More than four decades ago, a tiny red-eared slider turtle hatched in the wilds of Missouri. Her journey through life should’ve been simple — sunning on logs, gliding through ponds — but a piece of human litter changed everything.
As a young turtle, she slipped through the plastic rings of a discarded six-pack holder. The loops became trapped around her shell, tightening as she grew. Inch by inch, her body was squeezed in the middle, giving her shell a distinctive peanut shape — and a daily struggle to survive.
By all odds, she shouldn’t have made it. But she did.
In 1993, someone finally found the misshapen turtle and cut her free. Rescuers named her Peanut — and she’s been inspiring change ever since.
Too deformed to return to the wild, Peanut found a new purpose with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). She became an ambassador, showing people — especially kids — what just one piece of carelessly tossed plastic can do.
“People see her and learn her story, and they get it,” said Amy Wilkinson, Peanut’s longtime handler at MDC. “She’s used in litter awareness campaigns all over the world.”
Now, more than 30 years after her rescue, Peanut’s still thriving — and still spreading her message. This month, MDC celebrated her 41st birthday, honoring her as a true “litter-fighting superhero.”
She may not look like other turtles, but her story continues to make a powerful impact.
“She’s not a teenager anymore,” her caretakers wrote. “But her mighty message reminds everyone to put litter in its place — and protect the world we share.”
