Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need to vent about something that really is hacking me off the more I think about it. I've been watching this new nature documentary series, Life, on the Discovery Channel b/c I love nature programs and I LOVED Planet Earth, which was done by the same people. Well, two weeks ago one of the hour shows was dedicated to reptiles, and I watched the whole thing with bated breath, but alas, not one single turtle was profiled!!!

There were stories on multiple lizards, snakes, and even frogs, but not profile on one single turtle. The angle of the hour was how remarkable reptiles are because of their ability to survive against incredible odds. Well doesn't that describe the box turtle? Or aquatic turtles? Or the tortoises of the African desert or Russian tundra? I was shocked. Did anyone on here feel the same?

I think the thing, besides loving turtles, that really upset me about not seeing any turtles profiled, was that this series, Life, has the great ability to draw support for species in peril, and box turtles, and really most turtles, need all the help we as humans can give them. Besides, it would have been so fitting to profile an animal that can live up to 100 years if you're showcasing reptile species that have the capacity to beat the odds. Tsk, tsk, producers, editors, and writers of Life. But I will continue to watch...

I've been watching the same series. One of the few things on TV worth watching. I loved the previous series "planet earth". I also keep chameleons and the part on reptiles was good IMHO. But I do understand what your getting at Curtis.

The thing about turtles and box turtles in particular is that they are so easy to observe, as opposed to so many other animals and reptiles in particular. My feeling is that they like to showcase animals in their natural habitat that most people will never see or observe either because of the way they live their lives or because of where they live their lives. Maybe some day Box Turtles will have their showcase.

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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

guys,they've only been thru 4 of the 11 episodes.fingers crossed,they will get around to profiling some species of our beloved 'rocks with legs'.i'm holding out hope.but,in the sad event that it doesn't come to fruition,that only gives us another reason to dislike the fag-smaoking brits,who made and produced this series.;p
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 cb baby razorback musks (way too cute)
0.0.1 cb baby eastern mud (also ridiculously cute)
0.0.1 cb reeve's turtle (george)
0.0.1 cb eastern box (this year's young 'un)
2.6 ltc eastern box breeders
0.1 cb'06 eastern box(nanners)
1.2 cb'08 kenyan sand boas(1 albino,1 anery,1 normal)
1.1 israeli dune geckos
1.0 cb '03 homo sapien(kaelan,6)
"jesus is coming-when i count to 3,everyone jump out and yell SURPRISE!!"

sorry,i meant smoking,not smaoking.way too early to be typing.but yeah,these shows are all made and produced by the bbc,who screw up as often as they get it right.sadly,my fave episode so far was the fish episode from last week.
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 cb baby razorback musks (way too cute)
0.0.1 cb baby eastern mud (also ridiculously cute)
0.0.1 cb reeve's turtle (george)
0.0.1 cb eastern box (this year's young 'un)
2.6 ltc eastern box breeders
0.1 cb'06 eastern box(nanners)
1.2 cb'08 kenyan sand boas(1 albino,1 anery,1 normal)
1.1 israeli dune geckos
1.0 cb '03 homo sapien(kaelan,6)
"jesus is coming-when i count to 3,everyone jump out and yell SURPRISE!!"

And I totally get that boxies are "easy" to film, but they profiled the horned lizard in Arizona, I mean, cool lizard, should be profiled, but box turtles really need some lime light. I also would have been fine if ANY turtle would have been on the show, but not ONE. What about profiling sulcata tortoises or the Galapagos tortoise or diamondback terrapins or spotted turtles? There are SO many turtles in this world that have amazing stories, but not one single one was shown. Maybe in the remaining 8 episodes one will get profiled, but REPTILES would have been the one.

Haha, you made me a bit nervous when I saw your topic. I thought, "Oh boy...someone has lost it."

This is nothing new. Turtles/tortoises have always kind of gotten the shaft on nature shows. I agree, it is frustrating. I love all herps, and most animals for that matter. I am a nature show junky, and I can count on one hand the number of nature shows that have really gone in-depth into chelonians.

I think the problem is that it can be difficult to get them to do anything really interesting on camera. They do a whole lot of sitting and looking. If you have ever tried to photograph or film wild turtles, you will understand the frustration!

I don't have cable, but I am looking forward to getting this series from Netflix.

If you do have access to Netflix, check out a film called, "Chances Of The World Changing". It is a documentary. I won't say too much about it, but be prepared for a very sad, pathetic, yet somewhat heart-warming story. It's mainly about one guy, but he is all about turtles/tortoises. Plan to do something fun afterwards, because it may put you in a funk. And please don't be mad at me for recommending it...you've been warned!

lol, I saw the title too and thought someones wife/girlfriend dumped them, or their neighbors dog keeps crapping in their front lawn, or they are tired of all the kids running around Walmart unattended.
I've too been enjoying the Life series, but lets see some turtles aready.
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com

Ha ha, Jeff. Glad to see the unattended kid thing isn't a geographic specific problem. And some dog DID crap in my front yard the other day. But it took a lack of turtle coverage to get my blood really boiling!

