For the last 6 years, our family has had the privilege of having two Red Eared Slider turtles. These turtles have always been "tanked" inside our home. But within the last month, our family has moved to the NW Arkansas area. The new home gave us the opportunity to tank them in an outside location on the 2nd story back porch. Since it is a screened in porch, we were able to let them out of their tank so they can exercise. During one of these outings, the male found a small slit in the bottom of the screen, pushed himself out, fell 15 ft to the ground, and scurried off, never to be seen again.
After this loss, the female turtle seemed driven to get out of the tank, constantly pawing at the sides of her tank, to join her lost companion.We spent several days watching her longingly gaze out at the wild and dealt with several escape attempts so our family came to the conclusion that maybe nature was calling, and it was time to return her to the "wild". There is a very nice lake not far from us, just about 1/2 mile as the crow flies.
This last Sunday (08/21/11), we drove to the lake, forced to go the long way around (2 1/2 miles or so with her in a box on the car seat by my daughter). Upon arrival, we studied the environment, and found the perfect quiet little cove to release her into. There were some nice big rocks where she could get out to sun, no roads nearby, and she had access to both shallow and deep water, and plenty of small fish.
We put her next to the shore line and stood in observation as she waded in, and swam off. We watched her come back up again out in the middle, and we got to see her chasing some fish before she disappeared entirely, going down deep to explore. Satisfied that we had found her a good home we left. We felt very hopeful that we had done the right thing and put her in a good spot.
Thursday (08/25/10), our family was carrying on our life activities as normal. New carpet was being installed in our daughters lower level bedroom. Mr. Carpet Man was in and out of the first floor back door frequently to bring materials in. My son and I were upstairs, doing home-school, when Mr. Carpet Man came up to tell us that he had let our pet turtle out, and that it had scurried off into the dog house. He said he knew it had to be a pet because it wasn't afraid of him. The three of us walked downstairs and outside and to the dog house.
I really wasn't sure what I was going to see as I bent down:
I thought what I would find was a box turtle that had wandered into the yard.
or....
Did the lost turtle return home, only to find out we had set its companion free?
or....
could it be?
Yes...it was!
The turtle that we had set free in the lake, made its way back home!
This turtle had taken 4 days, at least 1/2 mile of rugged, extremely steep, mountainous terrain journey back to our home. It's not like we drove it straight there. To get to the point at the lake where we released it, involved taking those twisty, winding Arkansas back roads to that location. As the crow flies 1/2 mile or so, but as the car drives...3 miles, inside a box for that turtle. If I had taken that drive blindfolded, and been left at the side of that lake and asked to find my way home, I'm not sure I could do it.
She honestly seems very happy to be back. No more pawing at the sides of her tank, to more frantic behavior at all. She is very content to swim around in her tank, get out and sun, and eat lots of insects and turtle food.
It's good to have her back, we missed her, and now understand that our families life journey with this turtle is not complete.
Anyone have any idea what instinctual skill our turtle might have used to navigate its way back here?
