We hope that, through this post-a-thon, we’ve helped raise awareness of the need for action is huge and grows every day! The posts we’ve shared today highlight just a few of the critical issues facing turtles and tortoises today. We all love their cute little faces, their amazing side eyes, and their need to nom everything in sight, but we can’t forget that they also face dire straights in every region of the world. Loving them just isn’t enough! Actions speak louder than words!
Before we go, a few last thoughts:
HOW TO HELP TURTLES AND TORTOISES EVERY DAY!
The number one thing you can do for turtles and tortoises is to be a responsible / respectful turtle and tortoise lover, as well as an educated turtle or tortoise owner.
That right there is the end all be all. Beyond that, here are some tips. I was going to write my own tips list here but I’m (as you are all very aware heh) very wordy. The American Tortoise Rescue (http://www.tortoise.com/) compiled a much more succinct list so here it is (with a few of my own add ons):
- Never buy a turtle from a pet shop, as it increases demand from the wild.
- Never remove turtles from the wild unless they are sick or injured.
- If a turtle is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going — if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again.
- Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles to your local animal control shelter.
- Report the sale of any turtle of any kind less than four inches. This is illegal everywhere in the U.S.
A few added points of my own:
- Do your research before adopting a turtle or tortoise. Make sure you can provide the appropriate housing and care for your shell friend THROUGHOUT its lifetime!
- Spread the love AND the knowledge!
- If you can, help your local rescue and rehab facility by donating or volunteering!
A Very SMALL INCOMPLETE AND RANDOM List of Rescues and Conservation organiztions out there! Later this week I thought I’d start a post we can all add to so a larger list can eb created.. till then here are just a few places that work to help turtles and tortoises.
- Turtle and Tortoise Preservation Fund http://www.ttpg.org/
- Turtle Rescue of Long Island http://turtlerescues.com/
- Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre http://kawarthaturtle.org @kawarthaturtle
- Little RES Q http://littleresq.net
- American Tortoise Rescue http://www.tortoise.com/
- Arrowhead Reptile Rescue http://www.arrowheadreptilerescue.org/
- Tecolutla Turtle Preservation http://www.saveloraturtles.org/
- Sea Turtle Conservancy http://www.conserveturtles.org/
- Karumbe http://www.karumbe.org/
- Turtle Conservation Fund http://www.turtleconservationfund.org/
- National Marine Wildlife Center http://nmlc.org/
- Turtle Survival Alliance http://www.turtlesurvival.org/
- California Turtle and Tortoise Club
- Desert Tortoise Council http://www.deserttortoise.org/
- Bali Sea Turtle Rescue http://www.baliseaturtle.org/