Daily News - Mano a Mano

Turtle neck of the woods
In Central Park, hundreds come out of their shell
BY AMY SACKS
dead in Turtle Pond. Although Tess
is blind and lost an arm to frostbite,
today she is the star resident in
THIS SUMMER, New Yorkers with
Belvedere Castle's nature observaa passion for wildlife have few reatory. Still, her plight illustrates the
sons to head for the hills.
danger posed when exotic turtles
In addition to African wild dogs
and tortoises, bought at pet stores,
in the Bronx, famed red-tailed
are dumped in the park by people
hawks perched on the swank BeresWJ:lO think they are saving them.
ford apartment building, harbor
"People don't realize it's going to
seals and herons dotting the Hudhave a shorter life, it's going to
son River, random deer - and a
have competition, it may not make
bevy of possums and raccoons forit through hibernation and it may
aging around the boroughs - tur.not know how to eat food in the
tles of all shapes and sizes are out
wild," Cramer said.
in full force in Central Park.
Dumping of exotic turtles also
"Any day, you can come to the
upsets the balance and endangers
park, sit on a bench and identify
native species. In recent years,
three of the different species," said
snapping turtles, red-eared sliders
Lorri Cramer, a turtle rehabilitator
and painted turtles have replaced
with the New York State Departspotted, mud, musk, box and wood
ment of Environmental Conservaturtles in the population.
tion.
Meanwhile, the often-heard urOn a recent spring day, Cramer
ban myth that turtles are found in
counted 42 red-eared sliders sunNew York City sewers is actually
ning themselves in various locafact, not fiction. After a big rain in
tions, soon after the turtles came.
Manhattan, Cramer said turtles get
out of hibernation.
caught in drainage systems and
At least 400 to 500 terrapins, inend up in the water processing
cluding native snapping turtles, box
plant at 14th St. and the East River.
turtles, painted turtles and musk
Brooklyn-based animal rescuer
turtles (also known as stinkpots for .
Sean Casey (www.scamyc.org) has
their, well, aroma) inhabit the park, '
she said, in addition to red-eared Kids check out Rocky, three-toed box turtle who entertains received calls to save hundreds of
turtles around the five boroughs.
sliders and cooters, which are na- visitors at central Park's Belvedere castle nature center.
He recently rescued a 65-pound sultive to Florida. Most are usually
cata tortoise that had grown too
found by Turtle Pond, at the base of
But sometimes even a turtle can strike
Belvedere Castle; at the Harlem Meer, near out. "If she accepts him, they mate, but if large for its owner to handle. The exotic spethe park's northern tip, and in The Lake, by not, she'll swat him with her hand," said cies hails from West Africa and starts out the
the Boathouse.
Cramer, who is also head of rehabilitation size of a golf ball, but can grow to more than
With mating season in full swing, females and education for the New York Turtle and 100 pounds. It is so powerful it can break
through walls, said Casey.
can be seen wandering the park in se.arch of Tortoise Society.
"They're not aggressive," he added, "but if
sandy areas to build nests and lay their
Sadly, growing threats of pollution and
eggs.
habitat destruction affect the turtle popula- they want something, they don't go around
Curious parkgoers may even happen up- tion. But people abandoning turtles in parks it."
For information on surrendering, adopton snapping turtles involved in their fasci- and ponds poses the greatest threat.
nating mating ritual, where the male perTwo years ago, Princess Tess was found ing or caring for a turtle, contact the New
forms a vibrating dance to attract the fe- near-frozen and tangled in fishing wire after York Turtle and Tortoise Society at
www.nytts.org.amysacksl@hotmail.com
the 30-year-old red-eared slider was left for
male.
DAILY NEWS WRITER
SNIP-PETS...
ON JUNE 25, from Central Park's
Belvedere Castle, noon to
4 p.m., join the Fandango de
Tortugas: ATurtle Celebration,
honoring the wildlife of New York
and Mexico. Hosted by Mano y
Mano, the afternoon will feature
song, live turtle encounters,
nature walks and a discussion on
the bio-challenges to the turtles
of our region and their counterparts south of the border.
OTHER upcoming animal events
around the city include:
• Today, catch famed "Dog
Whisperer" Cesar Millan in action
as he helps kick off the Africa
Wild Dog Exhibit at the Bronx
Zoo. Millan also will be on han!:!
to share tips for training your own
dog. For info, go to www.Bronx.t
zoo.org.
• June 23 is Take Your Dog To
Work Day. Visit Web site
www.petsit.com for info and tips
on selling your boss and coworkers on why every office
needs a dog.
• Also on June 23, Brooklyn's
Fido will host its annual Pupnic a
canine-friendly potluck picnic,
the Nethermead in Prospect Park
from 5 p.m. to sundown. For' 0,
go to www.fidobrooklyn.com.
• On June 24, Liza Minnelli will
crown the grand prize winner of
the city's first Pet Pride Pageant,
held from n~n to 2 p.m. in front
of Rubyfruit Bar and Grill in the
West Village. The $20 entry fee
will benefit Mayor's Alliance for
NYC's;;: Animals;. Go to
www.PetPridePageant.com.
