A screen shot of ChapGPT being asked the question "what do I do if I find an injured turtle?" It responds "If you come across an injured turtle, the first thing you should do is assess the situation and try to determine the extent of the turtle's injuries. If the turtle is severely injured or appears to be in danger, it is best to call a wildlife rehabilitation center or a local veterinarian who is familiar with treating reptiles. If the injuries are minor and the turtle seems to be in stable condition, you can gently place the turtle in a secure, shallow container and keep it in a warm, quiet place until you are able to transport it to a rehabilitation center or a veterinarian who can provide proper care. Here are some additional tips for handling and caring for an injured turtle: Wear gloves to protect yourself and the turtle. Do not try to feed the turtle or give it water. Do not try to clean or treat the turtle's wounds. Handle the turtle as gently as possible to minimize stress. Keep the turtle in a warm, dark, and quiet place until you can get it to a rehabilitation center or veterinarian. It is important to remember that wild animals, including turtles, can carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, so it is important to take precautions to protect yourself. If you are not comfortable handling the turtle or are unsure of how to proceed, it is best to contact a professional for assistance."

What Does ChatGPT Mean for Turtles in 2023?

First…

This post isn’t about whether artificial intelligence (AI) is good, bad, going to take people’s jobs, or destroy the human race! Plenty has been written on that, and it’s very easy to find. This is about whether a particular tool, ChatGPT, as it exists in February, 2023, has the potential to help (or hurt) turtles.

Why?

Turtle Rescue League is always thinking with an open mind about how new tools could be used to help turtles, and on the flip side, how they might pose a threat. ChatGPT is a new tool, so we’re asking those questions and doing some experimenting. We’ll have some fun with this post, but it comes from a serious place – Turtle Rescue League’s mission to keep turtles a part of our future, and not let them become a thing of the past.

These questions matter – in the time between the first draft of this post and its publication, Microsoft’s Bing has integrated an AI “copilot,” in partnership withe OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. Google has announced it will quickly follow suit with its own AI tool. It might not be long before AI is telling more people what to do when they find a turtle in trouble than Google’s classic search engine does!

And no, ChatGPT did not write this post!

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT was created by a company called OpenAI. Their mission is to “ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.”

Here is how OpenAI describes ChatGPT:

A screen shot from open.com explaining what ChatGPT is. It reads "we've trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests. ChatGPT is a sibling model to InstructGPT, which is trained to follow an instruction in a prompt and provide a detailed response."

For our purposes, ChatGPT is a chatbot designed to converse like a human being who knows a lot of what was on the internet up until 2021.

How Might ChatGPT be Used?

After playing around with ChatGPT for only a few moments, 2 obvious use cases become apparent. You could use it to:

  • Search or ask (ask a question, receive an answer)
  • Create (write a blog post, song, essay, etc.)

Certainly there are more, but these are the big ones. We’re going to focus on the first one here, search, and see how it does answering the types of questions the general public asks when they find an injured turtle, or a turtle where they don’t think it should be.

Searching for Answers to Turtle Questions With ChatGPT

Imagine you’ve found an injured turtle on the side of the road and don’t know what to do.

Today, it’s likely you’d pull out your phone and Google “how to help an injured turtle,” or something along those lines. Next you’ll be presented with a results page. You’d probably need to scroll past some sponsored results, then choose something that appeared reliable. Maybe the name of the website gives you confidence, or the meta description sounds like just what you’re looking for. Maybe none of the results on that first page look helpful, and you search again (or give up and drive away).

But what if instead of opening a search engine like Google, you ask ChatGPT?

It will give you an answer, not list of results. Will the answer be helpful to you? Helpful to the turtle? Will it give you bad advice that ultimately hurts the turtle?

Let’s find out.

ChatGPT, What Do I Do if I Find an Injured Turtle?

Let’s ask ChatGPT and see what it says…

A screen shot of ChatGPT's response to the question "what do I do if I find an injured turtle?" It replies "If you find an injured turtle, the best thing to do is to contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center or a veterinarian who is familiar with treating turtles. These professionals will be able to provide the necessary medical care and treatment to help the turtle recover. In the meantime, try to keep the turtle calm and in a safe place, away from any potential dangers. If you are unable to transport the turtle to a rehabilitation center, you can try to provide basic first aid by keeping the turtle warm and moist, and covering any open wounds with a clean cloth. However, it is important to keep in mind that the best course of action is to get the turtle to a professional as soon as possible for proper care and treatment."

Not bad, and definitely better than expected! It certainly stresses getting the turtle to a professional, which is good.

