What is it about the turtle that captivates us so? What drives us who focus countless hours on their care, observation, and conservation? I found myself giving this subject some thought recently. I guess for me at least it goes back to my childhood. How fantastic was it to find a creature so different from us that it carries its home around on its back? Sure most of us had a hermit crab or two as a kid but I can say with certainty that a turtle has far more character then any crustacean. While the turtle’s shell surely sets it apart from most other inhabitants of this planet, I don’t see that as the force that draws us to them. Perhaps it’s that despite the trials it has suffered, the turtle is one of the few species that seems to always sport a smile? Could that be it? Most of us project humanistic qualities on animals but as charming as they may appear I think there is something more to them then just being able to laugh off their problems. It is true however that no one can argue the fact that many chelonians radiate great beauty with their simplistic grace and intricate markings; ones that boast nearly every color in the rainbow. Still, I have to say there is something more.
Beyond the aesthetic glamour, there is a deeper, unspoken connection. Now, I’m not talking about their personality here, which undoubtedly many of us will argue does exist. But I truly believe that somehow with us being one of the newest species out there, we must feel a kinship with something so ancient. Turtles seem to represent the expanse of time and smallness within the universe that humans tend to disregard amongst the chaotic hustle and bustle of our daily lives. What better symbol for our responsibility to tend to the health of the Earth then the protection of one of its longest residents? Some cultures even saw a turtle as an image for the world itself, one that the land rested atop its mighty shell.
How ashamed will we be to cause the extinction of such a stubborn family of brutes that have withstood millions of years of harsh change, catastrophe, and constant predation? It has survived so long with all odds against it and could continue to do so perhaps for many more millenniums if it weren’t for us. We have come so far yet we continue to consume, capture, and crowd in on these humble reptiles. How sad and ironic would it be after all that time to destroy such a seemingly unstoppable life force at a point where we ourselves have advanced so far in knowledge and technology? I think this is what draws many of us to them with such magnetism. Their struggle is the emblem of our arrogance. With its own built-in arsenal to shield it from the world across the spectrum of time, humans, their greatest admirer, have become their greatest threat. Sheer ignorance has put their future in peril. There is still time though I believe, but not much. I always try to see light where there is darkness. If we can rescue this one prehistoric wanderer maybe there is still hope for everything else in this world.
We owe a lot to the turtle. Day after day it shows us that if we just slow down and be persistent then we can push through almost any challenge. Some obstacles though, as they have proven all too well, cannot be overcome alone. They need our help. Now is the time to give aid to that which can no longer thrive within the environment we are creating. If we double our efforts, we may be able to turn the tide before it’s too late. The world may indeed still rest on the back of a turtle.
