The animal wouldn’t have made it much longer 🥺
A few weeks ago, Andrea Colton, an associate conservation scientist with The Orianne Society, was surveying turtles in a wetland north of Charleston, South Carolina, when she noticed something that didn’t belong.
Partly submerged in the water was a large piece of plastic.
Because the wetland was otherwise clean and natural, Colton didn’t want to leave the trash behind. She picked it up and realized it was full of water. It felt heavier than she expected, which made her wonder if something might be trapped inside.
The water was too murky to see through at first. But as it began draining out, Colton and her team spotted a turtle.
They quickly removed the little animal from the plastic. Although aquatic turtles spend much of their time underwater, they still need to come up for air. If the turtle had stayed trapped much longer, he might not have survived.
Thankfully, the turtle was still alert and in surprisingly good condition when the team freed him. He wasn’t weak or unresponsive, which was a relief.
The researchers identified him as an eastern mud turtle. Even though he looked tiny, eastern mud turtles remain small as adults, usually reaching only about 5 inches in length. They often spend time at the bottom of wetlands searching for insects, crustaceans and plant matter.
Colton believes the turtle was probably foraging along the wetland floor when he found an opening in the plastic and wandered inside.
As the team examined the debris, they realized it looked like an old balloon — possibly a number balloon from a birthday celebration. A second “Happy Birthday” balloon was also found nearby.
The rescue became a clear reminder of why balloons should never be released outdoors. Once balloons float away, they eventually deflate and fall back to the ground, often landing in forests, wetlands, oceans or other natural habitats.
Wild animals may mistake balloon pieces for food or become trapped in them, leading to injury or death.
Luckily, this eastern mud turtle was found in time. After freeing him, Colton and her team lowered him back into the water, where he swam away safely.
Thanks to the researchers’ quick action, a piece of party litter did not become the end of one small turtle’s life.