Wildlife Center Seeks Culprits Who Painted Turtle

Box turtles are commonly found in their natural habitats, but also by the side of the road and in other areas where humans could theoretically pick them up. Wildlife Centers and other animal interest groups would not advocate doing that, and a recently rescued turtle explains exactly why.

In Augusta County, Virginia an eastern box turtle was picked up at Natural Chimneys Park and Campground that was covered in different bright colors of nail polish, as well as glitter, in the world's worst prank makeover. The female turtle had been dubbed “Sheldon” by whatever people had found the poor creature. Besides the name, the turtle had also been initialed with the letters SKR and BMD.

While the colors do make the turtle’s shell pretty, it’s actually really dangerous to change a wild animal’s appearance or habitat in any way. According to the News Leader, the paint job actually makes the turtle a target for predators.

The female turtle is currently carrying five eggs and those working at the Wildlife Center of Virginia where “Sheldon” is currently housed would like to clean the turtle up and release her back into the wild. However, since turtles are territorial and the Center does not know where the turtle initially came from, that may be a dream that will never be realized. It’s going to take an awful lot of work to clear poor “Sheldon” of her several coats of glitter and paint, and even then, she won’t be able to be returned to the wild, unless the two SKR and BMD step up and take the blame for grabbing the turtle from her natural habitat. Her only chance to return to the wild are if the culprits explain where she came from.