What would be better:

  • “If you are unable to transport the turtle… you can try to provide basic first aid by keeping the turtle warm and moist…”
    • It’s good that it recognizes that the finder might not be able to transport the turtle, but transportation can usually be worked out with a wildlife rehabber. This should be the priority.
    • The term “first aid” is a little tricky when dealing with the general public, too. Someone may read that as a queue to start flushing wounds and piecing shells back together. This is dangerous for the turtle and could cause more harm or even death. In Massachusetts, you must be a licensed wildlife rehabilitator to treat a wild animal.
    • In Massachusetts, we’re usually looking to keep injured turtles cool rather than warm. Generally, what most people consider “room temperature” works well. Don’t blast the heat or the air conditioner in your car or home while you have the turtle.
    • Keeping it “moist” might encourage the finder to put the injured turtle in water, which we do not want to do. Water in open wounds can lead to infections and other problems, and an injured turtle may drown even in very shallow water, especially if that water is sloshing around in a car.
    • Don’t worry about covering open wounds with a clean cloth unless instructed to by a wildlife rehabilitator. Fibers may enter the wounds and the turtle can become restricted or agitated, leading to further injury or deadly levels of stress.
    • It would be good to see a note here about how it is often illegal to keep wild turtles as pets.

We can try the same question again and get a different answer:

A screen shot of ChapGPT being asked the question "what do I do if I find an injured turtle?" It responds "If you come across an injured turtle, the first thing you should do is assess the situation and try to determine the extent of the turtle's injuries. If the turtle is severely injured or appears to be in danger, it is best to call a wildlife rehabilitation center or a local veterinarian who is familiar with treating reptiles. If the injuries are minor and the turtle seems to be in stable condition, you can gently place the turtle in a secure, shallow container and keep it in a warm, quiet place until you are able to transport it to a rehabilitation center or a veterinarian who can provide proper care. Here are some additional tips for handling and caring for an injured turtle: Wear gloves to protect yourself and the turtle. Do not try to feed the turtle or give it water. Do not try to clean or treat the turtle's wounds. Handle the turtle as gently as possible to minimize stress. Keep the turtle in a warm, dark, and quiet place until you can get it to a rehabilitation center or veterinarian. It is important to remember that wild animals, including turtles, can carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, so it is important to take precautions to protect yourself. If you are not comfortable handling the turtle or are unsure of how to proceed, it is best to contact a professional for assistance."

Another decent answer in the big picture. It ultimately recommends a wildlife rehabber or veterinarian for either minor or major injuries, but in a roundabout way. Let’s pick this one apart:

  • Even experts can’t easily determine the extent of a turtle’s injuries in many cases. This could lead to bad judgement calls by the finder. If you can tell that it’s injured, you need to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
  • “…in a secure, shallow container…” The container certainly can be shallow, if it still allows for the turtle to be secured, covered and in the dark. “Shallow” in this context might lead people to think about water, and that’s a big problem. Turtles should not be stored or transported in water – they can drown as the water sloshes around, among other issues like helping infection set in. We regularly tell finders on the phone not to transport the turtle in water, and find the turtle in a container filled with water when they drop it off. To be fair, in the bullet list it provides, it says not to give the turtle water.
  • The “keep the turtle in a warm…” again. Cool is usually better than warm.

One more time with the same question:

A screen shot of ChatGPT's response to the same question, "what do I do if I find an injured turtle?" This time ChatGPT replied "If you find an injured turtle, the best thing to do is to try to safely contain the turtle and then call a local wildlife rehabilitation center or a veterinarian who is familiar with treating reptiles. Do not try to care for the turtle yourself unless you have experience doing so. It is important to handle the turtle as little as possible and to be careful not to cause further injury. If you are able to safely contain the turtle, you can place it in a container with a secure lid and a soft, clean cloth or paper towel on the bottom. Keep the container in a warm, quiet place until you are able to transport the turtle to a rehabilitation center or veterinarian."

This is probably the best answer. It stresses not trying to care for the turtle yourself, and not handling it any more than necessary. It comes close to saying not to contain it in water with the “clean cloth or paper towel” line. We get the “warm” advice again, but that’s not too bad.

Ok ChatGPT, Find Me a Wildlife Rehabilitator, Please

So far, ChatGPT has done a good job recommending contacting a wildlife rehabilitator and not trying to treat the turtle yourself. It’s seems like a safe assumption that the next question for it will be something along the lines of “can you find me a wildlife rehabilitator near me?”

Let’s see what happens!

A screenshot of ChatGPT being asked "What are some wildlife rehabilitators near me?" ChatGPT responds "I'm sorry, as an AI language model, I don't have access to your current location. However, you can try the following steps to find wildlife rehabilitators near you: 1. Search online: You can search online for wildlife rehabilitators in your area. You can try using search engines like Google or Bing and search for "wildlife rehabilitators" or "wildlife rescue" along with your city or state name. 2. Contact local animal shelters or humane societies and ask them for information about wildlife rehabilitators in your area. 3. Contact wildlife organizations: You can also contact wildlife organizations like the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association or the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council for information about wildlife rehabilitators in your area. 4. Contact you state wildlife agency: You can contact your state wildlife agency and ask for information about licensed wildlife rehabilitators in your area. Once you find a wildlife rehabilitator near you, make sure to call them before bringing in any animals. Many wildlife rehabilitators have specific protocols and requirements for accepting animals, and it's important to follow their instructions to ensure the animal receives the best care possible.

