- The World Turtle Day is celebrated every 23rd of May each year by the American Tortoise Rescue.
- Turtles belong to a group of reptiles called Testudines. There are over 356 species of turtles. The length of their shells ranges from 4 inches to 7 feet. About half of all turtle species are threatened with extinction.
- Featured in Chase’s Book of Annual Events, the day was created as an annual observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world.
- The aim of this special day is to make people understand why turtles should be protected and the various ways to do it.
- There are species of turtles now considered to be endangered due to various reasons that include loss of habitat and water pollution. Because of this, solid actions must be taken to protect the remaining turtles.
- The World Turtle Day was founded by the American Tortoise Rescue or ATR. This organization was founded by Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson in 1990.
- ATR is a non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates all species of turtles and tortoises. They also promote activities that improve the habitat of these animals.
- The term “WORLD TURTLE DAY” is trademarked by Susan Tellem of Malibu, California.
- In 2013, over 160 free Turtle Day lesson plans and teaching materials were sent out to classrooms for use with over 5,500 students.
- Lesson plans were provided by the Turtle and Tortoise Preservation Group (TTPG), an organization that is open to all people interested in the welfare of chelonians.
- World Turtle Day is celebrated around the globe in a variety of ways, from dressing up as turtles or wearing green summer dresses, to saving turtles caught on highways, to research activities. Turtle Day lesson plans and craft projects encourage teaching about turtles in classrooms.
