Posted on: 2017-08-25 09:30:21
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Turtle news we found interesting recently. Have you seen these stories yet?
Recent Box Turtle News
What have you learned from your box turtle?
Lessons from Hazel the box turtle: Box turtles are fascinating and have their own personalities, as this young lady learned taking care of Hazel. 🐢
And a few older stories we find worth repeating:
- Ornate box turtles vs. bike path: Ornate boxies live near a proposed bike path/pedestrian trail in Wisconsin. So they may be at risk of being run over by bikes. 🙁 Apparently the state DNR says it’s not a big risk.
- Box Turtle is a beautiful sight: Is it the same one who’d been visiting for years & then vanished? Or is it a new friend? No matter, it’s always welcome. (includes pictures)
- This yard is a box turtle haven!: At least one guy counts it as part of his regular habitat. The author includes pictures of the very colorful male turtle.
Recent U. S. Turtle News
Reminders to help protect the sea turtles, a lost sea turtle, fun snapping turtle facts, and a beach balloon ban. Plus Officer Turtle Whisperer and more.
Another reminder to leave sea turtles alone: It really is that important. The hatchlings rarely need help getting to the sea. As long as you keep your lights turned off, they know where to go. Includes video of a loggerhead “boil” (when the babies all come spilling out of the nest).
And another reminder about lights on beaches: Keep them off the avoid confusing hatchlings! We don’t want them heading for the street. The babies will keep hatching through October. Please give them a chance to get to the sea.
A sea turtle in Queens?! Yep! Now apparently they’re common in Long Island Sound. Not so much in the East River, where this poor thing got itself hooked. Luckily its “captors” easily clipped the hook & sent it on its way. It looked quite happy to get out of there. (Video)
A lesson in snapping turtles: Learn a few facts about the alligator snapper. And watch a short video about the differences between common and alligator snapping turtles.
But please leave snappers in the wild! They’re protected under federal and some state laws. These three men didn’t care. They recently pleaded guilty to capturing more than 60 alligator snapping turtles and selling some. 😞
Palm Beach County says no to balloons on the beach! That means fewer sea turtles munching on balloons. 😌
He loves rehabbing turtles: He’s been helping wildlife since he was a young boy. He’s especially fond of the turtles. 🐢
Turtles are loving Panama City Beach this year! The beach has seen record number of nests this year. And for the first time ever, loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtles have all laid nests this year. (Florida)
Boynton Beach police officer is now the Turtle Whisperer. His body camera caught his good deed, moving a turtle off the road into a grassy area nearby.
Washington’s Western pond turtle population recovering: From only 150 turtles in 1991, today there are around 2000 in the wild. It’s all thanks to conservation efforts by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Woodland Park Zoo.
Recent International Turtle News
Good news for an almost-poached turtle, escaped turtle, and baby turtles.
Turtle poachers foiled: They had her tied up & ready to load in a truck. Lucky for her a conservation officer stumbled on the scene. The poachers fled and the turtle is back home in the sea. (Grand Cayman)
Cautiously good news for an endangered turtle: The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority just released more than 6,000 of baby spiny soft shell turtles into the river. The species is still endangered, but hopefully these little ones will help it survive.
Fluffy’s home! Fluffy’s a red-eared slider who had escaped his backyard pond with friend Flippy. Neighbors returned Flippy, but Fluffy was nowhere to be found. They have now been reunited. (Newfoundland island, Canada)
Hawksbill turtle seen laying eggs at East Coast Park beach: Witnessing the egg laying is a rare event. Her eggs were later moved to a safer spot. (Singapore)