I have been part of a team doing a biological survey for two years now. Today was our last scheduled day and we did turtle nests and hatchlings. It was amazing. Watching and in some cases helping these little snapping turtle hatchlings come into this world was totally amazing and made us all feel so good at the end of the day. Big smiles left the marsh. But we are not finished. Many more nests to hatch still. Not all turtles made it and not all will make it. But being a part of a group that has worked together so hard to protect these turtles in this area and having this success. Well no words can describe how you feel.  Amazingly enough,fresh out of the eggs and nests they knew to head straight for the water. All covered in sand. Some so covered their little eyed were still covered and they couldn't see. But still knew where they had to go. Rubbing their eyes along the way. Right to the water. The reward we felt was overwhelming.
Please watch out for these tiny newly hatched turtles now on the roads and on trails in marsh areas. Help them by moving them in the direction they are going. These are snapping turtles pictured here. We still have more snappers and painted to hatch. The size of a toonie as they emerge from their eggs in the nests. Eyes glued to the ground today we had 24 emerging hatchlings and total of 302 hatched eggs. They made it this far. But they will not all survive. A lot will become food for something else. But with this many hatching. We should have a good number survive to grow and start the cycle all over again and keep the species going. We hope. So watch out for them and the adults who will be going to find their winter home again soon. Lets all work together in keeping our Ontario turtle alive and well.