"Dinosaur Party for Kids" raises funds for the Tortoise Rescue Center in the village of Banya

A children's show dedicated to dinosaurs will be held in support of the Tortoise Rescue Center in the village of Banya, near the protected Black Sea area of Irakli.

The dress code for the party is turtle-themed. Every child can participate in a contest for the best turtle costume. The winners will have the opportunity to bathe a real turtle. Iva Lalovska, director of the Tortoise Rescue Center in Banya, will talk about the twelve species of turtles from various corners of the world that have found refuge and live there.

The turtles are one of the few surviving contemporaries of the dinosaurs, the organizers remind. Bulgaria is one of the few European countries where terrestrial turtles can still be found. Two species inhabit our nature—the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) and the Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni).

The only center in Bulgaria for the protection and rehabilitation of sick and injured turtles in the village of Banya has been operating since 2007. To date, it has helped over 6,000 reptiles but needs support to continue its mission.

Photos: geachelonia.org