Turtles in Our Own Backyard

by Molly Robertson

In the Fall, vulnerable turtle hatchlings emerge from eggs laid in late spring. You may see these young turtles returning to the woods or ponds from which their parents came. Curiously, the sex of a baby turtle depends upon the nest's temperature. A shallow nest or eggs laid during a warmer summer tend to be female. The hatchlings will be male if temperatures are cooler or the nest is deeper than usual. If you see a hatchling returning to the pond or woods, please leave them alone. Many turtles never travel more than a mile from the nest they were born in, so if moved to a new location, they will immediately try to return to where they were born. This usually will put them in harm's way as many turtles are killed crossing the road. The species we are most likely to find in Darien are the painted turtle, snapping turtle, and rarely the box turtle. Nine of Connecticut's twelve turtle species are on the endangered, vulnerable, or special concern list. The United States is fortunate to have more native turtle species than elsewhere; however, turtles worldwide are in trouble.