My love for turtles and tortoises began when
I was just five years old when my father
handed me an eastern box turtle he found in
our yard. I was in awe of this strange animal
and although it's hard to remember a lot of my
childhood, I definitely recall it being centered
around my interest in these remarkable
creatures. I kept them, photographed them and
even drew them. Growing up in suburban
New Jersey made it fairly easy for me to find
plenty of places to see turtles and other
animals during the warmer months and I felt at
home with wildlife. In winter, my nose
remained buried in books about chelonians and
I tried to keep myself busy so time would fly
and spring would soon be upon me. There
wasn't a summer that went by without vivid
memories of painted, snapping, box, and
spotted turtles and there were plenty of other
critters that became part of my life as well. I
was always eager to learn more and since I
can remember, I have been more of a "hands
on" kind of person .
I was just five years old when my father
handed me an eastern box turtle he found in
our yard. I was in awe of this strange animal
and although it's hard to remember a lot of my
childhood, I definitely recall it being centered
around my interest in these remarkable
creatures. I kept them, photographed them and
even drew them. Growing up in suburban
New Jersey made it fairly easy for me to find
plenty of places to see turtles and other
animals during the warmer months and I felt at
home with wildlife. In winter, my nose
remained buried in books about chelonians and
I tried to keep myself busy so time would fly
and spring would soon be upon me. There
wasn't a summer that went by without vivid
memories of painted, snapping, box, and
spotted turtles and there were plenty of other
critters that became part of my life as well. I
was always eager to learn more and since I
can remember, I have been more of a "hands
on" kind of person .
As I got older I began to take things to the next level and by the age of seventeen, I was
frequenting reptile shows and had a decent collection of both common and exotic turtles and tortoises.
Because I was also a musician, time wasn't always on my side and many times I was forced to part
with my beloved turtles and tortoises due to extensive travel. Still, even without them at times, I kept a
strong interest and when I did have time to myself, I tried hard to get back into it as best as I could.
By the time I was twenty-one, I had experience with around one hundred different species of
chelonians and my collection was growing again. At this point in my life, it was clear that this hobby
was becoming something greater and my backyard quickly turned into somewhat of a sanctuary for
these animals. I kept on reading book after book and spent hours on the internet sharing experiences
and photos and soon got to know quite a few people. I am now twenty-five and not only have a
wonderful collection of incredible turtles and tortoises but I have also accomplished many things in a
short period of time. I have been acknowledged by the American Museum of Natural History for
helping with their wood turtle diorama, I am working on my first book, I now successfully breed and
maintain more than 20 species, have photos of mine in several publications and I now have this
website to offer to all of you. Everyday, my love for these creatures grows and I am certain they will
remain a permanent part of my life for years to come. The purpose of this site is for people to be able
to enjoy the hobby, learn as much as they can and to help teach the world about chelonian care and
conservation. I hope you enjoy this site and all it has to offer. Thank you for visiting.
Sincerely,
Chris Leone
frequenting reptile shows and had a decent collection of both common and exotic turtles and tortoises.
Because I was also a musician, time wasn't always on my side and many times I was forced to part
with my beloved turtles and tortoises due to extensive travel. Still, even without them at times, I kept a
strong interest and when I did have time to myself, I tried hard to get back into it as best as I could.
By the time I was twenty-one, I had experience with around one hundred different species of
chelonians and my collection was growing again. At this point in my life, it was clear that this hobby
was becoming something greater and my backyard quickly turned into somewhat of a sanctuary for
these animals. I kept on reading book after book and spent hours on the internet sharing experiences
and photos and soon got to know quite a few people. I am now twenty-five and not only have a
wonderful collection of incredible turtles and tortoises but I have also accomplished many things in a
short period of time. I have been acknowledged by the American Museum of Natural History for
helping with their wood turtle diorama, I am working on my first book, I now successfully breed and
maintain more than 20 species, have photos of mine in several publications and I now have this
website to offer to all of you. Everyday, my love for these creatures grows and I am certain they will
remain a permanent part of my life for years to come. The purpose of this site is for people to be able
to enjoy the hobby, learn as much as they can and to help teach the world about chelonian care and
conservation. I hope you enjoy this site and all it has to offer. Thank you for visiting.
Sincerely,
Chris Leone
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| DEDICATED TO THE CARE & CONSERVATION OF MEDITERRANEAN TORTOISES & NORTH AMERICAN TURTLES |