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This is an image of the huge leatherback turtle. Leatherbacks are the largest turtles on Earth, growing up to seven feet (two meters) long and exceeding 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). These reptilian relics are the only remaining representatives of a family of turtles that traces its evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years. The leatherback population is rapidly declining in many parts of the world.While all other sea turtles have hard, bony shells, the inky-blue carapace of the leatherback is somewhat flexible and almost rubbery to the touch. Ridges along the carapace help give it a more hydrodynamic structure. Leatherbacks can dive to depths of 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) —deeper than any other turtle and can stay down for up to 85 minutes. -National Geographic, now edited by Ashley
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This is a biography on the man who started my passion for turtles. His name is Ernie Brown. I doubt any of you (reading this) know him but he is known as the turtleman and he catches snapping turtles with his bare hands. This is a story about Ernie Brown. Born and raised in Washington County, Kentucky, he spent his childhood exploring the woods and learning the ways of the animals that occupy them. Turtleman caught his first snapping turtle, a 25-pounder, when he was just seven-years-old, after his father and uncle taught him the risky technique.
Since then, the legend of Turtleman has spread throughout the Blue Grass state and has brought Ernie a career as an animal rescuer. At the age of 17, he caught his biggest turtle to date, later named "Loch Ness Turtle," a monster weighing close to 55 pounds.
Prior to devoting all of his time to rescuing and relocating wildlife, Ernie worked an array of hard labor jobs, including cutting boards for whiskey and wine barrels, milking cows and working in construction for nine years. He currently lives off the land deep in the backwoods of Kentucky with his loyal canine companion Lolly.
-Made with help from Animal Planet
Since then, the legend of Turtleman has spread throughout the Blue Grass state and has brought Ernie a career as an animal rescuer. At the age of 17, he caught his biggest turtle to date, later named "Loch Ness Turtle," a monster weighing close to 55 pounds.
Prior to devoting all of his time to rescuing and relocating wildlife, Ernie worked an array of hard labor jobs, including cutting boards for whiskey and wine barrels, milking cows and working in construction for nine years. He currently lives off the land deep in the backwoods of Kentucky with his loyal canine companion Lolly.
-Made with help from Animal Planet