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Turtle Pictures - August 24, 2006
UPDATE:The
eggs incubated from ca. 28-July-06 and began hatching today, about 3 months
after Latifa
left them in the nest. They are still hatching as I compose this
web page, but 29 hatchlings have made it clear of their shells so far,
and I am optimistic that all but, perhaps, one will hatch. It is
common for hatchlings to remain in their nest for extended periods while
they complete their development and get their legs under them, so I have
removed them from the outdoor incubating nest to an indoor nursery.
Have a look:
Common
Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) female with nest and eggs
Straight
Carapace Length (SCL) = data not taken on nesting turtle
Gender
= female
Named:
Latifa
Comments:
- dug nest in back yard flower bed adjacent to a creek in Knoxville, TN
- eggs were in danger of predation by racoons, dogs, and crows
- entire clutch of eggs taken and relocated to incubate and hatch
- followup when hatchlings emerge