Posted on: 2017-10-03 10:30:47
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Interesting turtle news you may have missed recently.
We didn’t find any new stories about box turtles this week.
But we did find lots of sea turtle news, including a wedding ceremony (yes, really!) and a surprise encounter with a group of leatherbacks.
Also a runaway tortoise is back home, and campers help baby snappers find the lake. Plus a reminder about buying tiny turtles (don’t!).
Recent U. S. Turtle News
The best camping trip ever (baby turtles!), a turtle birthday party, and a final tribute for a loved turtle rescuer, among other stories.
Accidental turtle rescuers: They were just camping. Then snapping turtles started hatching! With park ranger approval, they helped the babies get to a nearby lake. (Minnesota) 💚 🐢 💚
Back away from that cute tiny turtle! Buying a cute little turtle on impulse is usually a bad idea. It’s probably a baby red-eared slider. So it’s not going to stay tiny. It’s going to be expensive to keep. And if it’s smaller than 4 inches, it’s also illegal to sell.
New loggerhead nesting site in Maryland: The first ever hatching event at the Assateague National Seashore Park happened last week. Since sea turtles usually return to the same beach they hatched at when they’re ready to nest, this means more nests are likely in the future!
Picasso carries Tony Amos’ ashes to sea: The green sea turtle headed into the Gulf of Mexico with some of Amos’ ashes sprinkled on its shell.
Old Timer is quite the adventurous tortoise: He’s been with the same family for 58 years, but occasionally gets himself a bit lost. They usually find him quickly, but this time it took about 28 hours (he’d only gone about a block!). Still quicker than his 10-day, 2-mile trek back in 1964! 😲
Coast Guard frees sea turtle from lobster pot: The turtle was tangled but not injured. It appeared to take a deep breath and swim away once free. Includes video. (Massachusetts)
Happy Birthday, Fredricka! The snapping turtle just turned 50 years old. The shell-abration included turtle sundaes for the humans & pets for the turtle.
Watch sea turtles heal at Sea Turtle Recovery: The brand new sea turtle hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium lets you treat virtual injured sea turtles via interactive computer tablets. And then move on to watching real turtles in various stages of recovery.
And don’t forget about the Tour de Turtles (29 days to go!) and Leatherback Turtle Day:
- The Tour de Turtles follows sea turtles for 3 months. It allows scientists to understand how they migrate from their nesting grounds to their feeding grounds. Each turtle has a sponsor, and the turtle who swims the farthest in the 3 months “wins”! Huffington Post just did a story on the event with lots of good information. Read it here.
- Leatherback Turtle Day happens at the Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz on October 14. If you’re nearby, check it out. And be sure to wear your best Leatherback turtle costume! (yes, really!).
Recent International Turtle News
Just as sea turtle nesting season is ending in the US, it’s just beginning on the other side of the world. Plus wedded turtle bliss, a turtle release in Korea, and more.
Honoring a loved one with a turtle? This couple has sponsored a green sea turtle in honor of their daughter’s memory. They were even able to name it after her. Seems like a great tribute to someone who loved the sea. (Australia)
Turtle nesting season has started: In the US nesting season is ending. But on Cable Beach (among others), protections for nesting turtles started October 1. (Western Australia)
Ernie & Cammy got married! Remember the story about Ernie the lonely sea turtle? We shared his story back on Aug 18. Cammy came from Scotland to meet him. And last week aquarium staff had a wedding for them … complete with a real priest! Weird? Yes. But also cute.
83 sea turtles head to sea from Jungmun Beach: They included 3 animals rescued last December and 80 from an artificial incubation program. (South Korea)
Fisherman finds a dozen leatherback sea turtles: He wasn’t looking for them, but there they were. Just off the coast of Prince Edward Island. Snacking on jellyfish. He got some pictures, and the Canadian Sea Turtle Network is very excited about them.
More butchered sea turtles in Sabah: It’s the 2nd such find in less than a week.