Ha ha! Thanks, Ken. Yeah, I though the subject line would draw some attention. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm a sucker for a good documentary. I am a nature show junky myself, and have found all of what you said to be true, I was just hoping with the committment Planet Earth and now Life has shown in putting an extremely high quality product together, to see turtles get their due.

well,at least neighbor's animals pooping in yards is a universal problem.one of my neighborhood cats enjoys taking absolutely monster dumps in one of my boxie pens-i would think it was a dog,except i cought it doing it once.i've already winged this cat twice with my son's bb gun,now i keep my pellet rifle(1200 fps,it'll snatch a tree-rat off of the fence real quick)downstairs-let me catch that furry jerk again.
next week's 'life' episodes are about mammalian hunters,and bugs.i can't check ahead any further than that,but that will make 6 out of 11 episodes...fingers still crossed,but they are starting to hurt...
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 cb baby razorback musks (way too cute)
0.0.1 cb baby eastern mud (also ridiculously cute)
0.0.1 cb reeve's turtle (george)
0.0.1 cb eastern box (this year's young 'un)
2.6 ltc eastern box breeders
0.1 cb'06 eastern box(nanners)
1.2 cb'08 kenyan sand boas(1 albino,1 anery,1 normal)
1.1 israeli dune geckos
1.0 cb '03 homo sapien(kaelan,6)
"jesus is coming-when i count to 3,everyone jump out and yell SURPRISE!!"

>>well,at least neighbor's animals pooping in yards is a universal problem.

I had a problem with local dogs at my last house, until I started sprinkling chili powder all over the lawn on the advice of someone online. I don't know if that's what actually did the trick, but I didn't have that problem any more.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Be careful with that pellet rifle! I don't know if it is your intention to kill the animal, but that rifle certainly will. I have an RWS that shoots 1200 fps with the pba ammo. I use heavier ammo to slow things down and avoid the "supersonic tumble". Mine will drop a coyote with a well placed shot. You may want to consider a Havahart trap as an alternative. A few visits to the animal shelter, and your neighbors may be more inclined to restrain Fluffy's wandering.

the cat's feral,as far as we can tell.no one knows who's cat it was;the general concensus is that someone moved,and left the cat.i've caught it catching baby yellow bellied sliders i had in my pond,my neighbors have seen it kill and eat baby squirrels.i've called animal control,and they told me that "they were too busy to try to catch just 1 cat".
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 cb baby razorback musks (way too cute)
0.0.1 cb baby eastern mud (also ridiculously cute)
0.0.1 cb reeve's turtle (george)
0.0.1 cb eastern box (this year's young 'un)
2.6 ltc eastern box breeders
0.1 cb'06 eastern box(nanners)
1.2 cb'08 kenyan sand boas(1 albino,1 anery,1 normal)
1.1 stenodactylus stenodactylus geckos
0.1 redeye croc skink
1.0 cb '03 homo sapien(kaelan,6)
"jesus is coming-when i count to 3,everyone jump out and yell SURPRISE!!"

PBS did a series a while back. PBS Nature "The Reptiles Part 3 of 4 Turtles & Tortoises"

I enjoyed it and its the only broad filming I've seen done. Most center around the plight of the sea turtles. I personally think that turtles have very little production value to people that aren't turtle aficionados. The sea turtles have the nesting gauntlet which is great fodder for TV.

I think that there should be a version filmed that focuses on the ecology instead of the natural history. The compelling story is what is happening globally.

If you haven't seen "The Cove" which is about Dolphins, its a great documentary. I wish that someone would do something along those lines for turtles and tortoises. Its long overdue.

"The Chances of the World Changing" was an attempt however it didn't focus on the turtles enough.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/chancesoftheworld/

I remember that PBS series. Is that the one where the guy is holding a chicken leg in the pond filled with sidenecks and red-eared sliders as he talks about "pack feeding" in some turtles? If I remember correctly, there is a really good segment about angulated tortoises. They also show what looks like a gulf coast box turtle chowing down on some sort of wild green weed.

I just now recall a feature called, "Land of the Falling Lakes", or something close to that. It has a short segment on the European pond turtle.

Yeah thats the one. I wish there were more.

Speaking of TV programs dealing with herps.... did anyone see Nature on PBS last Sunday? Not turtles, but great stuff on Anuran conservation.