Ten Things to Do for Turtles

[Guest guest]

Hello,

Here is an article I put together to spread word about how people can

help turtles. Spring time is here and that's when you will more

likely to see turtle walking down the road probably trying to find a

suitable nesting place.

Feel free to cross post or send it to your friends.

Thanks

Barbara

www.veggiechild.com

 

 

Ten Things to Do for Turtles

by Barbara Dillard

 

Spring and early summer is a time of turtle nesting and babies. You

can see turtles walking on the road or turtle hatchlings around local

ponds and creeks. However cute they look and no matter how much your

child wants to pick them up and take them home it's not a good idea.

 

Turtles—sea, freshwater, or terrestrial—are the favorite animals of

many people. These attractive creatures continue to beat incredible

odds to survive in today's world of increasing pet and food trade,

pollution and shrinking habitat. Here are some suggestions on how you

can help those beautiful and important little creatures, which have

been part of our ecosystem for a long, long time:

 

1. Protect Turtle habitat. Support your local turtle conservation

programs. Report any abuse, poaching (of sea turtles, her eggs or

hatchlings for example), or any other of your concerns to a local

legal agency like Texas Parks & Wildlife department. These activities

are violations of U.S. state and federal laws.

 

3. Give Turtles a Brake. First, be safe and don't have an accident;

then if possible avoid hitting the turtle. If you can safely stop and

you want to do so, move the turtle off the road in the direction in

which it was going. If the turtle is a large one, or a snapping

turtle, use a stick to nudge him gently across the road without

getting too close. Do not pick up a turtle by its tail, as it can

cause dislocation of the turtle's spine.

 

4. Don't take turtles out of the wild. A game warden will fine you if

you get caught. Turtles take up to 10 years before reaching sexual

maturity to reproduce. Taking a turtle out of the wild will cause

great harm to the future population of turtles. When the population is

thinned beyond a certain point, adults are unlikely to find each other

for mating. Many turtle species lays relatively few eggs and the

hatchlings are very vulnerable during their first years to predation.

This means not enough turtles can be produced for the population to

survive and the population becomes reproductively dead.

5. Enjoy Turtles in the Wild. Never keep wild turtles as pets or buy

them from a pet store. The trade in reptiles as pets is responsible

for tremendous animal suffering and serious damage to turtle

populations. Learn to enjoy turtles by observing them in their natural

habitat, where they belong. If turtles live in your yard, why not keep

them happy by building a pond and by landscaping with plants that

provide protection and food? Edible plants for turtles include

tropical hibiscus, dandelion, geraniums, and Chinese lantern. (Make

sure that your plants are free of pesticide and herbicide residue.)

Piles of leaves, vines, and downed trees make perfect turtle hiding

places.

 

6. Don't release turtles back in wild. Turtles kept in captivity for a

while often lose the need for hunting since they have been fed and

they will not be able to survive in the wild. An even bigger problem

can develop, that is releasing the turtle, even in its potentially

native habitat, will affect biodiversity of the pond or lake you

release it in. Introduction of parasites and illnesses can wipe out

entire fish or other local fauna population. For help, contact local

your Turtle Club, Herpetological Society, Wildlife rehabilitator or

your local animal shelter.

 

7. Get Turtles out of U.S. Live Animal Markets. Turtles are among the

most popular offerings at live animal markets in the United States.

They suffer terrible abuse in filthy, neglectful conditions, and are

slaughtered by being cut apart while conscious. The vast majority of

market turtles are taken from the wild, contributing to declining U.S.

turtle populations. Tell state wildlife agencies that you're concerned

about the increasing collection of wild turtles to supply animal

markets in the United States and abroad.

 

8. Say NO to turtle racing. Turtle racing is an event that is often

held for the entertainment of young children at fairs, picnics, rodeos

and socials across the U.S. usually without knowing what harm they are

doing to the local turtle population as well as to the individual

turtles. Turtles are found and collected in the wild and the

overwhelming majority is picked up off of the roads. These

" collectors " often exceed their legal limit of turtles. Turtles are

piled up in five gallon buckets or cardboard boxes for a time ranging

from several days to several weeks without food or water. As a result

the turtles are under enormous amount of stress and sometimes covered

with urine and feces which could spread disease among the turtles.

 

 

9. Don't Mess with Texas. Pollution makes its way into bodies of water

and wild areas, poisoning turtles and destroying their habitats.

Always properly dispose of any hazardous materials such as paint or

oil. Garbage, such as plastic bags, kills many pond turtles and sea

turtles that either ingest it or become entangled in it. Reduce the

amount of garbage you produce, recycle, and dispose of it properly.

 

10. Spread the Word. Educate others about the importance of protecting

turtles from commercial exploitation and abuse in your community and

throughout the world. Be a voice for turtles.

 

References:

1. Box Turtle Partnership of Texas [bTPT] articles by Michael Smith

2. World Chelonian Trust – www.chelonia.org

2. Humane Society of the United States

3. Turtle Racing in U.S.A. by Alex Heeb

Barbara Dillard is founder of DFW Turtle & Tortoise Club, Member of

DFW Herpetological Society, Member of World Chelonian Trust, and

partner of BTPT

 

www.veggiechild.com

http://pets.DFWTurtleandTortoiseClub/