23 May 2024

Shelling Out for a Cause: It’s World Turtle Day!

Social Distancing

May 23 celebrates (or “shellebrates“) World Turtle Day. According to the World Turtle Day website, the “day was created as a yearly observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world.” The day celebration started in 2000 under the auspices of the American Tortoise Rescue organization. On its website, it states that its mission “includes continuing to fight the exploitation of our native turtles for food in the U.S. and China and the illegal sale of live animals on Craigslist.com.”

Learning From Your Elders

In my walks, hikes, and bike rides, I often use trails with a pond or another body of water. The first photo I featured was captured at the turtle pond on The University of Texas at Austin campus. It is a very popular destination visitors like to see because of the turtle colony living there. The next photo and the one below come from a large pond in a nature trail near my house, the Copperfield Nature Trail. This little moss-covered fellow did not mind my getting close with my macro lens to get this image.

Pond Slider

Pond sliders (Trachemys script) are very common in this part of Texas. The species is native to the United States. The red-eared slider is one main characteristic used to identify them. According to Wikipedia, their lifespan ranges from twenty to fifty years.

There are some easy steps to help protect turtles and tortoises, including reducing plastic use. Unfortunately, turtles mistake plastic for food. Supporting conservation efforts is another way to protect turtles. If you visit a beach where turtles nest, do not disturb nesting areas. If you get one as a pet, never release it into the wild, which can disrupt ecosystems. If you boat or fish, be mindful of turtles in the area and never dispose of fishing lines in the water.

Green Sea Turtle

When we visited the Fernando de Noronha archipelago (Brazil), we witnessed the work of a wonderful conservation organization on that island. The Fundação Projeto Tamar (The Tamar Project Foundation) has operated on the Brazilian coast since the 1980s. Its mission promotes “the recovery of sea turtles through research, conservation, and social inclusion actions.” On that day, they released a Green Sea Turtle into the ocean after collecting some data.

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23 Responses

  1. Writing to Freedom
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    Nice pics and tribute Egidio. Lately, the turtles here hide in their shell so now good pics.

  2. Anne Sandler
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    Thanks for letting us know about World Turtle Day Egidio! My son had a snapping turtle as a pet. He definitely had a personality. Great pictures.

  3. Egidio Leitao
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    Thanks for the compliment, Brad.

  4. Egidio Leitao
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    Thanks for the feedback, Anne. I’ve heard about snapping turtles and their personality. 🙂

  5. Marie
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    Great photos. I especially love the first one. The colors and the reflections are wonderful

  6. Egidio Leitao
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    Thanks, Marie. Yes, they were sunning out and loving the warmth on that day.

  7. Dawn M. Miller
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    Wow, these are incredible!

  8. margaret21
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    Lovely pictures: and good to know that turtles are actively protected.

  9. philosophy through photography
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    Such a lovely Clicks.
    As they say, nature never tires us
    Thanks for bringing awareness about turtle day.
    I was unaware of this day.
    Thanks, Egidio.

  10. Toonsarah
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    I never knew there was a World Turtle Day, but these days there seems to be a day for everything! I welcome this one because it’s given you a reason to share these excellent photos 🙂

  11. Egidio Leitao
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    Thanks, Dawn.

  12. Egidio Leitao
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    Thanks, Margaret.

  13. Egidio Leitao
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    Thank you, my friend. Have a great weekend!

  14. Egidio Leitao
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    Sarah, yes, there are days for everything nowadays. It’s hard to keep up. Thanks for your feedback and compliment.

  15. philosophy through photography
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    You are welcome, my friend.
    You too have a wonderful weekend!

  16. Tra Italia e Finlandia
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    Simpatiche creature!

  17. Egidio Leitao
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    Grazie mille!

  18. Amy
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    What a special post for the world turtle day! Beautifully captured, I love turtles.

  19. Egidio Leitao
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    I’m so glad you liked the post, Amy. Thanks for the comment.

  20. Vicki
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    Wow! What great shots. The detail of the turtles is amazing.

  21. Egidio Leitao
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    Thank you so much, Vicki.

  22. sharonsiconictravelphotographyblog
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    Nice shots! The first one show they all are at their assigned spots for guard duty.

  23. Egidio Leitao
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    Many thanks for your feedback.

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