Fair enough! It probably won’t be long before this thing knows where we are in real time, but for now, let’s help it out.

A screenshot of ChatGPT being asked "I am in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Give me a list of wildlife rehabilitators near me who specialize in caring for turtles. ChatGPT responds "As an AI language model, I do not have access to real-time data or information about current conditions, events, or locations. However, I can provide you with some resources that may be helpful in finding a wildlife rehabilitator near you who specializes in caring for turtles. 1. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife website has a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators by region. You can search for a rehabilitator in the Northeast region, which includes Newburyport, and contact them to inquire about their expertise in caring for turtles. Here is the link: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator 2. The New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Massachusetts, is a non-profit organization that provides wildlife rehabilitation services, including for turtles. They may be able to provide information on wildlife rehabilitators closer to Newburyport. Here is their website: https://www.newildlife.org/ 3. The Turtle Rescue League is a non-profit organization that specializes in the care and rehabilitation of turtles. They are located in Massachusetts and may be able to provide information on wildlife rehabilitators in the area. Here is their website: https://www.turtlerescueleague.com/ I hope these resources are helpful in your search for a wildlife rehabilitator near you who can assist with caring for turtles.

Hey, Turtle Rescue League made the cut!

It’s good to see that the first answer it provides is to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s master list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators. This makes it fast for the user to find a rehabilitator close to them, and it clearly shows which rehabbers work with which types of animals.

The New England Wildlife Center is also an excellent organization and it’s great to see it as a suggestion.

And we’re certainly biased, but yes, Turtle Rescue League is one of the best places an injured turtle could end up for treatment!

ChatGPT did very well with this answer, especially by starting off with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s master list. Nice job, ChatGPT!

It’s an understandable for ChatGPT to assume that if someone asks for help finding a rehabilitator, they’re going to contact one and work out a plan for the turtle. However, it would still be smart to mention that it’s a bad idea and possibly illegal to try to treat the turtle yourself.

ChatGPT, Does a Turtle Make a Good Pet?

When some people find an injured turtle, they wonder if they can treat it and then keep it as a pet. Let’s see how ChatGPT handles this one.

A screen shot of ChatGPT being asked the question "Is a turtle a good pet? Are they easy to care for?" ChatGPT replies "Turtles can make good pets, but they do require some specific care. They need a suitable enclosure with a heat lamp and UVB light to provide warmth and help the process calcium. They also need a basking area and a place to swim. They need a varied diet that includes both plant and animal matter, and clean water should be provided at all times. It's also important to research the specific needs of the type of turtle you are considering as a pet, as different species have different requirements. Overall, turtles are relatively low maintenance pets, but they do require a significant commitment in terms of time and resources."

We can see ChatGPT making a big assumption here – it’s answering as if someone is asking about buying a turtle from a pet store (please, no!). It would be far better to start with a warning about taking turtles from the wild. It’s often illegal, always cruel, and removing even one turtle can threaten the entire local population. Don’t do it.

Other than that…

  • We’d place the bit about researching the specific needs of the type of turtle you’re considering closer to the beginning of the answer – right after the first sentence. This is very important!
  • The final sentence is a bit contradictory. Low maintenance, but require significant time and resources? That’s a little confusing.
  • It would be good to see ChatGPT mention the long lifespan of turtles. This could be a blanket statement, even though it should come up in someone’s research about the species they are considering. All turtles can live longer than most of the other pets anyone would be considering.
  • The answer doesn’t mention anything about upfront costs. If the turtle is going to be remotely happy, it’s going to need lots of space, and big habitats can be expensive.
  • Even turtles that were hatched in captivity, from mothers that were hatched in captivity, are not domesticated animals. People should know this before they decide to keep a turtle in captivity. Turtles will always choose the wild over the most beautiful habitat you can create. It’s hard to accept, but “saving” a turtle from a pet store just dooms more turtles to the same fate.

It’s worth noting that even with all of the changes we would make to ChatGPT’s answer here, it’s more realistic advice than you’ll get from almost anyone who is trying to sell you a turtle.

By the way, if you landed here because you’re having trouble with a pet turtle you already have, check this out.

ChatGPT, How Do I Get Rid of These Turtles Digging Holes in My Lawn?

We get questions like this every year, so ChatGPT probably will, too. What does ChatGPT say when someone cares more about a tiny hole in their lawn (which will be covered up and invisible if left alone!) than their local wildlife?

