In late May, a snapping turtle was rushed to VEG Greenwich after being hit by a car. Unfortunately, there was nothing the vets could do for her, and she didn’t make it — but that wasn’t the end of her story.
The mama snapping turtle was hiding 55 eggs inside her, and the veterinary team carefully removed them and transferred them to Wildlife in Crisis. The eggs appeared healthy and safe despite their mom’s ordeal. Rescuers got them all settled into an incubator, and the wait began.
“Over 87 days they sat nestled in sand on our counter as baby season swirled around them with countless animals coming in and out of our clinic all summer,” Wildlife in Crisis wrote on Facebook. “Then one day they began to hatch.”
In early September, the eggs finally started hatching, and by the end of a five day stretch, 53 of the 55 eggs had cracked open to reveal adorable, healthy baby snapping turtles.
For weeks the rescuers watched the babies get their bearings — swimming, eating and learning in the safety of the rescue’s care. Eventually, it was time to say goodbye. The baby turtles were released into a muddy pond, and their rescuers were in awe watching them confidently explore their wild home.
Unfortunately, many snapping turtles are hit by cars this time of year as they attempt to cross roads to find a safe place to spend the upcoming winter Not all of them have a happy ending, but thanks to the team at Wildlife in Crisis, these babies get to live the life they deserve.
“They serve as a stark reminder that we share this world with many species struggling to survive amongst overdevelopment,” Dara Reid, director of Wildlife in Crisis, told The Dodo.
