Answering phone calls from the public concerning wildlife conflicts or emergencies is very rewarding. Every animal has an important job to do in nature (even if it’s not always convenient for humans), and deserves a chance to do that job. But, sometimes the compassion on the part of a caller is the greatest reward. I had the opportunity to experience above-the-call-of-duty concern by a caller a few weeks ago.

A man phoned in from White Rock Lake. He’d noticed a turtle next to a fisherman on the bank of the lake. There were many people looking on as he approached the fisherman and asked if he was going to release the turtle that he’d hooked. The man said, no, he intended to eat the turtle. This was not one of the common Slider turtles that we see so often in North Texas; it was a huge Spiny Softshell turtle, a female, and my caller just couldn't see making turtle stew out of her. The fisherman refused to free the turtle, which had a fishhook in its throat, so my kind caller offer to buy her.

After paying twenty dollars our Good Samaritan called the hotline to try to find help for the turtle. After a call to a wonderful reptile rehabilitation expert in McKinney, the caller was able to rendezvous for a turtle drop-off, which was no short drive from White Rock Lake. The reptile expert was able to remove the hook which had not, fortunately, damaged the turtle’s throat. He put her on antibiotics for a few days and then released her at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney, Texas. Upon release that beautiful animal took off like a shot and never looked back.

Many of our callers willingly drive some distance to deliver an animal in need to a wildlife rehabilitator and each caller is very special to us. The softshell turtle got a lot of attention that Saturday at White Rock Lake; there were people biking and walking all over the place! But, the turtle would have lost her life had it not been for our Good Samaritan; a kind, concerned man, who was willing to spend twenty dollars and his afternoon to find her a devoted rehabilitator, one that would save her life. Thanks, Robby from Dallas and Josh from McKinney, you made a real difference!