We first saw her in redearslider.com about few weeks ago. Because our blog is mostly about turtles,we think it would be good to share about this poor girl so that human can be nicer toward us, river’s animals.
This is PEANUT:
The following is copied from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources :
This is Peanut the turtle. She was found in 1993 in Missouri and taken to a zoo in St. Louis where the six-pack ring was removed. Today she is in the care of the Missouri Department of Conservation, and is doing well. Below are some frequently asked questions and answers about Peanut.
How did it happen?
When she was a small turtle, she got the ring stuck on her shell. She couldn’t get it off, and over time, the majority of her shell grew, but the area around the ring did not. If this had happened to a fleshy animal like an otter, the animal probably would have died from an infection. Since Peanut’s shell protected her body, she was able to live with it, though some of her organs don’t function properly.
Will she always look like this?
Yes, her shell is hard and will not “pop” back to the round shape it should be.
What other kinds of litter harm animals?
You name it! If an item has any loops or openings it isn’t difficult for an animal to get into trouble. The trapped animal often panics, making things worse. Since animals don’t have the same dexterity like people do, it’s difficult for them to get out of entanglements. Fishing line is another significant hazard, especially since it’s often invisible. Entangled animals do not usually survive long; they either starve or are quickly eaten by predators. Small plastic bits and cigarette filters also pose a hazard to wildlife. Animals usually can’t tell the difference between litter and food, so they eat the litter, and choke or fill their bellies full of plastic and starve.
What can I do to keep this from happening again?
- Always cut up your six-pack rings
- Pick up litter
- Tell others not to litter
- Throw fishing line away properly
- Keep streets clean
****************
At time like this, we are one of the fortunate ones, we have a loving home 🙂
…..but our other relatives aren’t as fortunate as us 😦 … Human, please think of us before you throw your trash!!!
Here’s another for you to start thinking!!
Underneath The Shell 
Awww…poor Peanut. I am always aware of those stupid plastic 6 pack rings and if I see one, even in the trash, I cut the loops so that if somehow it finds its way someplace it should not be it does not get wrapped around an animal like this. So glad that someone found Peanut and took care of her!
Thank you aunt Beth, we hope more people are like you so that no animal can endure such misfortune like peanut and that snapper.
Lucky Peanut still could enjoy better life after this.
>I am always aware of those stupid plastic 6 pack rings
Does America still use those? I know that when I was a child and I lived in America, I used to see them often…but I assumed they weren’t used anymore.
They’re not used at all in Japan.
Oh, Kroten, you made me cry for little Peanut and the other animals that are hurt because of humanity’s disgusting habits. I was taught as a very young girl not to litter by my mother, so that’s a good habit to have, but still we throw so much away that hurts the planet. I’m so glad you had this post. It wasn’t of you or your sister, Kame, but it is something everyone needs to hear about. I hope Peanut will be okay. Take care Kiroten, and tell you sister and Mommy I say hello.
So glad to hear that aunt Katie…more and more children should be tought like you. Garbage is unavoidable, but at least it should be thrown nicely.
at first we were thinking should we share about Peanut or not, seeing this many respons made us happy that we had shared about her. Hope she is as happy and loved as we are now.
They are saying ‘hi’ back at you aunt Katie 🙂
Grrrr!!! Things like that make me so angry!! 😦
I enjoy going to the woods to camp and hike, but I’m always careful to see that nothing I do there will harm the animals that live there where I’m soooo happy to be for just a little while. When I see some of the thoughtless things that people often do… without even a second’s thought about what it might do… I just want to cry.
I’m glad Peanut has someone to care for her and that hopefully she’ll still have a good long life. Yes… Kame & Kroten… you are very lucky your Mommy takes care of you so things like this could never happen to you. If only all people were so caring…..
I know exactly how you feel!!
I also enjoy camping and it always made furious seeing how people could be so ignorant by ruin mother nature with trash.
