World Turtle Day 2011

World Turtle Day is May 23! American Tortoise Rescue sponsors this wonderful event every year. My turtle and I decided to have a tea party to celebrate. What are you going to do?

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• Don't have a turtle of your own to love?

  Why not send some love to turtle charities? Or better yet, adopt a turtle? Check out the following turtlefeed-approved organizations for some ideas.

• American Tortoise Rescue

  American Tortoise Rescue is a non-profit organization founded in 1990. In addition to sponsoring World Turtle Day, they offer permanent homes to abandoned turtles and tortoises. They also advocate for a number of turtle-related causes, including the abolition of live-market slaughter of turtles, the illegal sale of hatchlings, and cruel importation and exportation of turtles and tortoises. On top of all the marvelous things they do, they're one of the best resources for tortoise husbandry and rehabilitation. American Tortoise Rescue can be followed on twitter via @tortoiserescue.

• Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre

  Kawartha Turtle Trauma Center is a non-profit turtle hospital located in Ontario, Canada. In 2010, KTTC treated 242 wild turtles, many of which were species at risk in Canada. The organization is also actively engaged in turtle conservation and education efforts, and ranks highly on my list of all time favorite charities because of the staff's unparalleled love of snapping turtles. You can find KTTC on twitter at @KawarthaTurtle.

• Seaturtle.org

  Seaturtle.org originated on the net as "Turtle Tidings" back in 1996. Today, they're the go-to source for sea turtle conservationism. Seaturtle.org publishes invaluable information for educators and researchers, including turtle satellite tracking and vast image libraries. There are many different ways to help seaturtle.org, ranging from volunteering to work with turtles to adopting a nest. Seaturtle.org can be found on twitter at @seaturtle.

• Little Res Q

  People often purchase turtles, particularly red eared sliders (RES), without understanding proper turtle husbandry and eventually abandon their pets. Thankfully, Little Res Q is a no-kill shelter in Ontario, Canada that rehabilitates and rehomes unwanted pet turtles. If you're in the area, why not adopt a turtle? You can follow Little Res Q on twitter at @Littleresq.