“I imagine the turtles are developing quickly this hot summer. The embryos in the earlier eggs of the season must have reached the point at which they begin involuntary movements. With the first exercise and the increased metabolism it brings, they are preparing for the arduous work of breaking out of their eggshells and digging up from the earth, and for the risk-laden journey to water that each must take.” From, The Year of the Turtle: A Natural History by David M. Carroll, entry for Aug. 7, 6:15 p.m.

I have been fascinated by turtles since I was a boy exploring the ponds of the town and neighborhood where I enjoyed many youthful wanderings. In hopes of catching one I would slowly creep up on a turtle perched on a rock, log or shore. They always seemed to know of my intentions and would slide into the water just as I was about to make my move.

My most memorable encounter with turtles was during my college days. I was walking to my summer job as a greenskeeper at a local golf course when I discovered several dead snapping turtle hatchlings squished on the road. They had recently hatched from their natal nest and had been attempting to make their way to the safety of a nearby pond. I then noticed a dozen or more scurrying along the roadside, and determined to aid in their journey, I stuffed them in the pockets of my field coat. As I traversed the golf course doing the daily routine of mowing grass and raking sand traps, I stopped at several “water hazard” ponds and placed two or three of the baby snapping turtles along its edge. I never told other greenskeepers about my snapping turtle release. Now, some 50 years later, I hope some of them still reside in those ponds.

Two Books on Turtles

My love of turtles led to my recent purchase of two excellent books: Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell, published in 2023, by Sy Montgomery with illustrations by naturalist artist Matt Patterson, and The Year of the Turtle: A Natural History, published in 1991, written and illustrated by naturalist David M. Carroll. Carroll’s book was the inspiration for Montgomery to write her book 30 years after his publication. I highly recommend both books for those like-minded folks interested in the lives of our most fascinating reptile. Here are some turtle facts from these books and other sources.

In the Forward of The Year of the Turtle, Michael W. Klemens writes “for nearly two hundred million years, turtles have flourished on our planet. Many became extinct long before the dominance of Homo sapiens, but the combination of protective armor coupled with a long reproductive life enable turtles to survive into modern times. Although a small percentage of turtle eggs hatch, and even smaller numbers survive to adulthood, once mature, turtles continue to reproduce for decades. Therefore, the individual turtle is very important to the survival of its species.”

According to the World Atlas website there are more than 350 individual species of turtles on Earth today.  Turtles date back 220 million years ago, making them older than both crocodiles and snakes. Unfortunately, most turtle species are considered highly endangered because of habitat loss, the illegal trade in turtles for food and pets, and loss of eggs and hatchlings from predation.

For me, a sure sign of spring is the sight of turtles basking in the sun. Like all reptiles, turtles are cold blooded animals and sunbathing helps promote muscle activity and digestion. For turtles it also encourages leeches and other parasites to drop off, and triggers the production of vitamin D, essential for strong shells.

During the winter, all but our region’s eastern box turtles overwinter in mud and leaf litter at the bottom of lakes, ponds, tidal flats or gentle streams. The eastern box turtle burrows into loose soil or sand or may seek shelter in old mammal holes. Turtles have varied diets. The eastern box turtles dine on fruit and slugs, diamond-backed terrapins will eat crustaceans and mollusks, and snapping turtles will eat plants, crayfish, and carrion (dead or decaying animal flesh).

All turtles lay their eggs on land, even sea turtles, which spend the entire year in the ocean, returning to nesting beaches to lay their eggs before continuing their seasonal wanderings.

Our region’s female turtles dig their nests in summer, typically in June or July. Both Montgomery and Carroll describe searching for nesting turtles to shield the nests with wire covers and protect them from predators. Some species of turtles will excavate several holes with “false nests” serving as deterrents for predators. After laying eggs in a hole and covering them with dirt, the female departs. After two or three months, the young turtles hatch underground (though the young of some species will overwinter in the nest). The hatchlings dig their way to the surface and head for their preferred habitat. This is when they are vulnerable, and too often fall prey to skunks, raccoons, foxes, mink, bullfrogs, hawks and other carnivores. Skunks and racoons are also notorious for digging up the eggs and making a meal of the female turtle’s hard work.

In southern New England there are nine freshwater turtles, one land turtle (Eastern Box Turtle) and five sea turtles. These include Bog Turtle, Common Musk Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, Spotted Turtle, Wood Turtle, Blandings Turtle, Spiny Soft Shell Turtle, Northern Diamondback Terrapin (resides is brackish water and estuaries), Atlantic Green Sea Turtle, Atlantic Ridley Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle and Hawksbill Sea Turtle.

In my years of looking for turtles I have encountered many of these species. Being mostly a “landlubber” I frequently encounter our most common species, the snapping turtle and the painted turtle. I have only seen the elusive box turtle once, and they are spectacularly beautiful.

Turtle Rescue League – Southbridge, MA

Here in The Last Green Valley, we are fortunate to have a non-profit organization doing the hard and important work saving turtles. Montgomery’s book focuses on the Turtle Rescue League, located in Southbridge, MA. They rehabilitate injured turtles that mainly have been injured because of car strikes. Every year the Turtle Rescue League admits hundreds of injured or sick turtles to their facility, provides medical treatment and prepares them for release back into their homes in the wild. They also incubate eggs recovered from dangerous locations. By releasing healthy hatchlings into the wetlands, they preserve the female turtle’s legacy and carry forth the next generation of turtles. They also offer a variety of educational classes for all ages at schools, libraries, and conventions, often with the aid of their ambassador turtles. Below is a link to the Turtle Rescue League in Southbridge. Please do take a look and discover the amazing work this determined group of people are doing to help save our region’s turtles.

https://turtlerescueleague.org/

This August, I will be thinking of baby turtles, snug and growing in their nest and preparing for the arduous work of breaking out of their eggshells, digging up from the earth and the risk-laden journey to water that each must take. Perhaps next month you may encounter baby turtles making their way to the protection of a nearby pond. Please consider helping them get to the safety of the water. The ride you provide may be the start of a many decades-long life here in The Last Green Valley.

Bill Reid is the Chief Ranger of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. He can be reached at bill@tlgv.org or 860-774-3300.