Patches' unique mask covers an old injury, protecting the endangered turtle against infection Kelli Bender is the Pets Editor at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2013. Her work has ...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – ”Patches”, a black-breasted leaf turtle at Zoo Knoxville, is now sporting a custom prosthetic mask created for her by veterinarians at the University of Tennessee College of ...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may have had bulletproof shells, but this loggerhead turtle is the world's first to have a titanium jaw. Vets in Turkey teamed up with a medical 3D printing company to ...

It’s no Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bandana, but Patches’ mini mask is still perfectly suited for her. However, the black-breasted leaf turtle isn’t preparing for Halloween; she is recovering from a ...