Posted on: 2018-09-21 10:30:55
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Recent turtle news you may have missed.
Baby turtle releases, hatchings, and an unexpected “gift” from mama to her babies.
How do sea turtles survive hurricanes? One leatherback gives scientists an inside peak.
Also turtle trafficking, more on plastics, and an important nesting beach protected.
Plus more.
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Recent Box Turtle News
An adorable turtle assistant. And a cute picture.
Zoo New England “hires” a new turtle assistant: Koda, an Australian shepherd mix (yes, a dog!), is learning how to locate & retrieve turtles to help the zoo with its turtle conservation program. Especially the eastern box turtle. 💚
And speaking of eastern box turtles, here’s a handsome guy just hanging with his butterfly buddy. From the I Love Turtles Facebook page.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
We’re nearing the end of hatching season, but there’s still plenty of tiny turtles to make you smile.
There’s also rescues & releases. And, sadly, more injured & stranded turtles than usual.
Plus turtle trafficking, turtle research, and more.
But first, have you been keeping up with the Tour de Turtles?
Bortie has moved up a spot in the Tour de Turtles: But she’s got to get a move on if she’s gonna win! Have you been keeping an eye on this race?
Baby turtles news
Baby Blanding’s turtles!: The Shed Aquarium in Chicago—the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s newest partner in the Blanding’s project—just got their 1st crop of babies to raise. Two dozen of the little cuties will spend their 1st year getting big & strong enough for release.
Visit baby honu: Six Hawaiian green turtle hatchlings will spend the next 2 years at Maui Ocean Center’s Turtle Lagoon.
A parking lot’s no place for baby sea turtles: Luckily they were spotted in time. (Florida)
6 baby snapping turtles go home: Their mama died before laying her eggs, but thanks to a local program, the “Turtle Trauma Response Program,” the eggs were extracted & incubated successfully. Includes pictures. (Ontario)
Are microplastics killing smaller sea life? Quite possibly. And that may include young sea turtles in their first years of life. This could affect the entire ocean food web, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
Turtle rescues & releases news
US Coast Guard brings Shelmore to safety: The injured loggerhead was floating off Plantation Key, Florida. Includes video.
More than 2x the number of injured turtles as last year: The number of turtle patients arriving at a northern Virginia wildlife center has increased by 250% from 2017 numbers. Includes video.
3x the number of turtle strandings: The waters around Collier County in Florida have not been kind to the sea turtles this year. A normal year sees around 30 strandings. This year isn’t quite over & 95 sea turtles have washed ashore in the county.
Good luck to Ghostrider, Kara, Peppermint, and Sheryl: The 3 loggerheads and 1 green turtle went back home last Monday. Picture gallery. (Florida)
Kukui’s release was a bit different than most: Volusia County Marine Science Center staff had to float Kukui out to the sandbar in a kiddie pool to make sure the loggerhead made it to the open ocean. Includes video & pictures. (Florida)
Bye-bye, Jelly: The green sea turtle had a hook caught in its throat, but after a few weeks of rehab, it was time to go back home. Includes video. (California)
Other turtle news
New Jersey’s a hotbed for turtle trafficking? Apparently yes. Especially diamondback terrapins bred to feed the Asian market’s demand for the pretty little turtles … both as pets and food.
Another good year for sea turtles in Georgia: Nest numbers are down a bit from recent years, but they’re still above average.
Did the recent study on plastic & turtles jump to the wrong conclusion? Not exactly. But other research—that looked at live turtles instead of dead ones—suggests there’s still a lot to learn.
Isla gives scientists a front-row seat to turtle behavior during hurricanes: Well, sort of. They’ve been tracking her since May, and last week they realized she was in the path of Hurricane Florence. So of course they’ve been interested in how she has responded to the storm.
Turtle whispering? Apparently it’s a valuable skill when trying to catch turtles for study & tagging. There was a lot of it going on the other day at Navarre Beach Marine Park. Includes video & pictures.
Recent International Turtle News
In happy sea turtle news, a lot of people are working hard to protect them. In sad sea turtle news, they can’t seem to escape human-created pollution.
Sea turtle news
23 dead sea turtles in just 2 months: All killed by garbage floating in the sea. 😥 (Thailand)
Protecting Puerto Rico’s tinglar turtles (leatherbacks) after Hurricane Maria: The island’s people are still feeling the devastation of last year’s hurricane, and it’s made life harder for the turtles, too. But local conservation groups and lots of volunteers have been making sure the nests are safe and babies can make it to the water after hatching. 💚
Mama turtles pass on more than genes to their babies]: Apparently they pass on chemical pollutants, too. At least in sea turtles. 😕 (Study done in Mexico)
Mexico protects important nesting beach: Riviera Maya will not be getting a proposed new hotel. The site is too close to Xcacel beach, which is the most important nesting beach in the area, and the government denied permits for the project.
Other turtle news
It all began with a snorkeling adventure 7 years ago: And today they’re “parents” to more than 40 turtles! (Korea)
Meet the pig-nosed turtle: 2 of these critically endangered turtles recently found their way to Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. Sadly they spent their whole lives until now as pets, eating dog food & lettuce. They can’t be released, but WFFT is committed to giving them good lives going forward. Includes pictures & video.
146 baby snappers head out to live their lives: Their eggs hatched at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre after being rescued from their nest at the Trent Canal dam, which is under construction. The babies are now exploring the canal. Includes video.
Boosting the wild population of Asian giant softshell turtles: Their numbers have increased by about 565 after a recent hatchling release. (Cambodia)