June 29, 2005

Children go ‘wild’ for turtles
By Julie Huss

“Why did the turtle cross the road?”

This question was pondered by a roomful of children at the Derry Public Library last Thursday as they spent an afternoon learning about reptiles and how they live in the Granite State.

“Would he go across the road to see his friends? Or he just called them on his cell phone, right?” asked Mary
Doane, director of Project Nature, and educational nature-based organization that teaches children.

Doane brought music, stories and live turtles to the library to entertain the children, as part of the library’s an-
nual summer reading schedule of events. Her presentation, called “Wild About Turtles,” showed the youngsters how turtles look, how they live, what they eat and what to do if a turtles is found in someone’s back yard. At the end of the program, Doane offered the children an opportunity to create their own turtle out of colorful clay to take home.

In between information, fun facts and music, Doane showed the children a box turtle, a tortoise and an aquatic
turtle. Doane told the children how a turtle is constructed, from his bony exterior shell down to his feet and tail.
She pointed out that it is important to leave turtles in their natural habitat, and not to keep them as pets.

The turtles that came to the library were acquired in several ways, Doane told the children. Most were rescued
or adopted from other people who could no longer care for them. “I’m all about rescuing turtles from the road,”
she said, but advised the children to not “take them home.” She offered children a card with a phone number to
keep in case they come across a turtle in a dangerous situation, or an injured animal, and encouraged them to
call her to report a turtle in distress. “If you find a turtle outdoors that is hurt, you can call me,” she said.

Project Nature’s goal is to help children, as well as adults, develop a sense of relationship with nature and ani-
mals. The “Wild About Turtles” program is geared for children ages preschool through elementary. The organi-
zation began in 1998 and offers programs to help people develop the skills necessary to enhance the well-being
of animals.