Turtle News

Turtle News

Twin-turtle Shell Shock DUAL CONTROLS: Jekyll & Hyde, conjoined diamondback turtles found at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, share six legs and a shell. --New York Post 2007.10.02 Another conjoined turtle in the news this week, this time a Diamondback Turtle found in Queens. The conjoined diamondback turtles, barely bigger than a thumbnail, were found 12 days ago at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, said Hofstra University Associate Professor of Biology Russell Burke. Jekyll & Hyde "is a really weird animal" with six legs, two heads, two tails and one shell, he said. Chemical pollution could be responsible for the mutation, but the most likely explanation is "it happened completely naturally - because every reproduction event is a toss of the dice," Burke said. --New York Post more >> Recent News Two-Headed Turtle Displayed in Suburban Philadelphia Pet Store 2007.09.28, 13:56 (CDT) Sept. 26: The two-headed red slider turtle, held by store manager Jay Jacoby at Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton, Pa. -Fox News The biggest turtle news this week is that another two-headed turtle has shown up this week. A two-headed red slider turtle was at Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter. With all of the oddities inside the store, the turtle could almost fit into a sideshow department, NBC 10's Doug Shimell reported. The yet-to-be-named turtle has two heads on opposite sides of its shell, four front legs, two back legs and a combined tail. -MSNBC more >> Stephen Colbert's Favorite Turtle Missing After Great Race 2007.09.19, 04:43 pm ET Shortly after snagging 2nd place in the Great Turtle Race, the leatherback turtle "Stephanie Coburtle" went missing and she has been "offline" for more than 100 days, it was announced today. more >> Albino Turtle Draws Visitors at Indian Zoo Yellow turtle at Nandana Kanan Zoo. 2007.09.13 Now here's a case where being a mutant gets you worshiped instead of ostracized. “We got to know that villagers were worshipping a special creature at Pakhimunda village near Satyabadi in Puri district during December last year. When we went there, we found that the creature, being worshipped is a turtle, which is yellow in colour,” [...] Wildlife experts believed the turtle lacked excess melanin for which it turned yellowish with soft shell. more >> Arkansans asked to help count turtles 2007.04.23, 5:15 PM ET On slow summer days, counting box turtles is one way to enjoy the outdoors. The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission is asking Arkansans to help with a survey of the animals to determine just how common, or rare, they are.[1][2] There has never been a statewide survey of box turtles. Maryland scientists in 2004 determined that the eastern box turtle populations were declining, and they blamed habitat destruction, road deaths and mowers and other land-clearing machinery among the causes. The animals also once were exported extensively as pets, a trade that was banned in 1994. Starting in May, the Arkansas commission is asking anyone spotting the reptiles in their yards or elsewhere to report their findings online or by calling the commission. more >> (cached) Turtle race being tracked on the Web 2007.04.15, 11:22 PM ET Biologists will switch on satellite trackers strapped to the backs of 11 female leatherback turtles on Monday, starting what conservationists have dubbed the "Great Turtle Race" to raise awareness of a species threatened with extinction. Sponsored by U.S. and Costa Rican environmental groups and businesses, the race will track the turtles on their annual 1,200 mile journey from Costa Rica's Pacific coast to the Galapagos Islands. more >> (cached)

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