Eleven turtle hatchlings get a second chance at life in the wild thanks to Pittstown wildlife refuge
Rescuers at the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge received an unexpected surprise when an injured Northern map turtle laid 11 eggs during her assessment after being struck by a car in June.
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A Pittstown wildlife refuge is celebrating the arrival of 11 baby turtles that hatched from eggs laid by an injured turtle rescued earlier this year.
The Woodlands Wildlife Refuge took in a Northern map turtle with severe injuries after she was struck by a car in June.
During her initial examination, the turtle laid 11 eggs inside the box she arrived in, according to a Facebook post from the refuge.
Rescuers carefully placed the eggs in an incubation substrate and monitored them throughout the summer, though they were unsure whether they would hatch because the mother turtle later died from her injuries.
In a heartwarming turn of events, all 11 eggs hatched this week. The hatchlings were then released into the wild near the habitat where their mother was found, giving them a second chance at life.
Northern map turtles are most active from June through August and can typically be found along the Delaware River, from the Delaware Water Gap south to Trenton, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
