Yesterday was Endangered Species Day

Bringing things back to Ohio before returning to Arizona. As the title says, yesterday was Endangered Species Day; it is celebrated every year on the third Friday of May. Normally I don’t really celebrate it although it is something that should be important to us as there are many species for many different reasons that are at risk of being nothing more than memories, photos or a museum exhibit.

But this year I have something to share for it. While attending the Biggest Week in American Birding many of us on the Magee Marsh Boardwalk were treated to one of its denizens that does not have feathers but is an endangered species.

There they were, three Blanding’s Turtles! Now if you know anything about me you know how much I love turtles and to be able to see these endangered ones just made my day. These turtles are native to central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States. It is considered to be an endangered species throughout much of its range. The Blanding’s turtle is of interest in longevity research, as it shows few or no common signs of aging and is physically active and capable of reproduction into eight or nine decades of life. It takes them 14-20 years to reach sexual maturity…wikipedia.

I also saw Painted Turtles and one big Snapping turtle this day, but this guy gets the prize for most excited about seeing and photographing. Hopefully, as there were three of them seen, this means they are working on increasing their population.

Teri 📷