When we were in town in August for the Watermelon Festival we also attended Bucky and Diane Sharpes Turtle Dig at Grassy.
They have been doing this for like 17 years. Every May they watch as the Alligator Snapping Turtles come out of the lake to lay their eggs. The turtles come up on land and dig a hole, lay their eggs, and then cover the eggs up with dirt. Bucky then marks the nest with wire cages so that raccoons don't get the eggs and then in August they have a big Turtlefest! We dug up 7 nest and got about 50-60 eggs. Some of the eggs were already hatched and there were baby turtles, some of the eggs were hatching at that very moment. It was VERY NEAT! Henry, Dad, and I went. Henry loved it!
This was our first year to attend the Turtle Dig but hope to make it again next August!
Bucky digging up a nest...with lots of kids watching!
A turtle that just hatched
ME holding a baby alligator snapping turtle
Henry and a turtle
They also have a baby alligator that they have been approved by the game and fish to use for educational purposes. They go around to schools and give a presentation and show the kids the turtles and alligator.
Henry holding the alligator!
1 comment:
How much fun! Why were you not holding the alligator?
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