Posted on: 2018-10-19 10:30:41
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Recent turtle stories you may have missed.
Sea turtles rescued—including one really big one!—sea turtles released, and hatchlings saved from storms.
Also a surprising discovery about one island’s snapping turtles. A sad realization about one population of leatherbacks. And hope for ending the ghost net menace.
It’s Hicatee Awareness Month … and if you’re wondering what a Hicatee is, well this is the perfect month to become aware!
Plus turtle pastries, turtle ultrasounds, and more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
We didn’t find any box turtle news again this week. But we came across this picture of a pretty Eastern boxie checking to see if it’s safe to come out! Enjoy.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Lots of loggerheads went out to sea this week. But lots more new hatchlings found themselves washed back to shore. Elsewhere turtles get a useful gift & more.
But first, if you’re in or near Ridgefield, WA & have ever wanted to help turtles …
Volunteers needed for turtle habitat restoration: If you live near Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, consider heading out the the Habitat Restoration Work Party tomorrow (Oct. 20). Can’t make it? There’s 2 more work parties scheduled for this year, so plan to help at one of those!
Sea turtle news
Untangling a leatherback sea turtle: This article describes how hard it can be to free one of these huge animals safely. See video of the rescue here.
Hundreds of sea turtle hatchlings seek refuge at Brevard Zoo: They did have a bit of human help getting there after hurricane Leslie swept them back to shore. Includes video of some of the little cuties. (Florida)
12 head-started loggerheads get their freedom: They were stragglers after last year’s hatching. So they spent the past year getting big & strong so they’ll hopefully have a better chance at survival in the wild.
Gingersnap has left the building! Well technically she left the building (the Virginia Living Museum) on Monday (Oct. 15). And she finally headed out to sea off the North Carolina coast 2 days later. Good luck, Gingersnap! 💚
Other turtle news
The turtles love their new perch: Friends of Pastorius Park installed its gift to the turtles recently—after 2 years of planning & work. And apparently it took all of about 20 minutes for the critters to find & use it! 💚 (Pennsylvania)
How much do you know about softshell turtles? They’re not what most people think of when they think “turtle.” Learn a bit about Iowa’s 2 species of softshell turtle.
See baby snappers at the Montshire Museum of Science: The museum incubated the eggs until they hatched recently. And now visitors to the museum can visit with the little critters. They will live at the museum until next year. (Vermont)
Recent International Turtle News
It turns out turtles are perfectly capable of invading islands without our help. But turtles do need our protection … wherever they roam. And a lot of people are working hard to offer that protection & help others understand the need too. Sadly it may be too late for some turtle populations. Plus more.
Snapping turtle news
Can condos & snapping turtle nesting site coexist? Local residents are worried the developer won’t take the turtles’ needs into account. (Ontario)
Snapping turtles on Cape Breton Island are natives: Recent research suggests the reptiles wandered onto the island on their own. For a long time it was believed they had human help getting from the mainland to the island. (Nova Scotia)
Conservation & research news
Commemorative turtle stamps! The stamps promote the Bermuda Turtle Project’s conservation efforts.
Turtles don’t care about national borders: So as they travel the amount of protection they get changes as they enter & leave various countries’ waters and the open ocean. Are international agreements covering the high seas part of the answer?
Another successful season for the Bermuda Turtle Project: Scientists and students captured, examined, and tagged sea turtles around the island. About 1/3 of the turtles captured had previously been tagged. Includes pictures.
Green sea turtle pastries! No, not for the turtles to eat. A baker in Taiwan created these little turtle-shaped buns to raise awareness of the dangers facing sea turtles. What a cute way to help the turtles. 💚
Thailand’s leatherbacks may go extinct: 😥 Apparently no nests have been seen in the country for 5 years. And conservationists believe it may be too late to save the species.
Saving Kenya’s sea turtles: WWF Kenya is working with local communities to clean up nesting beaches and protect the nests. 💚
Using ultrasound to better understand nesting: Scientists are using ultrasound to find female turtles with eggs & tracking them to see where they go. Scientists were surprised by one turtle that traveled much farther than expected to make her nests.
Smuggling news
Travelers keep trying to smuggle sea turtle eggs to eat: Officials in Singapore have stopped people 22 times since April. They had the eggs in their luggage labeled as snacks. 😥
They had turtle shells on their boat: 😠 Two men were detained for possible turtle smuggling.
Other turtle news
546 hatchlings on Grand Cayman saved from hurricane Michael’s fury: Department of Environment turtle patrol staff & volunteers excavated nests being flooded by waves on Seven Mile Beach. Includes video.
But did it have a ticket? A turtle recently took a trip on a Tokyo subway train where it entertained its fellow travelers. Includes video. 😍
Could ghost net deaths soon be a thing of the past? We sure hope so! And a Norwegian research team hopes it has the answer: Tagging fishing nets/lobster pots/etc so fishermen can find & retrieve any that get lost.
Honoring the Hicatee: October is Hicatee Awareness Month, at least in Belize. And the country wants to elevate the endangered turtle to “National Reptile of Belize.”