November 27
Turtle Adoption Day
Take a cue from the turtles and slow down a bit on this day! Turtles are beautiful creatures, many of which live for many decades. But unfortunately, some turtles are not treated very well and need help from some compassionate human beings on Adopt a Turtle Day.
The Turtle Adoption Day was established in 2011 when Christine Shaw wrote a blog post about adopting turtles. Since then, the day has grown to involve more people in communities around the world. Many different turtle species are endangered and need help for their survival, and various conservation groups are working diligently to assist them. Unlike World Turtle Day, which is celebrated globally on May 23rd, Turtle Adoption Day focuses more locally on turtles in need. It is also about rescuing local turtles that need to be adopted as pets. Sometimes people take a turtle home as a pet for their child and then realize that it is much more work than expected, so they surrender it to an animal shelter. These turtles are then placed for adoption by local individuals and families. Turtle Adoption Day is a reminder that these adorable creatures need help and is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness about them.
How to celebrate Turtle Adoption Day:
Consider some of these ideas to celebrate Turtle Adoption Day:
- Adopt a turtle: Turtles can be pets for many different people. While they require love and care, they are less demanding in some ways than other pets. Start by doing research to find out their needs and how to care for them. Then, if you are still interested, visit a local animal rescue shelter to find out what options they may have for turtle adoption. If there are no turtles available for immediate adoption, it may be possible to have your name put on a waiting list.
- Contribute to turtle conservation: If you are not ready to bring a turtle home as a pet, that's okay. There are many other ways you can get involved in Turtle Adoption Day. For example, knowing that some turtle species are endangered, especially sea turtles, consider making a donation to an organization that helps with turtle conservation. Save the Turtles, Turtle Conservancy, Turtle Foundation, and Turtle Conservation Fund are just some of the organizations that work hard to help turtles live better lives worldwide.
