Your old clasps can save injured turtles



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In the past month, the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue has been hit by an influx of injured turtles, many of which have been overturned by cars, lawn mowers or boats. To help repair the cracks in the life-threatening turtle shells, the rescue company has launched a call on Facebook for an improvised and rather unusual medical supply: bra staples.

"If you throw a bra, you can cut the staples and send them to us, we will use them for the repair of the turtle shells," writes the organization, attributing this idea to another rescue, Wildthunder Wildlife, and Animal Rehabilitation and Sanctuary. At the end of last month, Wildthunder had posted on his own Facebook page, asking for bra fixings about to be thrown away. "We will use them to pull the crack in the turtle shell to help heal it," the shrine explained.

The spring season, when turtles move to shore to lay their eggs, can be a perilous time for reptiles. The Carolina Waterfowl Rescue recently hosted up to 40 injured turtles a week, according to Mark Price of the Charlotte Observer. Rainy weather can also drive turtles out of their watery habitats, increasing the risk of animals colliding with cars and other shelling machines.

"[Y]you're creative, "says Zirkelbach.
Enter the humble bra clasp. Wildlife experts stick hooks and eye staples on opposite sides of a fracture, then wrap a zipped tie around the staples to make sure the shells stay in place. Once the shells are repaired, the staples are removed and the turtles are released into the wild.

"It's just those ingenious little things people have created in the past that we can use today to help animals," said Kandan Freitas of Carolina Waterfowl Rescue to Amanda Foster of WBTV.

"You can recycle something that goes to a landfill," says Freitas. "And I mean, they help a turtle. Who would not want to help a turtle?

In fact, many people are really eager to separate their underwear for the sake of the saved reptiles. The Carolina Waterfowl Rescue and Wildthunder Wildlife publications on the bra received thousands of likes on Facebook and both organizations said they no longer needed clasps.

"We are simply overwhelmed by the people who propose to send us staples," wrote Carolina Waterfowl on June 30. "[W]We will have many more clasps than we can use now. "

The organizations have promised to share a list of other rescue operations likely to take advantage of the surplus bra fasteners. They also noted that even if their catch quotas were met, they still needed help to finance food, medical supplies and veterinary care for the turtles and the many other animals entrusted to them. Those who are so inclined can make an online donation to Carolina Waterfowl Rescue and Wildthunder Wildlife; Even small contributions can make a big difference.

"Please, simply give the money you have planned to spend on the expedition. [the bra clasps]"Caroline Waterfowl wrote on Facebook. "If everyone did that, turtles would never want anything again."

Source: Smithsonian.com

Rex Krampa
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