05/01/2023
THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME!!! After spending an extra long "winter" with us, we have over 60 turtles that are ready to be released *beginning this weekend (the weekend of May 6th)*! WE NEED YOUR HELP getting them back to their homes. There are wayyyy too many cities and towns to list this time, from all over the state, so if you want to help us release turtles over the next couple of weeks, please comment below with the COUNTY or COUNTIES you're willing to release in. Please note the following:
*You must be able to pick the turtle up at our facility in Florence, MS. We cannot bring them to you.
*Aquatic turtle releases will be in a general area based on the watershed from which that turtle(s) came. We usually will let you pick the actual body of water within that area unless we've been able to scout one out in advance.
*Box turtles have to be released in a very specific place or to an individual. That place may require you make a short hike through some woods to get to the right spot.
*In some cases, you may be taking your turtle back to its original rescuer so that they can release it. In most cases like this, the finders don't mind a joint release so that both of you can enjoy seeing it go free.
*If you'd prefer to release only box turtles or only aquatic turtles, or have any other special requests or concerns, please stipulate that in your comment.
*Releases should be done in the morning or early afternoon so that the turtle has a chance to find a nice safe spot for the night, before the predators wake up and start hunting.
*Please include the day you can pick up and release with your comment.
Volunteers will be chosen in the order of the comments, but we will also factor in how soon you can do your release. (In other words if someone comments today that they can release in Lee County 3 weeks from now, but then someone else comes along tomorrow and offers to release in Leel County this weekend, we'll obviously choose the one that gets the turtle back home the quickest.)
I will reach out to you by Facebook Messenger if you're chosen, so please be sure to watch your "other inbox" or "message requests" so you don't miss the message. Please don't get worried if it takes me a few days to reach out to you. I'm only one person and I have a whole lot on my plate, so my responses can be a little slow at times.
UPDATE: one of our volunteers has offered to help out with north Mississippi turtles. She can come here to get them and take them back up I-55 with her. If you want to release any in north MS, you can meet up with her along her way north or pick up from her house in Enid (between Grenada and Batesville).
