©Chris Spohn
October 6, 2021
Safe Passage for Terrapins
- as seen by -
Chris Spohn
Some birders have life lists, and the first sighting of a species is called a “lifer.”
Herpers also have life lists, and one species that had evaded me until last July is the diamond-backed terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin. These terrapins can be found in seasonal clusters in their range along the coast from Cape Cod to southern Texas, but it has to be the right time of year, and the right place.
These turtles spend all of their time in and around marshes where fresh and saltwater mix. Unfortunately, not everyone is careful about driving around these little beauties. We spotted seven of them one afternoon, and came to a full stop, blocked the road, and made sure they were well out of harm’s way before slowly driving off.
Pentax 645z, Pentax 645 FA120mm Macro
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