Oswaldo Rivas / Reuters
An Olive Ridley turtle returns to the ocean after nesting at the La Flor Wildlife Refuge, about 93 miles south of Managua Nov. 15, 2012. According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) La Flor is one of seven beaches in Central America where more than 100,000 Olive Ridley turtles nest at each year.
Related slideshow: Animal Tracks
Richard Ellis / Getty Images
Volunteers from the South Carolina Aquarium release a rehabilitated Loggerhead Sea Turtles on Friday in Isle of Palms, South Carolina. The turtle was one of two that were rescued and nursed back to health by the sea turtle hospital at the aquarium.
Richard Ellis / Getty Images
Volunteers from the South Carolina Aquarium release a rehabilitated Loggerhead Sea Turtle.
Photos by Joe Raedle / Getty Images
People watch as one of two loggerhead sea turtles are released back into the wild, March 13, 2012, at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park after they underwent rehabilitation at Miami Seaquarium. The two loggerhead sea turtles weighing in at 90 lbs and 125 lbs were both found weak in the wild, covered in parasites and struggling with buoyancy issues.
A youngster with the Miami Seaquarium Spring Break Campers group gets a chance to touch one of two loggerhead sea turtles.
AP reports that two federally protected loggerhead sea turtles are heading back to the ocean after weeks of rehabilitation at the Miami Seaquarium.
The two 10-year-old female turtles were released Tuesday morning at Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne, Fla.
Efrem Lukatsky / AP
A man displays a two-headed turtle 'Testudo horsfieldi' at National Museum of natural history in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, March 5, 2012. Besides the two heads the reptile has six legs.
Related content: Animal Tracks
Rungroj Yongrit / EPA
A customs official holds a confiscated Indian Roofed Turtle during a press conference at the Customs Department in Bangkok, Thailand on June 2.
msnbc.com news services report:
Thai customs officials found 451 turtles and seven freshwater crocodiles stashed in suitcases offloaded from a passenger flight from Bangladesh.
The animals seized at Bangkok's bustling Suvarnabhumi airport were worth 1 million baht ($33,000), authorities said.
The alleged trafficker, a Bangladeshi national, did not collect the luggage and fled on arrival in Bangkok, customs officials said.
Authorities in Bangkok seized more than 400 turtles which were stuffed into four suitcases. TODAY.com's Dara Brown reports.
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Mario Tama / Getty Images
A dead sea turtle is carried out of the surf by Donald Tillman April 14, in Waveland, Mississippi. Local turtle activists Donald and Shirley Tillman say they have discovered 19 dead sea turtles in Mississippi in the month of April alone and suspect they are dying due to the effects of the BP oil spill. Endangered sea turtles and dolphins are still dying in high numbers in Mississippi, which continues to be impacted by tar balls and weathered oil. There have been 67 reported sea turtle deaths through April 11. April 20th marks the one-year anniversary of the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.
The BP spill hasn't been the environmental nightmare many thought, but it's still a nightmare in terms of the impact on locals trying to recover.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
A dead sea turtle is painted red as marked for removal nearly a week after it was pulled out of the surf in Waveland.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Shirley Tillman looks on next to what she believes is oil mixed with dispersant in Waveland.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
A dying seagull is pulled away from the surf by Donald Tillman in Waveland.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Activist Shirley Tillman writes a message in the sand next to dead sea turtle after it was pulled from the surf in Waveland.
Lonely Jorge and his friends are being moved to higher ground after the tsunami alert issued in response to the massive earthquake in Japan. The second photo is of Lonely Jorge walking the park grounds in 2006. See more images from our earthquake coverage here and two videos about the giant tortoises of the Galapagos below.
Galapagos National Park / EPA
Workers carrying 'Lonely Jorge', a unique giant turtle in danger of extintion, during the evacuation of the Galapagos Islands National Park (PNG), in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador on March 11. The PNG, institution which takes care of the Galapagos sea and ground reserves, has proceeded to evacuate some protected species after the tsunami alert due to the 8,8 grades earthquake in Japan.
Rodrigo Buendia / AFP - Getty Images file
"Solitario George" (Lonely George), the last giant turtle from the Pinta Island, is seen in captivity at the Galapagos National Park in the Santa Cruz island on June 26, 2006. The Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean have been put on a list of endangered world heritage sites by UNESCO because of the growing pressure from tourism, the UN's culture organisation said Tuesday.Situated 1,000 kilometres (625 miles) off the coast of Ecuador, the 19 islands have a unique wildlife and were the first ever site to be placed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1978.
Scientists at the Galapagos National Park are attempting to find a suitable mate for "George," who is believed to be the last giant tortoise remaining in the world. Msnbc.com's Al Stirrett reports.
NBC's George Lewis follows a group of scientists and student volunteers working to help save the giant tortoises of Darwin's Galapagos Islands, which have been threatened in recent years by humans and goats.
Yannis Behrakis / Reuters
A turtle swims in a pond at Athens Attica zoo in Greece, Jan. 22.
About two months ago, Tzvika was run over by a lawn mower and suffered severe damage to her shell and an injury that affected her ability to use her rear limbs. The wheels, attached by veterinarians at the safari, elevate the turtle to keep the shell from being worn down and enable her to walk.
Nir Elias / Reuters
A veterinarian holds Tzvika, an injured female turtle, at the Wildlife Hospital in the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv on January 5, 2011.
Nir Elias / Reuters
Tzvika, an injured female turtle, walks with the aid of her newly attached wheels at the Wildlife Hospital in the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv on January 5, 2011.
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