Release the Turtles!

The Barnstable Diamondback Terrapin Headstart Program was undoubtedly successful this year and  culminated in June with the release of 44 young diamondbacks over a 10 day period. After hatching in the fall each turtle was cared for over the winter by schools, libraries, and community based organizations throughout Barnstable and Sandwich. The goal of the program was simple - to increase the size of each hatchling and in doing so increase their chances of survival. Providing this “headstart” is significant because diamondback terrapin turtles are listed by the State of Massachusetts as threatened and therefore in need of aid to increase their population.

Releasing the turtles was bittersweet as hundreds of young people said goodbye to their reptile classmates. Students shared their experiences, read poems, and waved as the terrapins were placed one by one back in their natural environment, Sandy Neck’s Great Marsh. Thank you, headstarters, for a job well done! Your turtle friends are on a grand adventure.