Wildlife Jewels Turtles: Wild Turtle Week
Western Pond Turtle at the Newport Bay Conservancy May 23, 2025/ by Azi S. / © Wildlife Jewel
🌿🐢 We love turtles—and we hope you do too. But do you love them enough to love them from afar?
Most turtles trafficked through the illegal pet trade don’t survive the journey. And when a single turtle is taken from the wild, it's not just one life lost—it's a ripple effect that harms entire wild populations for generations.
Turtles play vital roles in their ecosystems, and every turtle taken from the wild is one less guardian of our wetlands, rivers, and shores.
This #WildTurtleWeek, speak up for wild turtles.
📢 Every single turtle counts.
🏞️ Turtles belong in the wild, not in tanks.
🚫 Turtles are not pets—they’re wildlife.
Speak up for turtles during #WildTurtleWeek by reporting wildlife crimes! #NotAPet #EveryTurtleCounts #WildlifeTraffickingAlliance
Western Pond Turtle at the Newport Bay Conservancy May 23, 2025/ by Azi S. / Wildlife Jewel
🐢 World Turtle Day Feature: Western Pond Turtle 🌿
🐢🌍 On this World Turtle Day, say hello to a precious Western Pond Turtle!
A quiet hero of our freshwater ecosystems, the Western Pond Turtle is native to the U.S. West Coast. These remarkable turtles can live up to 50 years in the wild! 🐢🎉
They also show memory, problem-solving skills, and even emotional responses — such as stress when separated from familiar environments.
But sadly, today they are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Why? 💔
🚫 Major threats include:
🏗️ Habitat loss from development
🧪 Pollution in rivers and wetlands
🚗 Road deaths during nesting season
🧤 Illegal pet trade & wildlife trafficking
🍲 Historic harvesting for consumption
🐸 Predation by non-local species (bullfrogs, red-eared sliders)
🌡 Climate change disrupting their habitats
🛡️ Let’s take action:
✅ Protect wetland habitats
✅ Share their story and spread awareness
💚 Every small effort makes a big impact in saving our precious wildlife.
Wildlife Jewels Conservation Collaborators Updates
