Turtles are cool. Blanding’s turtle is a medium-sized reptile found mostly in the Great Lakes region and a pocket of New England. Very mobile on land and in the water, this turtle eats crustaceans, insects and fish, as well as plants. Its lifespan rivals that of humans. A Blanding’s turtle can live up to 80 years and remains active and hearty throughout its long life. You can always tell a Blanding’s turtle by the bright yellow streak under its chin and neck. Photo of a young Blanding’s turtle by Jessica Bolser, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

May is an exciting time at Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Loggerhead sea turtles are coming ashore to nest. A female sea turtle lays an average of more than 100 eggs in each nest. If the nest is left undisturbed, the eggs will hatch around 60 days later and the hatchlings will race to the sea before they become snacks for hungry predators. Wildlife is not the only threat to the hatchlings. Human activity can destroy nests and distract hatchlings. Please help protect sea turtles by keeping beaches clean and limiting your use of lighting near nests. Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

It’s World Sea Turtle Day – a perfect chance to share this video of a baby sea turtle release. This release of Kemp’s ridley hatchings from Padre Island National Seashore in Texas is just one example of how the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are aiding the recovery of these magnificent animals. Sea turtles can live for decades and swim thousands of miles in their lifetimes. Kemp’s ridley are small, but leatherback turtles can weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. Video by National Park Service.

It’s World Turtle Day! From a tiny baby bog turtle to a massive leatherback, turtles come in many shapes and sizes. Found gliding through the open ocean or slowly trudging over desert plains, they are fascinating creatures. Because of environmental threats, several species are endangered and need our help. Video of a baby turtle running for the surf by Dry Tortugas National Park.

Pictured here is the bog turtle – North America’s tiniest turtle! This turtle can be found in the Appalachian Mountain bogs, one of the nation’s most biodiverse, yet rarest and most imperiled habitats. Roughly 90 percent of the area’s mountain bogs that once existed have been lost, making protection critical. That’s why the President’s budget calls for funding to conserve places like this as part of full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. http://on.doi.gov/23Ljo4L 🐢

Photo by Rosie Walunas, USFWS.

This morning Padre Island National Seashore released 90 Kemp’s ridley baby sea turtles. Since the begin of July, the seashore has released 700-800 sea turtle hatchlings into the ocean. For more photos and video of baby turtles, follow us on Snapchat at usinterior. 🐢🐢 Photo by National Park Service.

Here’s a great way to end World Oceans Day. This baby turtle hatchling journeys to the ocean at Dry Torturgas National Park in Florida. These little guys know how important oceans are to all living things. National Park Service video. 🐢🐢

It’s World Turtle Day – a day that spotlights turtles and tortoises and how we can protect them. 

Kara Wall snapped this cute pic of two baby sea turtles snuggling at Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida. Five different types of sea turtles are found in the waters of south Florida, and the park is famous for the abundance of sea turtles that annually nest in the area. But remember, no matter how cute the turtles are, visitors are not allowed to disturb sea turtles or their nests. Photo from www.sharetheexperience.org.