About a month ago I was contacted by a local man who had found a wild Eastern box turtle in his driveway.  This turtle was very sick, its eyes were swollen shut, it had a nasty nasal discharge and it was very weak and thin–all the symptoms of the classic upper respiratory infection that box turtles are often afflicted with shortly after coming out of hibernation.  I directed the man to take the turtle to my wildlife veterinarian, Dr. Coleman of Haywood Animal Hospital in Hendersonville, NC.  He did so, Dr. Coleman expertly treated it, and I later picked it us for convalescence at the nature and science center.  When I picked up the turtle I noted that it was light in weight and looked miserable.  If you have ever had a bad sinus infection you will understand.

I isolated the turtle in a warm enclosure separate from all other education animals because there is always the chance that this turtle had a much more serious viral or bacterial infection that we would not want to inadvertently transmit to the other animals.

The students and I cared for the turtle for about a month, keeping it hydrated, giving it antibiotic injections, and finally feeding it loads of earthworms, vitamin enhanced canned cat food and fruit which it readily accepted.

On may 15th the turtle was fully recovered and went home with it’s rescuer to be released in its native habitat and as you can see in the photos they both look very happy and healthy.

 Thank you sir for caring about wildlife and going above and beyond to help this turtle recover and get back to playing an active role in a healthy ecosystem.

Another wonderful wildlife rehabilitation success story!

If you find a sick or injured turtle, snake or Opossum and you are local to the Western North Carolina area, please do contact me and I will work with you to help the injured animal recover and get back into its native habitat as fast as possible.  If you live far from Western NC and need help with an injured animal, please feel free to contact me for information, which I will be more than happy to provide, but for immediate care you will need to contact your local veterinarians as they often have lists of wildlife rehabilitation facilities that will be willing to help.

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What are Turtle Tracks and Snake Tracks?

Turtle Tracks and Snake Tracks are citizen/student science reptile conservation and research projects occurring at two separate study sites near Lake Toxaway and Dupont Forest in the mountains of western North Carolina, USA. Through the magic of modern technology and a lot of hard volunteer work by a wildlife conservationist and his small crew of students, and volunteers, glimpse into the lives of four wild Eastern box turtles, two Rat snakes and two Timber rattlesnakes in their natural habitats. For more detailed info on the project please take a look at our website: http://www.earthshinenature.com

It is our goal at Earthshine Nature Programs and Trails Science to promote wildlife conservation through our unique, exciting, citizen science based, hands-on education, out-reach programs, and online with our nature videos, blog and website and in our environmental education classes at Trails Momentum (previously Trails Academy) and Trails Carolina.

What is Earthshine Nature Programs?

Earthshine Nature Programs is a separate entity from Earthshine Discovery Center and Trails Carolina/Academy however, we work directly with these institutions of education to promote the conservation and respect of our native wildlife and wild places. It is our mission to educate you about these beautiful but greatly misunderstood animals and hopefully, to impart to you their beauty, uniqueness and intrinsic value to a healthy Earth, healthy wildlife and healthy humans.

Earthshine Nature Programs is a grass-roots, 501c3 non profit, volunteer operated and donation funded organization.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who have donated to ENP over the years!! Without you, this important reptile conservation and public education work would not happen. If you would like to support Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate by visiting

www.earthshinenature.com/donate

You may also donate supplies such as animal foods, medical supplies, vitamins and habitat supplies just contact us for more information on what supplies we are in need of and how to donate.

Learn more about Trails Carolina and Trails Momentum and see if our unique programs may fit into your child’s education needs.

Music by The Steep Canyon Rangers used with written permission.

www.steepcanyon.com

Earthshine Nature Programs is in no way affiliated or responsible for ads that may appear below this line.

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