Only a very small percentage of box turtle eggs make it to adult turtles due to predation at many stages of the turtles' growth. NOT "about 50 are devoured by predators". Every single turtle is important to contribute to the population--there is no surplus of box turtles as their habitat has been increasingly destroyed.
The turtle was "caught high up in a eucalyptus tree". YOU want to scramble up a tall tree? Probably don't even have the stones to try, but your accusative finger seems to be in fine shape. I'd have called the fire department, too--they have ladder trucks which could safely reach the turtle and not endanger a well-meaning would-be rescuer. The fire department came "after an hour" meaning that they had obviously tended to more urgent business before answering this call. Firemen aren't putting out fires 24/7; they DO have down time.
The city SHOULD investigate this act of cruelty. Next time, the perp could do something cruel to a cat or dog, or even a child. They usually start out small and work their way up.
There's nothing wrong with the story, but there's obviously plenty wrong with YOU.
I recently witnessed a total of NINE rescue personnel arrive in response to a woman’s call to be taken to a hospital for an injured shoulder. NINE people, three of whom were paramedics + SIX FIREMEN. What a joke. I kept asking them “Do you really need all of these people and trucks? No wonder cities are going bankrupt.” There were not happy about me being there. LOL
I agree with you. I love turtles and they are worthy of saving.
....and, there is something about turtles because they are SO vulnerable that calls all of us to help them when we can, whether helping them off the road or out of a tree!
Hard on the outside, soft on the inside; how I like my candybars and men!
>>Next time, the perp could do something cruel to a cat or dog, or even a child.<<
Did ya ever think that “the perp” could have been some kid who didn’t quite think that the turtle would actually fly? Perhaps a group of boys who thought they could grab it but it got too high? Did you raise any boys? They do dumb things and are far from “perps”. Lighten up.
And for Heaven’s sake, you did not say “Every single turtle is important to contribute to the population—there is no surplus of box turtles as their habitat has been increasingly destroyed”
They are selling them as PETS.
http://www.ehow.com/video_4439577_box-turtles-as-pets.html
And lets face it, if someone hadn’t gotten this turtle down, a bird would have had a great meal. Delivered.
“The city SHOULD investigate this act of cruelty. Next time, the perp could do something cruel to a cat or dog, or even a child.”
Or start posting anonymous insults on the internet!
The “perp”, as you put it, most likely a child, has a lesser probability of progressing to a serial killer than a box turtle egg has of progressing to high altitude flight.
What should be done with the “perp” after governmental resources have been expended to identify him? Mark him down on a turtle offender registry? Psychiatric treatment? Ritalin?
I believe many things are beneath the attention of government, rescue of flying turtles and the prosecution of those that launch them being but two examples.
Your post, and others on this thread, are a clear indication of the major disconnect between city folk and country folk.
I’d wager many a city slicker would have me labeled a future seriel killer when I was a youngin...I shot many a sparrow in my grandparents barns.
Now that I live in a metro area, these folks and their worries crack me up. Heck, the mere mention of the 2nd ammendment sends folks raised in cities running in fear.
I’m honestly not trying to attack you. I am just pointing out that the disconnect is very stark, to the point of craziness at times. Really, go back and read your post...”OMG the world can’t afford to have even one turtle stuck in a tree! How long before cats and dogs are being sent assunder....” is how it reads to those of us that have spent our youthful summers wandering the land with bb-guns in one hand and our prey in another. Then when we came of age we were put to work on the farm working the fields and butchering cattle, pigs and chickens.