 green sea turtles, along with 101 Atlantic sturgeon.That’s more than what was originally supposed to be allowed.
Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act: Ever wondered about the laws protecting sea turtles & other animals? Take a look at Florida’s marine animals regulations.
And remember, if you’re in/near Wellfleet, Massachusetts, check out the Sea Turtle Open House! It’s at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday, November 25.
Recent International Turtle News
Hundreds of dead sea turtles, and no concrete answers. 🙁 But sea turtles get stronger protections in Vietnam. And Oman is considering adding punishment for poaching.
Meanwhile, in Mexico sea turtles on one beach get their very own armed guard. 💗 Plus turtle tours on Mon Repos, using forensic technology to track turtles, and more.
400 dead sea turtles: 🙁 They were floating about 8 miles off El Salvador’s Pacific Coast. Officials have a few ideas about what may have happened. But they’ll need more information before they can say for sure.
Better protections for sea turtles: Officials working in Vietnam’s marine protected areas (MPAs) now have the right to detain anyone breaking the rules. This will hopefully make it easier to protect the turtles.
Nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles get armed guard on Rancho Nuevo beach. 💗
No turtles as Christmas presents! Or at least make sure the recipient is ready for the long-term commitment. An adventure park in Weymouth, England is warning that its Turtle Sanctuary is full … mostly with unwanted pets. It won’t be able to take any more.
CSI: Mediteranean green turtle edition: Experts have been using forensic technology, a la CSI, to understand where these turtles spend their winters. They hope this new information can help better protect the turtles.
Squirtle was turtle-napped: A woman’s former house-mate held her turtle for ransom, but she couldn’t pay. Now she’s afraid she’ll never see Squirtle again.
Yet another plastic victim: The hawksbill turtle seemed to be doing okay, but after she died they found 106 pieces of plastic inside her.
It’s Turtle Encounter Tour time again! The first tour happened on Nov. 7, and visitors got to see 2 loggerheads nesting. The tours are on Mon Repos, in Queensland, Australia.
Turtles are important to the ecosystem where they live: And illegal poaching in Pakistan is preventing them from doing their jobs. And destabilizing the ecosystem in the process. 🙁
Turtle poachers pose as tourists in Oman: The baby sea turtles can fetch a high price. And poachers probably know that under Oman law they won’t be punished if caught. The turtles will be confiscated, but the poachers get to go free. 🙁 The government is considering changing that. It definitely should!
And don’t forget Yoshi’s going home party! She’ll go back to sea in December, but Two Oceans Aquarium is having a party in her honor on November 20. All proceeds from the party will go into the aquarium’s turtle rehabilitation work. (Cape Town, South Africa)