Wild Care in the News
EASTHAM - A tiny Eastern painted turtle, just a little bigger than a postage stamp, is one of the first wild babies of the season being cared for at Wild Care, Cape Cod’s Conservation-based wildlife clinic on the Orleans-Eastham Rotary.
The hatchling was rescued by John and Trudie Steel of Harwich Port, after emerging from an egg buried in their backyard on Miles Street. The turtle’s mother likely laid eggs last summer before returning to Grassy Pond.
“Anyone who lives within walking distance of a pond stands a very good chance of hosting turtle hatchlings in their yard. We strongly encourage people to look extra carefully before lawn-mowing and tilling,” said Lela Larned, Wild Care director. “While some turtle populations are stable here on the Cape, several are in trouble including Eastern box turtles, wood turtles, bog turtles, and diamond-backed terrapins. The hatchlings are incredibly tiny and therefore extremely vulnerable.”
Wild Care urges people not to keep hatchlings as pets and never to place a hatchling directly into water as they will readily drown.
Earlier this week, Wild Care admitted another Eastern painted turtle, who had been kept for over 10 years. The weak, skeletal turtle had a severely malformed shell and was within hours of death. Some turtle species can live well over a century in the wild.
Pet turtles often die prematurely as they require expensive varied diets, regular check-ups from veterinarians specializing in exotics, and have extremely specific housing needs. Wild Care has an amnesty policy for families who are ready to turn in turtles mistakenly taken from the wild.
Wild Care plans to “jumpstart” the tiny turtle hatchling, offering him proper nutrition and a safe place to quadruple his size before returning him to the wild. The adult malnourished turtle is also receiving rehabilitative care and is expected to recover fully. Wild Care hopes to return the adult to a Wellfleet pond where he was found as a hatchling over a decade ago.
Wild Care urges people to call the wildlife-help- hotline at 508-240-2255 before handling hatchlings, or for any concerns regarding turtles.
Visit Wild Care online to donate, or to learn about other Cape Cod patients at www.wildcarecapecod.org