A screen shot of ChatGPT being asked "How can I stop a turtle from laying eggs in my yard?" ChatGPT responds "There are a few ways to prevent a turtle from laying eggs in your yard: 1. Remove any potential nesting sites, such as tall grass or piles of leaves. 2. Create barriers around your yard, such as a fence or wall, to prevent the turtle from entering. 3. If you find a turtle digging a hole in your yard, gently and carefully move the turtle to a nearby pond or lake. 4. Keep a close eye on the turtle population in your area and contact local wildlife authorities if you notice an increase in turtle activity in your yard. It is important to note that many species of turtles are protected by law and you may not want to disturb them if you find them in your yard. Consult local wildlife authorities in your area for guidance on how to handle turtle populations."

Yuck. But here’s where we need to remember that ChatGPT is just answering a question. It’s not judging whether the question is morally a good one or a bad one. This is a key point of discussion about AI in general.

So… It does well to mention that many turtle species are protected by law. Number 3 in its list is a rough one, though. If the turtle is already digging, the damage to the lawn is done – let it finish up and make a plan for next year. And moving it to a pond or lake subjects it to the stress of transport, and guarantees another dangerous journey back to suitable nesting grounds. Never relocate a healthy turtle further than it takes to get it out of danger. If it’s not in danger, leave it where it is. You cannot assume a turtle found on land is looking for water. They almost always know where they are.

How Does ChatGPT Compare to Google?

This post would be prohibitively long if we did side by side comparisons with Google results lists, but we did ask it the same questions we asked ChatGPT. Saying they are “apples and oranges” feels like saying they’re a bit more different from one another than they are, but they are definitely two different things.

Google’s results were usually helpful, but the presentation is a dump (even if a well curated dump) of information – not an “answer.” This is especially apparent when comparing it directly with ChatGPT. There’s more work left to do by the person asking the question – some scrolling, judgement calls, and maybe some trial and error to find the most useful of what was returned. There’s almost always at least a couple of ads, that may or may not be useful, presented before anything else. In these examples, the ads were not helpful.

A screenshot of a Google results list when someone searches "What do I do if I find an injured turtle?" The results start with advertisements, one for "Ask a turtle vet," another for "Ask a Bird Veterinarian," and a third for "Ask a Cat Veterinarian." Below the ads, it presents a section with the title "Who to call," which lists several helpful phone numbers, but to someone unfamiliar with the organizations it mentions, the lack of context about each phone number leaves work to be done by the user. Next Google presents a "People also ask" section, where it lists what it judges to be similar questions, and some results for each. This section quickly moved away from turtles to injured birds and other types of animals.

Google did return a list of “Who to call” near the top of its result list, which is similar to ChatGPT in some ways, but the list didn’t contain much context for the user to make a good decision on which number would be the most likely to offer help. There’s more work left to do for the Google user than the person who asked ChatGPT.

One nice thing about Google (but maybe not your privacy!) is that it knew where we were without having to be told. Some people might hate this fact, but staying focused on someone who found an injured turtle, it was helpful.

What’s the Verdict?

So, will ChatGPT help or hurt turtles in 2023?

Even though the answers weren’t perfect, it gave much better results than expected. This seems to be the feedback from most people testing it for other uses, too.

Here are the key findings:

  • ChatGPT performed better than we expected it would.
  • ChatGPT returned better results than a Google search did for each question we asked, even though ChatGPT required a little more input in some cases, such as determining location.
  • The way ChatGPT presents its results – in a conversational, “human” way, made it feel authoritative, and lent a sense of confidence. This is good if ChatGPT is correct, but could cause harm if it presented incorrect information (in our testing, it did not provide any flat-out incorrect information).
  • ChatGPT usually provided an “answer,” whereas Google presented a list of possibilities that required further actions or decisions by the user. It was faster and more convenient.
  • Because of how it uses language to return its results, ChatGPT was able to add context and stress a theme. This was great. An example from these experiments is – do this and this, but ultimately, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

Would it be a good thing for turtles if ChatGPT was the tool everyone was using when you woke up tomorrow? At the time of this writing, and for the specific questions we asked it, the answer would be yes.

A Little Fun As We Say Goodbye For Now

There’s a lot more to explore when it comes to how ChatGPT will affect turtles if or when it becomes a more commonly used tool. Turtle Rescue League will continue to experiment, so keep an eye out for future posts!

We’ll sign off with a bit of fun, utilizing the more creative capabilities of ChatGPT…

A screenshot of someone telling ChatGPT "Everyone at the Turtle Rescue League organization is very thankful for all of its supporters. White a haiku about how much Turtle Rescue League, and the turtle patients we are caring for, appreciate all of the people out there who care about and help turtles." ChaptGPT responds "Grateful turtles smile, Rescue League holds them tight, safe, supporters bring hope."

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