Although she kept saying that she is the lucky one because found her…but we are also lucky we are not in the wild and end up like Peanut.
We also Peanut will always be a healthy turtle despite of her unusual figure.
Poor little peanut. We humans can be so unthoughtful towards our environment & the creatures who share it with us. I think plastic is one of the worst things mankind has invented. We would be much better off without it.
I wouldn’t say all plastic is useless unce Tony 😉 our tanks are made of plastic. We just hope human doesn’t throw that plastic anywhere as they please. Thank you for concerning about Peanut uncle Tony.
I’m not convinced. I still don’t like plastic. Just think how lovely a nice glass tank would be. It would be interesting to know what percentage of the world’s garbage is non-recyclable plastic. I reckon the percentage would be very high. It was a much nicer world before they invented plastic & safer for the animals too.
You’re right….Glass tank will be much nicer. I wish I can buy two glass tanks or one big glass tank for my babies,but that thing is really expensive here 😦
I know what you mean, i have been trying to reduce the use of plastic as minimal as I can. I often refused plastic grocery bags unless it was really really necessary.
This kind of thing happens all too often, and animals are the ones who usually suffer because of human stupidity. Old fishing nets are another great danger, especially when they’re stuck on the bottom of a lake or sea.
So true Bink!! Have you ever seen a documentary about small size garbages polluting our sea? so sad 😦
If a baby wombie caught in that six pack, it won’t be as lucky as Peanut.
I have heard about similar things happening to other animals…it is awful.
just saw something on the news the other day about a deer walking around with an ARROW in it’s nose……these things just make me sick.
I am happy you shared this though because it is super important!
auw…poor deer 😦 mommy also saw similar thing long time ago, a cat got his head stuck in plastic grocery bag, it was really difficult to get it off because the cat wouldn’t stay still.
Poor babies…I hate litter, as it can cause a lot of damage to animals (and not only), like your post shows. Peanut’s case demonstrates that even items we might not think as dangerous can be life-threatening to little creatures, so extra thought is required whenever we dispose of any rubbish. The most hazardous waste we’ve come by so far have been broken glass, needles and fishing hooks 😦
AGREE!! simple rubbish can do much damage to animals, peanut was lucky to be a turtle…she can go on living with her condition. Other animals might not.
Human should find solution to this rubbish…at leat throw it safely.
oh god .. I hope the recommendations are taken into account
and people dont do such things again …
Hear hear!!! we hope so too uncle Bik 🙂
Awwww 😦 So sad, but i’m glad she’s alive and doing well 😀
me too…so glad she was found and that hideous thing can be taken off
Ouw… God… unbelieveable. 😯
I was shocked when I first saw. I thought someone did it intentionally.
Thank you for sharing this with us. I will certainly tell more people and do my bit to help many more Peanuts live a happy life.
PS: Peanut is such a cute little name. 🙂
Thank you aunt Deboshree 🙂
I hope more people will be aware of this thing and prevent more peanuts.
I agree…Peanut is a cute name 🙂
People are so careless.
Aunt Deb xx
Hear hear!!!
poor little turtle…we are doing a new thing at our school to prevent that . we draw pics and they pick from them and they make a calendar from them!how cool!
Hi Riley…that is indeed very cool!!
I hope this thing won’t happen again to another wild turtles
They should pack turtles like that, it would be so much easier to take them home from the pet store 🙂
I think that’s a really cruel joke.
I so love turtles and other reptiles and amphibians, well really ALL of God’s creatures. This was very shocking to see but I am glad Peanut is doing well..she is a sweetheart. Please everyone, let’s be more careful and think before we do something to harm these beautiful creatures.
I am doing a homework assignment and one of the questions is How has Peanut’s story help save other animals? What would be the answer to this question? Thanks! 🙂
In my opinion the answer is peanut educates people the danger of throwing trash inappropriately because it can cause lots problem for wild animals