Save the Turtles

Zephayra

Zephayra

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Zephayra
I was a little reluctant to post this here because it's something happening in my region, but I know a lot of you are willing to support good causes, so here goes.

In 2002, a group of kids raised $4000 to install Turtle Crossing signs around cottage country, where many turtle species reside. Along with these signs, the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre was opened to treat and rehabilitate turtles who had been injured by vehicles.

Because it was nationally accalimed charity and cause, the Toronto Zoo has agreed to replace any stolen signs.

Five years later, the Peterborough City Council wants to remove the Turtle Crossing signs. Their reasons?

1) Turtles can't read
2) We can't get the turtles to cross near the signs
3) The signs are distracting to drivers
4) The signs get stolen

Anyone who drive knows that there are other animal crossing signs and that animals do not cross -at- the signs, but signs are strategically placed in areas where animals have crossed or have been sighted. These reasons are idiotic. There is no reason to remove these signs because they are replacable for free via the Zoo, raise awareness of turtles on the road and are no more distracting than any other yellow sign such as "Children at Play" "Deer Crossing" or "Duck Crossing".

Since the signs have been up, car related turtle death has decreased by 30%.

Anyways, here's what I'm asking:

The city council has given the children group, Kids4Turtles, a chance to defend their cause once more. In two discussion meetings (one today and one in July), the kids have a chance to sway the council. Theyv'e asked everyone who can to sign their petition.

If anyone could spare a moment, could they please sign the petition?

Thank you

Petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-elimination-of-our-turtle-signs.html

City Council Decision:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer....ntent.asp?contentid=560689&catname=Local+News

Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre:
http://www.kawarthaturtle.org/
 
Done ^_^
 
Though you should also mention, it sounds like they are wanting to limit excessive quantities of signs and customized signs.
 
Signed. "Turtles can't read" is the most rediculous thing I have ever heard. Blind children can't read, but they get signs.

I'm not saying turtles are more important than children, I'm just saying... You know what? Nevermind.
 
i signed the petition, it's cool and i respect that the kids are doing this... but it just sounds kinda funny. they're turtles, Nature's D student as it were... i mean, seriously, save the turtles... Save the pandas! save the whales! save the <near extinct animal here>! Save the painted turtle!
 
Arctyrael said:
Though you should also mention, it sounds like they are wanting to limit excessive quantities of signs and customized signs.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not too sure about the whole story. I just recieved a notice about it from my University's website so most of the information I have is just based on what the University said, the newspaper and the petition.

The newspaper itself was very vague about the whole issue. I guess the whole community is in an uproar about it.

Personally I just want the signs that are up to stay, and the ones that have been stolen to be replaced, rather than just toss the whole project out. I read somewhere that kids have started putting up their own signs to make up for the ones that have been stolen.

Thanks for signing guys!
 
Blackchaoshero said:
i signed the petition, it's cool and i respect that the kids are doing this... but it just sounds kinda funny. they're turtles, Nature's D student as it were... i mean, seriously, save the turtles... Save the pandas! save the whales! save the <near extinct animal here>! Save the painted turtle!
Click to expand...

lol yeah, when I first saw a turtle crossing sign driving to the school during my frosh week, I was like "WTF? Turtles get their own signs!?" and had a good laugh about it. But after that I was always watching the road to see if any turtles actually dared to cross the road. Unfortunately (or fortunately I guess), I never once saw a turtle cross the road.

I wouldn't have actually thought much about this cause, but it was two things that really made me mad:
A) That kids made this happen and now after 5 years, the council wants to get rid of all their hard work

B) The idiotic reasons for taking them down. Turtles can't read....As if deer can read too.
 
Here's some more information I dug up about the situation.

The problem is that the city council, after agreeing five years ago to ensure that there are turtle crossing signs placed at turtle 'hot spots', has decided to scrape all turtle crossing signs because they don't want to replace any stolen, damaged or vandalized signs, not because there's a request for customized signs.

In response to the council, the Kids4Turtles sent this into the local newspaper:

Thursday, June 14, 2007 @ 00:00

It has come to the attention of the Kids 4 Turtles Organization that Peterborough County council has refused to replace signs that have been lost, vandalized or stolen, claiming that they are a distraction to drivers, are too costly, are not obvious in design, and that too numerous requests for Turtle signs are coming from areas around the county.

We have a solution to each of those objections.

We have contacted the head of the OPP, Gary Collins, and he has informed us that drivers have never implicated that the signs were responsible for any accidents.

We have contacted the Toronto Zoo, recalling an incredibly generous offer to cover all the costs of the signs from many years ago. We presented this offer to councillors along with our first request for signs, and have had that confirmed in an e-mail from Bob Johnson, curator of amphibians and reptiles. A section from his e-mail appears below:

"I have told others but want you to know that one of the reasons I heard for not continuing the signs program was the cost. We, Toronto Zoo and Adopt-A-Pond, will fund the signs so that will remove that argument . . . and the other issue seemed to be that the signs are stolen . . . well yes of course . . . that is not news to all of us and we plan for that . . . they have a great message . . . that is why we will supply two signs so that they can be replaced as soon as they are lost . . . and then the stolen sign is giving a great message in someone's bedroom so that is even better . . . stop signs are also stolen but we do not remove these!"

As can be seen in the message, we expect and plan for the event that the signs will be stolen, lost or vandalized, and will supply two signs for every location.

We have another available design that is more realistic of a silhouette if there is a need to make a less confusing image for adults.

And finally, we understand county councillors have received many requests for signs since Kids 4 Turtles originally approached it, and how much harder these requests must make their work, and how much of their valuable time they take up.

Knowing how understandably frustrated councillors must be with so many people badgering them with concerns for more signs, we are in the process of contacting several conservation organizations to send someone to take control of this whole affair, screening the requests, and to survey sites connected with the requests and narrow them down to 17 sites, prioritized, so that the council will never have to hear the words "Turtle Crossing Sign" ever again.

CAMERON McNABB Age 13 Kids 4 Turtles Organization
Click to expand...
 
Here's a picture of the kids with the sign.

kids4turts002.jpg
 
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Signed

I even used my Real Name :D
 
Chuash said:
are those tire marks on the turtle?
Click to expand...

>_> Honestly, when I first saw the sign, I thought that too. I'm not sure if they represent tire marks or a shell pattern lol.

Thank you to everyone who's signed!
 
signed :)

I <3 turtles
 
they look like waves :D
 
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