Summary of Of Time and Turtles By Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell

By Willie M. Joseph

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This book does not in any capacity mean to replace the original book but to serve as a vast summary of the original book.

Summary of Of Time and Turtles By Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell

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Sy Montgomery, a National Book Award finalist for The Soul of an Octopus, explores the wonder and wisdom of turtles through their stories of hope and rescue. At Turtle Rescue League, Montgomery and wildlife artist Matt Patterson rescue hundreds of turtles from injury and illness, amidst threats from cars, pollution, and poaching. The League's founders, Natasha and Alexxia, believe in never giving up on turtles. Montgomery and Patterson work to protect turtle nests, incubate eggs, rescue sea turtles, and release hatchlings to their wild homes. The book invites readers to slow down and slip into turtle time, blending science, memoir, philosophy, and drawing on cultures from around the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Willie M. Joseph
• Release date: Sep 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223290360

Willie M. Joseph

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Book preview

Shell Shock

A two-story saltbox in a suburban street is a sanctuary for injured turtles, with a sign stating TURTLE LOVER PARKING and urging motorists to shut the shell up. Two cars, a white Smart and a black Scion, serve as emergency vehicles for transporting injured turtles to the turtle hospital. The turtles are valuable on the black market, and their patients could be targets of abduction. Wildlife artist Matt Patterson and I enter the home, where we are greeted by Pizza Man, a twenty-year-old red-footed tortoise. Pizza Man's spirited reaction is surprising, as turtles are known for their slow and stock-still nature, which is believed to be a sign of low intelligence.

However, Pizza Man's enthusiasm for attention and his greeting make Matt feel welcome. Matt and I have been drawn deeper into the world of turtles since helping friends protect a nesting site for five species of New England turtles. Last year, we attended a turtle summit, where Alexxia projected a slide of a female snapping turtle, who was returned to the wild two years later, healed. Alexxia emphasized that turtles can survive even the most fatal injuries, and we never give up on a turtle.

The Turtle Rescue League (TRL) is a non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates turtles, including those rescued from drug dealers and those born deformed or disabled. The League's hospital is home to over 150 turtles, including those recovering from illness or injury, relinquished by previous owners, and those awaiting new homes. Pizza Man, rescued from a drug dealer's basement, is one of the few turtles considered a personal pet. Sprockets, a thirty-pound Burmese mountain tortoise, is another devoted pet of the League. At age twelve, Sprockets is as devoted to Natasha as Pizza Man is to Alexxia.

He is a species native to Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra and was found five years ago in a park near Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Despite his nervousness, Sprockets began to vocalize and bob his head when excited. Turtles have distinctive personalities and experience strong emotions, but they lack mammals' facial expressions. With attention, practice, intuition, and empathy, it is possible to read the subtle, sometimes alien signals of turtles. This is key to their extraordinary success in saving and often releasing back to the wild thousands of turtles who otherwise would have died, including many so badly injured that even veterinarians specializing in rehabilitating wildlife would have euthanized them.

Natasha and Alexxia, two passionate animal lovers, met over a decade ago at a fashion store. They both love animals and had a childhood memory of watching their dad help a snapping turtle cross the street. One spring day, they found an injured turtle on the road, and felt helpless. They decided to help the turtles by creating posters and flyers to educate others.

Despite the challenges, they learned from various sources, including veterinarians at Tufts Wildlife Clinic, the director of Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, and the head veterinarian at the New England Aquarium. Their mentor, Kathy Michell, who had survived cancer and multiple sclerosis, taught them not to give up.

The first turtle they took home was a undernourished yearling snapper they named Nibbles. They spent two hundred dollars at a local pet store to properly house and feed him. They soon found themselves living with 75 rescued turtles and half a dozen stock tanks in an 860square-foot, two-bedroom apartment in Webster, Massachusetts.

Their sanctuary, Turtle Rescue Rehab (TRR), has two cars, a board of directors, and a dedicated staff. Petite, blond Michaela Conder, is the only other paid employee at TRL, handling communications and largely running the day-to-day operation of the sanctuary and hospital. She also works part-time at a coffee shop and volunteers for the organization.

Natasha and Alexxia, along with Matt and their partner, have found a sacred devotion to caring for turtles. They have rescued other creatures, including squirrels and salamanders, and have a fan base for turtles. Turtles are popular subjects of artwork, collectibles, and toys, and have been featured in stories, comics, and movies.

Turtles have a big fan base, with Myrtle, a ninety-year-old green sea turtle, living at the New England Aquarium since 1970. They are also popular subjects of artwork, collectibles, and toys. However, the sale of infant turtles was banned in 1975 due to their inappropriate habitat and lack of proper food.

Matt Patterson, who has been a turtle nerd his whole life, has always loved them and wanted them with him to watch them. He has worked as a product design illustrator and wildlife artist, creating vividly realistic images that make turtles look alive.

Matt is always ready to head out into a river or stream or swamp to observe, paint, or help turtles. He has combined his turtle expertise with college wrestling skills to wrangle monster snappers, traveled to Madagascar with the Turtle Survival Alliance, and visited herpetology conferences and trade shows where turtles are prominently featured.

In conclusion, caring for turtles is not just a job or charity but a sacred devotion for Natasha, Alexxia, and Matt. By embracing the importance of turtles and their unique characteristics, we can help protect these precious creatures and preserve their natural habitats.

Matt, a speech and language pathologist, has been with his three-toed box turtle, Polly, for over 24 years. He plans to build Eddie her own barn and provides for her in his will. His love for turtles stems from their familiarity and their extraordinary abilities. Over 350 species of turtles, gracing six continents, display breathtaking talents such as longevity, adaptability, and even potential cures for cancer.

Turtles are the most imperiled major group of animals on earth, suffering from pollution, climate change, and invasive species. They are also the most endangered species, with populations shrinking when houses, roads, and stores displace their