Release the Hounds! 9-6-2020

Well, after three weeks, it appeared to be time to take the Snaplings home. They were all eating and pooping and though they still looked very small to us, the time had come. They had all gained a teeny bit of weight... they varied from 6 grams to 10 grams and all were alert and seemingly healthy.


Ready to go?


We put them into a Tupperwear container with the towel they had become familiar with in their tank and packed them up for the mile and a half walk to the best spot to release them, roughly 100 yards from their destroyed nest.


There was no time to stop and look for snakes or salamanders or anything. It was a pretty warm day in Norfolk County and we wanted to get the deed done. We got to the marshy area where we figured they would have gone to if they hatched naturally. It was a bit too dry. It was very muddy but not enough puddles or cover. This Leopard Frog was hoping we'd drop them off, though.


The other side of the river's edge looked perfect, though. Unfortunately, we had to cross a train trestle to get to it and Andrea is not fond of heights. It took a bit but with a lot of courage, she made it over and we scoped out what we thought looked like the best spot.Muddy, easy access to shallow water and plenty of cover. Many small Green Frogs scattered as we approached the spot. It was time.


You guys ready?


All of our worrying and concern quickly evaporated as they let instincts take over and took to the new environment like... turtles to water.

Some dug right into the mud.


It was really a wonderful experience to watch them becoming wild turtles. Here is a video Andrea managed to make.


Here is a look at their new home. Beats the hell out of a 10 gallon aquarium, though I bet they'll miss the turtle-pellets.


Here are some of their new neighbors... a small Green Frog...

A pair of Painters out in the deeper water...

and a snoozing Garter that Andrea flipped under some cardboard on the way back to the trail.


Andrea crossed the trestle back with no problems and we visited the sight of the predated nest. What a mess. It was here that I started to get a bit "misty".


But all is well... this is their new world. We hope some (or even one) will make it long enough to come up here to nest themselves in the future.

This is the sight from the nest area. They were released to the far left of this shot.

We took a long hike after that, with the Snaplings still on our minds and very much still in our hearts. We saw just two more animals during the day, a small American Toad and a pretty Redback.



2020 has been a weird one to say the very least. We're not sure what the Sea Turtle Rescue Season will be like in the time of pandemic, but we're super happy to have been able able to help these nine chelonians.