In May of last year, a large female Common Snapping Turtle was admitted to City Wildlife after being struck by a car near Rock Creek Park. Weighing nearly 14½ pounds, she had left the safety of the creek in search of a suitable place to lay her eggs. This seasonal nesting migration is a natural behavior that snapping turtles have followed for millions of years. So it is often female turtles that face the greatest danger, as habitat fragmentation forces them to cross busy roads while searching for nesting sites. Sadly, her injuries were very severe. When Dr Sarah X-rayed her to see the extent of her injuries, she was surprised to see that the turtle was carrying as many as 40 eggs! Despite Dr Sarah’s complex shell repair surgery and days of intensive supportive care, we could not save this mother, but we knew that it was important to save as many of the eggs as possible.
Our veterinary and rehabilitation team carefully removed the eggs and put them in an environment similar to that found in the wild. It was meticulous work — stabilizing temperature, humidity, and orientation to give each embryo the highest chance of viability. The team checked every week, holding each egg in front of a light bulb to see if there was movement within. Finally, Dr. Sarah saw the movement we were all hoping for. We still didn’t know how many were viable when, after almost three months, the first hatchlings began to emerge in late September.
One by one, fully formed Common Snapping Turtles broke through their shells — each weighing little more than a pencil, yet entirely self-sufficient and biologically equipped to survive. The eggs hatched over several weeks as is typical for the species. We were able to release the first nine hatchlings into Rock Creek during a sustained warm period, giving them critical early foraging time before autumn temperatures dropped.
As colder weather arrived, we realized we needed to transition the remaining hatchlings into overwintering care. Twenty-three baby snappers have spent their winter cared for by our rehabilitation team, who designed enclosures to simulate their wild habitats. The young turtles were fed a mixed diet of mealworms, earthworms and crickets, weighed weekly, and individually monitored to make sure they were growing optimally. Because of our quick intervention and months of skilled care, 36 young turtles now have the opportunity to contribute to the ecological health of Rock Creek for decades to come.
This is urban wildlife conservation in action. Every year, animals are injured while navigating roads, development, and fragmented habitats. Not every individual can be saved. But when we can protect the next generation, we are strengthening the resilience of wildlife populations in Washington, DC. This work requires surgical expertise, incubation protocols, long-term monitoring, and daily husbandry. It is detailed, scientific, and deeply committed work. But we can only do this work because of the generosity of our community. Thank you for investing in the future of wildlife in our city
