May 23 was World Turtle Day.
“This is a busy time of year for many turtles who are traveling to lay eggs. Be on the lookout for turtles crossing roads and, if you can do so safely, lend them a helping hand by carrying them to the side of the road they are traveling towards.If your backyard habitat includes a pond that supports turtles, make sure you provide perches. Leave wild turtles where you find them, and never release a pet turtle into the wild. Volunteering for local river cleanups and refraining from littering are all ways we can help provide healthy habitat for turtles.”The above quote was taken from: Yardmap Facebook page
Turtles have made Earth their home for 157 million years, while humans date back only a mere 2.8 million years. I think we should respect our elders, don’t you?
Eliza Waters 
I loooove turtles! 💖🐢💖🐢💖
🙂 They are pretty amazing creatures!
Yesss! 😊
Yes! Respect our elders!
🙂 Awesome elders!
🐢 Putting your hazard lights on in your vehicle alerts drivers behind you, before parking & helping the turtle cross the road! 🐢
Yes, safety first! Thanks, Alice.
Thanks for sharing this awareness Eliza! Yes, let’s respects our elders 😎
Thank you, Val. It’s a cause close to my heart. 🙂
Our favourite reserve is home to four different kinds of turtles. Amazing creatures.
Your photo of Blanding’s (and a couple other sightings on posts) helped motivate me to write this post. It is the time of year when so many cross roads that I wanted to raise awareness for them. I was surprised to learn that they had their own special day for it!
I’m glad as it was a very worthwhile post!
Thanks!
I totally agree (with your last sentence)! Unfortunately (or for them fortunately!) we do not have turtles in Holland, but I saw them in other places in the world and think they are mega cute and special and it’s good to create some awareness of their vulnerability despite their ‘harnas’!
With all that water, I am surprised that there are no turtles in Holland. They are indeed special creatures.
It’s good to have a few elders 🙂
indeed, it’s a very important day! 🙂
It is indeed!
Reblogged this on firefly465 and commented:
It was world turtle day 23rd May. elizawaters.com
Thanks for spreading the awareness!
I am fondly remembering the masses of turtles I saw kayaking down the Santa Fe River in Florida! I have yet to see one at the lake, but maybe this weekend. I have a strange connection with turtles.
They represent groundedness and patience, a trait that gardeners have, I think!
Yes, we should. They are the ancient ones. A little turtle story. One day, when we were riding our bikes, Clif and I spotted a small snapping turtle trying to cross the road. Even though the snapper was small, I didn’t dare pick her (or him!) up, so with my sneaker ed feet, I guided the snapper across the road. Afterwards, Clif commented on how I had “herded a turtle.”
😀 Great story!
Silly me. I didn’t know it was turtle day on the 23rd. Sometimes my brain is slow like a turtle.
🙂 I was inspired to post about it because I know so many cross roads to breed and hoped to raise awareness to watch out for them, and assist their crossing if possible. I always stop for them when I see them. They deserve every break they can get.
Turtles are one of my absolute favorite totems!!
🙂 Groundedness and patience. More please!
I love turtles, and once had the chance to pick one up when visiting a conservation project in Sri Lanka many years a ago. So pleased they have a day in honour of themselves!
That must have been a fun experience. I remember snorkeling once and a green turtle swam by – very cool! They are special creatures and definitely deserve a day of recognition.
World Turtle Day is a new one for me! I love both turtles and tortoises. I believe there are prohibitions here concerning the sale of either but I know that there are turtle rescue groups that foster them out – a friend’s mother was a foster turtle parent for years.
Oh, what fun. Imagine fostering a tortoise!
“I think we should respect our elders, don’t you?” ~ Yes indeed, Eliza… 🙂 What a great day, I never knew they had one, but certainly deserving.
🙂 Thank you.
Wonderful post.
Thanks, Gigi.
I love our turtles in the pond. And we helped one cross a bike path a few weeks ago – not quite a road, but better to be on the safe side!
I think any hand we can give them is a good one!
My favorite snorkeling has been with sea turtles. They are such amazing creatures. I love the little fresh-water guys too. Imagine having a shell like that. Nifty, but it cuts down on agility!
What a great experience to see sea turtles in the wild. They’ve always fascinated me, that’s for sure.
Yep, pretty much grew up playing in the woods and damming up the nearby creeks. Met quite a few box turtles. I mostly stop to help them across the street, including a couple of alligator snappers. Those you approach from the rear, and pick up by their muscular tail with the head facing away from your leg.
Sounds physically demanding! I don’t know if I’d be able to do it. 🙂 I’m used the little guys around here.
Terrific post and reminder, Eliza. I was a turtle patrol volunteer on the beach in SC and had many unforgettable experiences seeing the Loggerhead nesting habits… and their babies.
That is so cool, Jane. I would love see that some day. I’ve seen videos, but in person must be magical.
Especially witnessing the hatchlings emerging from the nest and running to the ocean! Amazing cycle of life.
Do you try to protect them from being eaten? I’ve seen films of the feeding frenzy that befalls them as they try to reach the shore. 😦
Yes, keeping the birds away, but generally letting nature do its thing. If the babies have gotten confused and go away from the ocean due to errant lights other than the moon, they need help getting back on course. Then, it’s a 200 mile swim to the Sargasso Sea…
I think I saw a nature show about them many years ago. Their young lives, from egg until maturity, are fraught with danger. Life in the wild is tough!
I just read in NG that sharks eat turtles, one of the few predators that can tear through their carapaces. Yet, some can get quite old, given the chance. 🙂
One time I saw a leatherback turtle washed up and was dead on the beach, they sad it was 1500 pounds. It was as big as a small car. So big they just had to bury it!
Wow, hard for me to imagine one that big!
Oh my… I missed World Turtle Day. I do promise to do my best to help although I am not sure what if any turtles we have here. I will have to look it up! Nice post.
Thank you, Denise. Apparently there are five species of turtle in CO. The box turtle might be one in your area. Habitat destruction is a big threat to most. We can help by raising awareness and being a voice for those that have none. Anything you do, even reading this, is better than nothing. 🙂
We have leatherback turtle nests right in front of our house. The are of course monitored by environmental agencies. The leatherback I believe is the largest sea turtle.
Wow, that is so awesome for you, Maria. I’m envious! 🙂
Oops! Here was a day that I missed. I do like turtles, though. If I get a chance, I’ll do something nice for one (even if it’s not their official day!). 🙂
🙂 They need all the help we can give them!