Linda releasing #8

This past Monday, June 14th, roughly around 1pm a group of National Marine Life crew headed down Cape to Wellfleet to send home eight adorable little turtles.  The turtles were diamond-backed terrapin hatchlings that overwintered at the National Marine Life Center because they hatched too late last fall to survive the winter in the wild.  After an adventurous drive to the release site off of Chequessett Neck Road, it was time for us to say farewells and goodbyes! Best of Luck little guys!

Occasionally, volunteers swabbed the terrapins' shells gently with a dilute veterinary cleansing solution to remove algal growth.

On June 14th our eight diamond-backed terrapin hatchlings are going home! These small turtles, listed as “threatened” by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, hatched too late in the season last year to survive the cold winter.  They’ve spent the past 7 1/2 months in a nice, warm environment at the National Marine Life Center.  Daily, volunteers fed the animals and cleaned their tanks.  Weekly, volunteers weighed and measured the animals.

Dr. Williams examines each terrapin with a veterinary scope.

With the warming of weather, we’ve been preparing the diamond-backs to return to the wild by introducing clams and quahogs to their diet and increasing the salinity of their habitats to match their natural salt marsh environment.  The last step was an exit exam.  NMLC Veterinarian Dr. Williams examined each animal’s eyes, limbs, and shell, took weights and measurements and a full set of identification photographs, and proclaimed the turtles fit for release!

Thank you to the many volunteers who assisted in caring for these young turtles.  Because of you, the animals have a second chance at survival.

The release is open to the public.

RELEASE DETAILS:
TIME:  Monday, June 14, 3:00 pm
LOCATION:  Meet at Great Island Parking Lot in Wellfleet, MA
DIRECTIONS: From Sagamore Bridge:
~ Cross Sagamore Bridge.  Head south on US-6E for approximately 36.1 miles.
~ At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto US-6E/Mid-Cape Hwy
~ Continue to follow US-6E for 11.7 miles
~ Turn left at School Street and continue onto Mill Hill Road for 0.3 miles
~ Turn left at Ryder Court for 0.2 miles
~ Continue onto Holbrook Avenue, and turn right at Chequessett Neck Road for 0.5 miles
~ Take a slight left to stay on Chequessett Neck Road for 1.9 miles
~ Park in Great Island Parking Lot

Robert and Bob prepare to release an endangered red-bellied cooter.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Bob Christian. I live in Wareham and as a Retired person I do volunteer work at the National Marine Life Center in Buzzard Bay. It’s been my pleasure over the past few months to work with Robert at the Center. I can’t say enough good things about him; he is always willing to give a helping hand without hesitation, never complains and is just a wonderful person to work with. Your School and Robert’s parents should be very proud of the young Man you have molded, in preparing him for his future endeavors . I don’t often write many recommendations for people but in Robert’s case I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to let you know that he is a credit to You his Parents and Cape Cod Academy. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet and work with Robert.

“Sincerely
“Bob Christian”

We couldn’t have said it better.  Thank you, Robert!

As part of a conservation effort led by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), the public is invited to join Mary Griffin, Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game, and MassWildlife staff biologists to help release 115 hatchling Northern Red-bellied Cooters in Middleborough. Originally known as the Plymouth Red-belly Turtle, the Northern Red-Bellied Cooters in Massachusetts are a disjunct population isolated from the next nearest known population located in New Jersey. These turtles are listed as endangered species at both the state and federal levels. They are the Bay State’s second largest freshwater turtle, second only to the snapping turtle.

When: Friday, May 28, 2010 10:30AM

Where: Long Point Road, between Pocksha and Great Quittacas Ponds, Middleborough (see below for directions)

The hatchlings were removed from the wild last fall and paired with partnering educational and scientific facilities from across the state as part of a program called “Headstarting.” Headstarting accelerates growth and reduces the likelihood of death during a turtle’s first year of life. As part of the program, cooperating partners raise the turtles in warm aquarium environments with unlimited food, allowing them to grow faster, and making them less vulnerable to predation when they are finally released. For a fact sheet about these turtles, go to: www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/pseudemys_rubriventris.pdf.

Representatives from the following organizations partnered with DFG on the headstarting project: Zoo New England, Museum of Science of Boston, New England Aquarium of Boston, Berkshire Museum of Pittsfield, Buttonwood Park Zoo of New Bedford, National Marine Life Center of Bourne, the South Shore Science Center of Norwell, and the Thornton Burgess Society of Sandwich. Students from the following schools and colleges also participated in headstarting cooters: Andover High School, Dighton Middle School, Eagle Hill School in Hardwick, Essex Agricultural High School in Middleton, Gloucester High School, Lasell College in Newton, Leominster High School, Minuteman Regional Vocational and Technical School in Lexington, Norfolk Agricultural High School in Walpole, North Quincy High School, Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School in Easton.

Directions to the Release Site: From Rte 495 take Exit 4 for Rte 105 south. Follow 105 through Lakeville center and past Assawompsett Pond on left and stay straight when Rte. 18 turns to the right. Take left on Long Point Road and follow across causeway between Pocksha and Great Quittacas Ponds to meeting/release site.

NMLC volunteers gather before release

Volunteer Barb getting ready to release Mr. Green Jeans

Volunteer Coordinator Jackie getting ready to release Blueberry

Volunteer Linda getting ready to release Brownie

Volunteer Ashleigh getting ready to release Blackie!

Released terrapins running under the "under brush" of the Salt Marsh! Go Terrapins Go!!

Thank you to all the volunteers and interns who helped to take care of these little guys!  Through your hard work and dedication, marine animals of all sizes have a second chance.

Marginal Scute Notching

The terrapin is now ready to go.  Go luck !

Please join us in releasing:

Blackie

Blueberry

Brownie

Mr. Green Jeans

Directions:

Take Route 6 to just beyond the 98 mile marker, take a left on to Lieutenant Island Road. (Rookies Restaurant on right, Grace Chapel on left). Meander for 1 mile, until you hit the one lane bridge, park on left before bridge, we will move as a group to Turtle Point for the release.

For more information please call the National Marine Life Center at (508)743-9888.

Thank you for your support!

*** A little birdie has told us that there maybe nesting Diamondback Terrapin females while we are out there!

Six Northern Red-Bellied Cooters headstarted at the National Marine Life Center over the winter have been released into the wild in Middleboro on June 1st, 2009.  They joined 132 other red bellies that had been carefully fed and cared for to restore this endangered population of aquatic turtles in Massachusetts.

The Boston Globe covered the release in its story, “Rare baby turtles released near Middleborough ponds,” and Enterprise reported the event in its “Video Extra: 138 endangered turtles released in Middleboro.”  The Enterprise video clip is posted below.

Enterprise Video Clip of Red-Bellied Release

As we reported earlier (see New Batch of Northern Red-Bellied Cooters Arrives), the Commonwealth gave six additional red bellies to the National Marine Life Center last Friday.  These turtles, which had been headstarted by another source, had not grown sufficiently for early June release.  They are currently under care of the NMLC animal health and science team with an expectation that they will be released later this summer.