Happy Snapper Rescue

We love to post success stories, because truthfully, it’s just easier. The truth is though, that there is a lot more heartbreak going on behind the scenes, but without some level of success, we’d have given up by now.

Thanks to very caring individuals posting to Facebook, and another who went above and beyond to check on this female snapping turtle (thank you Tatjana Ratzenberger!), and who also brought her here even though she had already died. By the time we found out about this it was likely too late already to save her, and she may not have been saveable, but it may not be too late for her eggs, and she certainly didn’t deserve to suffer.

We suspect she managed to lay some already, then after being injured managed to wander to where she was found on the hot pavement. Typically they would be laying up to 30 eggs or more at this size. These eggs were quite warm, and we don’t know at what point she passed away, but we have them in our incubator currently in hopes of some success.

This field is often discouraging due to negative comments regarding snapping turtles, so all who have shown their concern really helps to keep us going. Sometimes we feel like no more than a bandaid. These dinosaurs certainly aren’t valued by all, and we’re still holding on to hope that this perspective changes more over time, before it’s too late.

We have been very busy with releases and new turtles, and have many updates that we probably won’t get to, but here’s a recent release we had been looking forward to!

Thank you to everyone who helps prevent injuries by helping turtles across the road, and to everyone who finds and secures injured turtles and seek help right away! Everyone out there sharing resources helps more turtles get help, so thanks to you too!

It’s , and other than our love for turtles of course, the other main reason we got into rehabilitating turtles is that they are considered the most imperiled group of vertebrates in the world.

When we’re able to give a turtle a second chance at living the many years nature intended for them to live in the wild, we’re not only helping the individual turtle but contributing to conservation of the species.

4/10 of Michigan’s turtles are on the protected species list which means they are at a greater risk of extinction if we do not help. The truth is that all species, even the seemingly common snapping turtles and painted turtle populations are also in decline.

When you stop to help a turtle cross the road, or bring a turtle in for medical care, not only are you awesome for your compassion, but you are contributing to conservation, and we thought you should know!