• The ASPCA Central Park Dog
Walk has been rescheduled for
June 24 starting at East Meadow
in Central Park. Info:
www.aspca.orgldogwalk.
• Thanks to kind-hearted New
Yorkers, N.Y.C. Animal Care &
Control's Safety Net Program has
.
so far received more than
$2,800 in donations to help
Buddy the pit bull, who fell four
floors from the roof of a Brooklyn
brownstone. Go to www.nycacc.
org.
Amy Sacks
-_..... .._--. ,
--------
and-painted turtles have replaced
with the New York State Departspotted,
mud, musk, box and wood
ment of Environmental Conservaturtles in the population.
tion.
Meanwhile, the often-heard urOn a recent spring day, Cramer
ban myth that turtles are found in
counted 42 red-eared sliders sunNew York City sewers is actually
ning themselves in various locafact, not fiction. After a big rain in
tions, soon after the turtles came
Manhattan, Cramer said turtles get
out of hibernation.
caught in drainage systems and
At least 400 to 500 terrapins, inend up in the water processing
cluding native snapping turtles, box
plant at 14th St. and the East River.
turtles, painted turtles and musk
Brooklyn-based animal rescuer
turtles (also known as stinkpots for
Sean Casey (www.scarnyc.org) has
their, well, aroma) inhabit the park,
she said. in addition to red-eared Kids cheek out Rocky, three-toed box turtle who entertains received calls to save hundreds of
turtles around the five boroughs.
sliders and cooters, which are na- visitors at central Park's Belvedere castle nature center.
He recently rescued a 65-pound suItive to Florida. Most are usually
cata tortoise that had grown too
found by Turtle Pond, at the base of
But sometimes even a turtle can strike
Belvedere Castle; at the Harlem Meer, near out. "If she accepts him, they mate, but if large for its owner to handle. The exotic spethe park's northern tip, and in The Lake, by not, she'll swat him with her hand," said cies hails from West Africa and starts out the
the Boathouse.
Cramer, who is also head of rehabilitation size of a golf ball, but can grow to more than
With mating season in full swing, females and education for the New York Turtle and 100 pounds. It is so powerful it can break
through walls, said Casey.
can be seen wandering the park in se.arch of Tortoise Society.
"They're not aggressive," he added, "but if
sandy areas to build nests and lay their
Sadly, growing threats of pollution and
eggs.
habitat destruction affect the tl,lrtle popula- they want something, they don't go around
Curious parkgoers may even happen up- tion. But people abandoning turtles in parks it."
For information on surrendering, adopton snapping turtles involved in their fasci- and ponds poses the greatest threat.
nating mating ritual, where the male perTwo years ago, Princess Tess was found ing or caring for a turtle, contact the New
forms a vibrating dance to attract the fe-' near-frozen and tangled in fishing wire after York Turtle and Tortoise Society at
www.nytts.org.amysacksl@hotmail.com
the 30-year-old red-eared slider was left for
male.
neeas a aog.
• Also on June 23, Brooklyn's
Fido will host its annual pupn
canine-friendly potluck picnic,
the Nethermead in Prospect Pctrk
from 5 p.m. to sundown. For info,
go to www.fidobrooklyn.com.
• On June 24, Liza Minnelli will
crown the grand prize winner of
the city's first Pet Pride Pageant,
held from noon to 2 p.m. in front
of Rubyfruit Bar and Grill in the
West Village. The $20 entry fee
will benefit Mayor's Alliance for
NYC's Animals. Go to
www.PetPridePageant.com.
• The ASPCA Central Park Dog
walk has been rescheduled for
June 24 starting at East Meadow
in Central Park. Info:
www.aspca.orgldogwalk.
• Thanks to kind-hearted New
Yorkers, N.Y.C. Animal Care &
Control's Safety Net Program has
.
so far received more than
$2,800 in donations to help
Buddy the pit bull, who fell four
floors from the roof of a Brooklyn
brownstone. Go to www.nycacc.
org.
Amy Sacks
PETSINN
Trio of cutles: SafoP
(I.), 4, declawed . .
tabby; fiery-ora.
Sun (below, I.), 2
male Persian mix,
and 5-year-old male
Maltese mix, Cappy,
are waiting at Animal
Haven, 35-22 Prince
St., Flushing, Queens.
(718) 886-3683.
New parents - but old fans
I Don't Know is on third
At the li'otta home in Astoria, Queens, it's all
football, baseball - and a cat named Ralphle•.
Glovanna, who Just gave birth to Matthew on June
4, says her husband, Robert, a high school English teacher, Is a staunch Steelers fan who
taught her about the goodness of cats and football. Baseball? "Oh, yes, we're big Mets fans:'
It's like the old Abbott and Costello routine, .
"Who's on first?" Nancy. Depetro's two grandchildren, Nikki, 6, and sal; 2, always enjoy their stay
at grandma's West Islip, L.I., home, and gIVIng .
hugs to Scruffy and Cosmo. But confusion reigns'
when she tries to explain that "One of the dog is
my daughter's, and•• :' we just ran out of space.
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