Happy World Turtle Day!

American Tortoise Rescue, a nonprofit organization, created this day 17 years ago to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world.

Turtles are the most endangered group of vertebrates in the world. Of the 356 species of turtles and tortoises worldwide, about 61% of them are threatened or already extinct.

Adopt a turtle instead of buying one from the pet shops. Never remove or touch a turtle in the wild (unless they are sick or injured). If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up, and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again. Report any illegal sales of turtles or tortoises to animal control. Consider supporting of one the many nonprofit organizations out there working to protect these important animals to our world.

Happy World Turtle Day! 🐢