As Bill Bendele dug, he expected no surprise–just the usual Clark Lake soil and sand at this Lakeview West location. But then, this. He found 3 tiny turtles crawling out of their shells.
How do turtles nest? According to Britannica.com, “nest digging is a fixed behavioral pattern in all but a few species. Most turtles dig chambers in which the eggs are laid. Once the female finds a desired nesting site, she begins to dig the chamber with alternate scooping movements of the hind limbs.” And then, “digging stops when the female has reached a depth equal to the length of her outstretched hind limbs.” To nest within a few feet from Lakeview Drive at this spot, the mother turtle had a steep, and somewhat distant, climb.
Once uncovered, Bill moved the three to a nearby hole that was covered in leaves. Returning to it a short time later, they couldn’t be found.
