All Is Well
I’m not sure what happened, but the Hiatus post went out prematurely this evening (I’m not sure what caused that to happen.) There will most likely be a break in blog posts in May and I will elaborate at that time. Meanwhile, I continue to look for snappers in the snow and other delights to share with you! I’m so sorry for any concern I may have inadvertently caused. A technological whiz I obviously am not!
Snapping Turtles Emerging From Hibernation
Congratulations to Elizabeth Hall, the first reader to correctly identify the trail blazer in the previous NC post!
As you can see from the dirt piled on this Snapping Turtle’s head, it has just emerged from hibernation. After extracting themselves from their muddy hibernacula, Snapping Turtles have two missions: to raise their body temperature and to secure food. According to Jim Andrews, Director of the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas (https://www.vtherpatlas.org/ ), the first movement of the year for these turtles is often to seek shallow water where they can bask in the sun and heat their internal organs. They also are on the move in order to get from their overwintering site (shallows of ponds, marshes, and lakeshores, in a spring or a stream) back to a feeding area. It won’t be long before they will be searching for mates.
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