In the past, we’ve talked about the unfortunate results of Turtle Fever. For those who are unaware, sales of turtles typically spike whenever the TMNT franchise becomes popular. This happened once when the original animated series became a hit, and a similar series of events took place after their recent resurgence in the market. The problem is that parents will buy their children baby turtles assuming that they will be easy to care for, but eventually these beautiful animals outgrow their tiny fish tank and their owners no longer know how to keep the terrapins happy.
The result is usually an ecosystem of turtles left in ponds and other areas which are not their natural habitat. Thankfully, there’s at least one shellhead out there who doesn’t want to let down his reptile friends. Michael Butcher, a resident of the English village of Staplehurst, has made it his mission to save as many turtles as he can. So far, he has amassed a collection of over 1,000 terrapins which are kept in his Turtle Sanctuary. In order to house these amazing animals, he has set up a system of customized tanks which include heat lamps, filters, and everything else they need to survive.
These turtles are looking much happier and healthier in the Turtle Sanctuary. Image Source: KentOnline.co.uk
Although some of the turtles he receives arrive in rough shape, the pictures of his Turtle Sanctuary reveal that they are looking pretty darn healthy today. Unfortunately, Michael doesn’t receive a lot of donations for this sanctuary, so his service hasn’t yet been recognized as a registered charity. With that in mind, we figured it might help to spread the word about the fine work he is doing in England. If you want to help save thousands of innocent turtles, you can donate to Michael’s JustGiving campaign and provide the funds necessary to care for these wonderful terrapins.
Even if you can’t afford to donate to this cause yourself, simply sharing this article could help the cause. Thousands of turtles need our help, and this Turtle Sanctuary just goes to show that TMNT fans are capable of amazing feats. Here’s hoping that this sanctuary can keep up the good work for years to come!