On Sunday, May 23, the American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) sponsors World Turtle Day. A non-profit organization, ATR, was established 20 years ago to protect all species of tortoise and turtles. Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson founded the ATR to raise awareness of the decreasing numbers of these animals and advocate for humane treatment of all reptiles. The ATR also assists law enforcement to cut down on illegal sale and possession of tortoise and turtles.
This day comes amidst the current oil spill, where countless sea turtles are losing their lives, among other marine inhabitants. This year, more than ever, it is crucial to bring attention to the current state of these endangered species. BP’s oil spill is “a tragic example of putting profits before preserving our environment,” said Tellem. Turtles and tortoises have been on Earth for more than 200 million years and are rapidly disappearing due to habitat destruction, exotic food markets, and pet trade industry. According to Dr. Brian Miller, biology professor at Middle Tennessee State University, about one-third of the turtle species will be extinct in the next 20-25 years.
I was fortunate enough to care for a variety of marine and freshwater turtles during an internship at Underwater Adventures Aquarium and I cannot describe to you in words how fascinating, caring, and graceful these animals are.
So what can you do on Sunday, and every day, to help keep these amazing animals around for much longer? There has never been a better time to get involved.
1. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Work on eliminating conventional plastic from your life. Plastic kills more than 100,000 marine animals each year. Sea turtles mistake plastic for food or become entangled.
2. Never take turtles from the wild.
3. Never release pet turtles into the wild.
4. Do not purchase any turtle/tortoise product, including shells or eggs.
5. Turn out the lights along beaches and protect nesting sites. Only 1 in 1,000 turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood.
6. Adopt a Turtle. There are numerous organizations, but here are my favorites, the Caribbean Conservation Corporation and SeaTurtle.org. http://www.cccturtle.org/adoptaturtle.php / http://www.seaturtle.org/
7. Check out your local zoos and aquariums for World Turtle Day events.
HAPPY WORLD TURTLE DAY!!
*L
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