Turt Turt

If you ever asked me what sound a turtle makes, I'd probably say "turt turt" just for kicks.  It's not that I think it's that funny, but whenever I think of turtles, I think "turt, turt, turt" with long pauses between each turt.

I've never been especially attracted to turtles, either.  Or any reptilian creature for that matter.  They are reptiles, no?  I know somebody will see this and laugh at my incapacity for placing species in the correct categories.  I'm much better with the furry and feathered.

Turtles look old.  Even when they are quite young, they look very old and even wise.  It's got to be the leathery, wrinkly skin.  Such a stereotype.  There are plenty of leathery, wrinkly dimwits out there.

My dad found a dead turtle while driving the other day.  He the turtle, probably fifteen years old by his estimation, smashed on a street where a turtle probably wouldn't have been on a normal day.  It was the day after one of the tornado-like storms in the Chicago suburbs (our town escaped the actual tornados and only got massive, destructive winds).  Our theory is that the turtle got into the street and a driver, unable to see properly in the storm, smashed the poor dude.

Then my dad found another turtle.  On one of his walks while behind a shopping center he picked up a foot-long turtle and replaced him closer to the grass and out of harms way (hopefully).  The story makes my mom cringe, but I'd like to think I would have done the same.  Turtles aren't rare around here, they just usually aren't so out in the open.  They're down in the marshy areas and ponds, mostly man made near office buildings and housing subdivisions.

So with turtles on the mind, I came across this article about the oil spill and it's effect on some wildlife.  Specifically, the efforts to save sea turtle eggs that would otherwise be destroyed by the oil.  Sea turtles are more fascinating than your average land turtle (sorry, land turtle).  After all, they can live to over a hundred years old, they remember where they were born, they swim tremendous distances, and Squirt and Crush were friggin' awesome in Finding Nemo.  Amongst other things.

My first reaction was terror.  Thousands upon thousands of baby turtles could hatch and thrust themselves into a horrible, oily death.  BP, do you not deserve the detriment into which you have fallen?

My second reaction was awe.  Human beings are not half bad.  There are people out there attempting to rescue these babies pre-hatch and move them to a safer location.  Knowing that there are people who understand the effects of losing a species and are willing to take action not only makes me feel insignificant but also gives me a smidgen of hope.  A smidgen is more than nothing.

Good luck baby turts.