From Mashable

It was World Turtle Day, hooray! Today (Thursday May 23^rd), we finally get to celebrate the awesomeness of the shelled reptiles of the planet. These chill dudes really don’t get the recognition they deserve, constantly being out-cuted by puppies and cats and singing goats.

But we know what’s up — turtles are just swell with their rock-hard shells and affinity for helping lost fish.

Throughout time, several things have tried to imitate the greatness of the turtle but have failed miserably. Here are 10 things masquerading as part of the turtle genealogy that really can’t live up to the reptile.

double click on each photo to enlarge

1. Turtlenecks – Check attached photo – See? No one wants it.
2. Turtle Doves – Check attached photo – Maybe if they looked like a turtle, we’d love them.
3. Tortoise Shell Glasses – Doggone he looks just dogged
4. Chocolate Turtles (delicious but still not the real thing)
5. Tortoiseshell Cat
6. Turtle Brownies
7. Turtlehead Flower
8. Turntables – if you remove the ‘n,’ ‘a’ and ‘b’ it spells “turtles,” so they are clearly trying.

For more on this story go to:

http://mashable.com/2013/05/23/turtles/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29

Editor’s Note:  Now why don’t we celebrate World Turtle Day here in the Cayman Islands?  Did you know it is always on May 23^rd?

From Wikipedia – The purpose of World Turtle Day, May 23, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.

Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, from dressing up as turtles or wearing green summer dresses, to saving turtles caught on highways, to research activities. Turtle Day lesson plans and craft projects encourage teaching about turtles in classrooms.

Promoting organizations

Founded in 1990, American Tortoise Rescue is the founding sponsor of World Turtle Day.[5] American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) is certified by state and federal agencies as a nonprofit 501(c) corporation to provide for the protection of all species of tortoise and turtle. Foundlings that cannot be adopted because of ill health remain in the care of American Tortoise Rescue for the remainder of their lives.

Featured in Chase’s Book of Annual Events, the day was created as an annual observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world. Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, founders of the rescue American Tortoise Rescue advocate humane treatment of all animals, including reptiles. Since 1990, ATR has placed about 3,000 tortoises and turtles in caring homes. ATR assists law enforcement when undersize or endangered turtles are confiscated and provides helpful information and referrals to persons with sick, neglected or abandoned turtles.

World Turtle Day was started to increase respect and knowledge for the world’s oldest creatures. Turtles and Tortoises are some of the most amazing and endangered animals on the planet. Armed with knowledge and passion for these gentle animals, we can come together to preserve Turtle and Tortoise species throughout the world.