Turtle Journal

Terrapin Hatchling Rescued by Maryland High Schoolers

Students from Wooten High School in Maryland visited Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary this morning on a field trip. Being more than 500 miles from the Free State didn’t stop these kids from rescuing Maryland’s signature critter: a diamondback terrapin.  Walking the picturesque Goose Pond Trail along the South Wellfleet marsh, they spotted a dust enshrouded hatchling blindly crawling along the path.  She measured a mere 2.8 centimeters long and weighed in at a severely dehydrated 4 grams.  Her eyes were sealed shut by desiccation and Terry, as the students named her, was in serious distress and easy prey to a host of predators if the elements themselves didn’t snatch her first.  Without their intervention, Terry didn’t stand a chance. 

Terrapin Hatchling Hydrated and Ready for Release

Back in the lab, Terry has been integrated into the recovery terrarium with Knotch.  She soaked in fresh water under a heat lamp and was able to open her eyes to inspect her new environment.  After less than two hours, she left the wading pool and has begun exploring the rest of the tank.

In the Land of Ooze, nothing happens fast.  Fall lingers into November, winter tarries into March, and spring never comes on time.  But as water temperatures inch upward at turtle speeds and the mud flats begin to thaw, the marsh reluctantly surrenders its secrets, held buried since last October.  Remains of two terrapins were uncovered in the Fox Island Wildlife Management Area this morning.

Mature Male Terrapin Carcass in Fox Island WMA

The first turtle was a mature male, 6 or 7 years old.  He had not been previously observed by our research team, so there’s no history on this fellow.  His sported flared rear marginals and had an unusual slant cut across the front of his carapace which had shaved most of his right front marginal clean off.

Don Lewis Documents Mature Male Terrapin Carcass

The second terrapin was a 2-year-old juvenile, completely desiccated but limbs mostly intact.  The shell had become bloated and separated along the seams, making accurate measurements impossible.

Desiccated Two-Year-Old Terrapin Carcass

Today’s water temperature readings in the marsh creeks, where our brumating terrapins are fast asleep, tickled the high forties, inching ever so slowly toward the magic 55ºF wake-up call.  And so we wait our here at the end of the universe. impatiently, for either Godot or the first terrapin of spring . . . whichever comes first.