Education

The sustainability of all turtle species depends on public awareness. An informed human community is perhaps the single most important factor in determining whether our declining turtle species reverse their slides toward extinction. Yet turtles are among the least understood creatures in our backyards, forests and wetlands. Even the most committed environmental advocates often know very little about them. 

Here at The Turtle’s Back, we believe in life-long learners. With over twenty years of experience as an environmental educator, Pam considers the work she does introducing people to the wonders of Connecticut’s turtles to be just as important as the work she does treating the turtles themselves, because protecting these animals depends just as much—if not more—on people understanding and caring about them as it does on helping the sick and injured among them. Our goal is to equip people of all ages with the knowledge to be able to both help and appreciate these unique, ancient and vulnerable animals.

We offer programs for any size group of any age, indoors or outdoors (weather and temperature permitting). From classroom to library to festival, we welcome the opportunity to share turtle history, wisdom and issues, not to mention some real native turtles! Proceeds support our rehabilitation work, and audience members inevitably leave with a newfound (or reinvigorated) enthusiasm for turtles and equipped with the tools necessary to manage common turtle issues. Most importantly, they’re able to advocate for the health, safety and well-being of these animals going forward. And that’s an ounce of prevention that’s worth a pound of cure.