Endangered Turtle is Missing

Scientist with Northern Illinois University reported that an endangered  turtle they been tracking for two years has gone missing.

The Blanding Turtle has been inhabiting the Afton Forest Preserve in DeKalb for the last two years and over the weekend a local farmer pulled the tracking antennae off the turtle when it recently wandered about two miles off the reserve.  The farmer, according to WREX and the Daily Chronicle, thought he was going a good deed. He though it was a piece of wire lodged in the turtles shell. His actions, although good intended, ended the connection with NIU's Science department.

Blanding's turtles are endangered in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resource’s. These turtles grow to be a foot long and have distinct yellow undersides.

This turtle has been known to wander off the preserve before, one time for over a month he was out of the antenna's range, but now without the antennae he's basically lost as there is no way of finding it or knowing when it may return to Afton Forest Preserve.

If you do you see this turtle, all sightings are to be reported to the DeKalb County Forest Preserve at (815) 895-7191.