A friend is asking me to take care of a gulf coast box turtle. I live in Louisiana and it evidently was found or kept in Mississippi. It was brought to her in a shoebox so we have no idea where it came from. The rescue group said to keep and watch it, but I can't help thinking it would be better to release it. Thoughts?
release or not?
- Thread starter dmccld
- Start date
Releasing a turtle is ok if done in the same place it was found and if done immediately. Once the turtle has been a captive for any length of time it's not ok to release it. For one thing, this particular turtle would probably die as it tries to get back to it's territory in Mississippi. Besides that, depending upon the length of time your friend had it, it might carry germs that would be detrimental to the health of native turtle populations.
TurtleTimeYt
New Member
Yeah I wouldn’t because it’s used to captivity.
keep it
jeff kushner
Well-Known Member
I see this question is like an "oil thread" on the motor sports forums I belong to........=="comes up a lot"
I respect others, science, biology, gut feelings and God....but do we have definitive proof that a wild turtle, captured for a set period of time, will fail upon re-entry to the wild into a habitat similar to what he/she was taken from?
Remember, I'm new here....so maybe this has also been shown....but I simply haven't seen it. I would have to imagine that some college has funded this study? If someone does know, I'd be interested to read their parameters/conclusions.
I know many different animals use a form of magnetic(incl people) "geo-location" for migration for example, or simply to orient themselves..and I've seen myself certain animals efforts to get to a certain location after being misplaced from that place. I've wondered if all turtles, not just Sea turtles use this or another type to geo-loc?
Not anecdotal, but science? I've come to the grim conclusion that if you live long enough, you can produce anecdotal evidence for about anything, lowering it's overall value. This was an epiphany...here I'd been thinking I was just smarter, more experienced than everyone....no, just older LOL
jeff
I respect others, science, biology, gut feelings and God....but do we have definitive proof that a wild turtle, captured for a set period of time, will fail upon re-entry to the wild into a habitat similar to what he/she was taken from?
Remember, I'm new here....so maybe this has also been shown....but I simply haven't seen it. I would have to imagine that some college has funded this study? If someone does know, I'd be interested to read their parameters/conclusions.
I know many different animals use a form of magnetic(incl people) "geo-location" for migration for example, or simply to orient themselves..and I've seen myself certain animals efforts to get to a certain location after being misplaced from that place. I've wondered if all turtles, not just Sea turtles use this or another type to geo-loc?
Not anecdotal, but science? I've come to the grim conclusion that if you live long enough, you can produce anecdotal evidence for about anything, lowering it's overall value. This was an epiphany...here I'd been thinking I was just smarter, more experienced than everyone....no, just older LOL
jeff
I know this is another anecdote, but a few weeks ago a fence board leading to outside my property came loose from the fence in the gulf coast box turtle yard. I live in the country on a very busy street. The turtles had lived in this yard for over 20 years and all of them escaped. I looked around outside the fence for about a week and never spotted them, however, one by one, they came back.
Box turtles trying to go home has been something I've always heard, and taken as gospel. It sounded reasonable to me. I would be interested in reading the scientific article if one is ever found. @Kapidolo Farms is good at finding scientific stuff. Let's ask him.
Box turtles trying to go home has been something I've always heard, and taken as gospel. It sounded reasonable to me. I would be interested in reading the scientific article if one is ever found. @Kapidolo Farms is good at finding scientific stuff. Let's ask him.
been looked into by a few folks , i'm sure a google search will get many of them ......... i've seen it for gopher tortoises , desert tortoises and eastern box turtles .............. because development/construction has often dictated the relocation of these species .... i think the conclusion of these studies leaves a bit to interpretation ........ personally i think it comes down to habits ...... when a nest hatches out the survival is very low , imo the ones lucky enough to happen into favorable circumstances survive and get the opportunity to form habits , one finds a pond to hibernate in , one tries to hibernate in a tire rut , the tire rut guy doesn't get a second chance to form a habit ...... the longer they survive the more favorable habits they form , the less lucky they need to get.... turtle or tortoise that do not cross roads as part of their natural behavior will have better survival rates than turtles that normally cross roads a couple times a year ....... you take them out of the environment they have survived in , they need to form new habits , and you increase their need to get lucky ....... one thing all the studies agree on is that relocated turtles and tortoises move greater distances than native residents , those distances moved become more normal in each subsequent year , after a few years they've been shown to become the same as native turtles .......... moving greater distances alone increases the chances of a bad outcome ......... it's the reason behind soft releases , they are shown to reduce the area of dispersal ............
these studies released these turtles and tortoises in optimal environments , where they had a good chance of not crossing roads ...... i've also not seen one where they were released in an extreme part of their range where survival of the native population is dicey ....... extreme temps , lots of roads , droughts ....................
these studies released these turtles and tortoises in optimal environments , where they had a good chance of not crossing roads ...... i've also not seen one where they were released in an extreme part of their range where survival of the native population is dicey ....... extreme temps , lots of roads , droughts ....................
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It could work to release it, but it takes some work to do it well. There is what's called a hard release were you just put it someplace optimal and what ever will be will be. This means (If I recall correctly) about a 20% chance of survival. Then there is the soft release where you have some-kind of barrier (ecologists will often used bales of straw) and then you make sure the turtle can get wild and supplemental food. After a full year (all seasons) the barrier is broken open so the turtle can move about (now there is a ??90+% chance to survive). This recollection is from Eastern Box turtles.
As for the health matter, I'd see what a vet says about the general health, and don't tell them the intention to release unless you want a lecture about not doing it. It will pass or fail a health screen on it's own merits.
As for the health matter, I'd see what a vet says about the general health, and don't tell them the intention to release unless you want a lecture about not doing it. It will pass or fail a health screen on it's own merits.
