It also promotes vitamin D synthesis, which is essential for calcium absorption and for turtles, healthy shell and bone development. Additionally, basking can help dry their skin and shells, reducing the risk of fungal or bacterial infections.

Umm, you were just in the sun yesterday. Did you know turtles bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature? True story. Basking helps turtles, and other cold-blooded reptiles, raise their internal temperature for optimal metabolism, digestion, and activity.

“I’ve had the time of my life.No, I never felt this way before…”

The first five days after the weekend are always the hardest…

National parks are home to many of the nation’s most beloved monuments, historic sites, hallowed grounds, and iconic landscapes. Celebrate the nation's birthday and join July 4th festivities across the country. Learn more at:

What leftovers? Did you know beavers subsist on woody and aquatic vegetation like leaves, twigs, stems, and bark? They will chew on almost any species of tree. Aquatic foodstuffs include cattails, water lilies, sedges and rushes.

2:00 pm: Gonna save the rest of this branch for later.⁣⁣.⁣⁣.2:04 pm: Time to finish this branch.⁣⁣.⁣⁣

Learn more ways to beat the heat at:

Feelin' hot hot hot! No matter the time of year or activity, it’s important to stay hydrated and drink before you feel thirsty. The amount of water you need may increase if you are doing a strenuous activity like hiking or doomscrolling.

RT @GrandCanyonNPS: It's mid-June on the South Rim of Grand Canyon and that means female elk have been birthing calves in the village. With….

Today, the National Park Service invites visitors to commemorate Juneteenth by visiting a national park for free. Learn more about the history of Juneteenth and its connection to parks at:

Juneteenth is one of the oldest known commemorations related to the abolition of slavery in the United States. It marks the date of June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas.

Let’s get ready to bumble!. It’s #NationalPollinatorWeek! Did you know more than 75 percent of the Earth's flowering plants depend on bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other pollinators? Bee-lieve it! 🐝. Learn more about pollinators at

RT @usparkpolicepio: USPP officers worked around the clock to support the @usarmy 250th Birthday. Our team is dedicated to ensuring safety….

When you follow safe wildlife-watching practices, you protect the health of the wildlife—and yourself!. Learn more at:

The 88 ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes park units with the National Park Service are conserved so all may know and experience the nation's unique coastal and submerged ecosystems, natural resources, and maritime heritage. Learn more at:

What did the ocean say to the beach?. Nothing, it just waved. 🌊. Explore the above and underwater world of complex ecosystems, maritime heritage, and exciting recreational opportunities in our oceans during #NationalOceansMonth! . Photo by Connor Halpin (

With more than 21,000 combined miles of trails, there are plenty of options to stretch your legs in a national park. Learn more at: #NationalTrailsDay . 📸 @MountRainierNPS

Learn more safety tips at:

If you’re at a park and caught outside during a thunderstorm, keep moving towards shelter. You do not want to be the tallest object, especially if wearing a metal helmet. Avoid open fields, hills, boulder fields, rocky outcrops, and ridge tops.