Posted on: 2017-12-15 10:30:33
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Recent turtle news we found interesting.
In the US cold stranding season marches on, with turtle rehab centers across the country pitching in to get as many turtles healthy again as possible.
Also, one California town didn’t hesitate to help the turtles find refuge from the fires.
But one population of leatherback sea turtles may make the endangered species list. And Rhode Island’s spotted turtles are in trouble.
Elsewhere, plans for a Turtle Island sanctuary look intriguing. A little sea turtle ends up thousands of miles from home. And the news about plastic pollution just keeps getting worse. 🙁 Plus much more.
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Recent U. S. Turtle News
Cold stranding season continues … along with a reminder that cold stunned turtles aren’t necessarily dead.
Meanwhile, one California town turned city hall’s basement into a turtle refuge, a Florida county is adding a 2nd sea turtle statue, and one New Mexico home has a unique turtle carving in the backyard.
That “dead” turtle may not be! It could just be suffering from the cold. Don’t try to warm it up (that could kill it!). But do please call for help.
Sea turtle had NINE hooks in it! Surgery to remove them was successful. But it’s a reminder to call for help instead of just cutting your line if you happen to hook a turtle.
Millenium’s kidnapper pleads guilty: Remember Millenium? He’s the African spurred tortoise stolen from a Queens environmental center last July. The man who took him has finally pled guilty. He’ll probably get a 6-month jail sentence for the turtle-napping.
Santa Rosa County loves sea turtles! There’s already one sea turtle statue at the Florida Welcome Center. Soon there’ll be a 2nd one “swimming” across the courthouse lawn. (Florida)
Turtle rehab a team effort: Too many cold-stunned turtles wash ashore each year for just one or two centers to handle. So after rescue they go where there’s room. For 6 little Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, that meant an initial rescue by Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and a trip to the New England Aquarium for stabilization. And finally reaching their new temporary home at Wood’s Hole Science Aquarium. Includes video. (Massachusetts)
What’s that turtle doing in that tree? No, nobody put him there. But somebody did carve him there! The tree was dying and had to go. But the property owners decided to do something different (and turtle-ly awesome!) with the trunk. (New Mexico)
Sea turtles did not enjoy the Corpus Christi snowstorm: It started with 30 cold-stunned green sea turtles getting warm at the Texas State Aquarium and the Texas Sea Life Center. Within days the number swelled to more than 200 turtles needing help.
By Wednesday, some of the chilly turtles had warmed up enough to go home: Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to watch them swim off into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
More 3-D printing firsts: This time it’s a brace for a sea turtle’s shell. Without support the gap in the turtle’s shell was causing problems as the turtle grew. Now the shell should grow normally. 💗 (San Diego)
City Hall reptile house? You probably know by now the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, California had to evacuate their animals because of the fires last week. But did you know the animals’ new home was the Atascadero City Hall? Kudos to the city manager who didn’t hesitate to allow them to use the space. 💗 See more pictures & video here (A tub full of tortoise looks heavy!)
Mote Marine Laboratory turns trash into art: But it’s not to admire (although the pieces are incredible). It’s to help raise awareness of how much trash—especially plastic—that ends up in the environment and harms living creatures. The exhibit includes a jellyfish made of bottles, bleached coral made from styrofoam, and many more.
What happened to Rhode Island’s spotted turtles? They were once common in the state. But like many other animals, they’re victims of human development (areas with less development have more of the turtles).
Adding a sea turtle to the endangered list: Specifically the Northwest Atlantic leatherback population. The National Marine Fisheries Service is currently considering the listing.
It’s Western pond turtle migration season in Yosemite Valley: Officials ask you to be on the lookout for them and the California red-legged frog. Please slow down when you see one!
Recent International Turtle News
Lots of turtle protection going on! 💗 We have a secure sea turtle facility in Thailand, plans for a Turtle Island in Austria, and decades of protecting Blandings turtle nests is paying off. Also, check out David Attenborough releasing a baby leatherback.
And voting is still open to name a special green sea turtle.
Sadly, it’s not all happy news. We found video of a sea turtle losing a flipper to fishing line, and more studies show just how badly plastic garbage hurts marine life.
Help protect sea turtle hatchlings: Officials in Jamaica want you to remember the nation protects all sea turtles. You can help by keeping beaches clean for the hatchlings. And reporting anyone harassing or catching the turtles, or collecting eggs.
Oman’s turtle conservation project gets OMR 15,000 in pledges: That’s almost $39,000 US! The money was raised by volunteers who ran the annual Spartan Obstacle Race. The money will go towards conservation of loggerhead turtles on Masirah Island. 💗
The Royal Thai Navy takes its mission seriously: The Navy has been protecting sea turtles since the 1950s. Officers monitor the beaches for any threats to the turtles, collect eggs to incubate in safety, and keep the beaches clean for nesting turtles. Only people with special permission get to see its Sea Turtle Conservation centre.
100 little olive ridley sea turtles head to sea: They’re part of the sea turtle program at All Hands Beach. (Philippines)
Green sea turtle gets a chance at survival: The poor thing was just covered in barnacles. Rescuers said it looked dead, but thanks to quick action vets are hopeful it can survive. (Sydney, Australia)
How precious is David Attenborough releasing a baby leatherback turtle? Enough to move twitter users to tears. And lots of tweets, of course! If you haven’t seen the episode, you can see the sweet clip here.
Turtle McTurtle Face? Really? Yes, really. That was one of the suggestions to name an “extra special” green sea turtle almost ready for release from the Gladstone Area Water Board’s rehab centre. Luckily the centre choose two other names as its finalists. Residents can vote on their favorite for a few more days. (Queensland, Australia)
Olive ridley sea turtles have arrived at Ganjam: For now they’re staying offshore & mating. Several offshore areas are protected, so they can do their thing in peace. 💗 Soon the females will come onto the beach to nest. (India)
Leatherback turtle attached to buoy: The buoy’s rope had gotten tangled around the turtle. Local fishermen were able to cut the buoy off. (Scotland)
A very long trip for a tired and cold little turtle: The juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle ended up on a beach in Cornwall … about 4,750 miles from its usual home in the Mexico/Texas area.
Still more sad news about turtles & plastic: If getting tangled in plastic doesn’t kill them, they often have to drag huge masses of the stuff around with them. Until either they’re rescued or they die. 🙁
Lawsuit, and criminal charges, for fishing in turtle sanctuary: Don’t do it! Just don’t. Seriously.
Dillon Lorraine lays her first eggs at 19: The Blanding’s turtle hatched from one of the first nests protected by Friends of Keji back in 1998. Those first hatchlings are finally reaching sexual maturity, so hopes are high they’ll help boost the population of this endangered turtle. (Nova Scotia)
Turtle Island to be turtle utopia: Ok, that may be overstating things a bit. But the founders envision a combination sanctuary, research facility, breeding area, and education center to help preserve the world’s turtles. Sounds a bit like utopia to us! (Austria) 💗
Lizards vs turtle eggs: Australia’s goannas (big lizards) dig up loggerhead turtle nests to feast on the eggs. Once the nest is open, other lizards join in.
Sad video: The loggerhead sea turtle was wrapped so tightly with fishing line it lost a flipper.