Interested in Becoming a Turtle Monitor?

How exciting! In another month or so we could be seeing our first diamondback terrapins (turtles) of the year laying eggs in sandy “gardens” that have been maintained by volunteers! You are invited to volunteer for this conservation program! These turtles are listed as threatened in the state of MA. They are a beautiful turtle, too!

Around mid-June volunteers walk the White’s Lane Conservation Area in Orleans and areas at MA Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary to look for nesting terrapins or established nests. These nests are then protected with wire cages to keep out predators. The eggs incubate over the summer, and then in mid-August to October, volunteers look for the hatchlings, which are brought into the MA Audubon’s Sanctuary for weighing and measuring, and then are released into the salt marsh.

We are looking for volunteers to take a weekly morning (8am) or evening (5pm) shift. About4 people per shift works well. We’ll begin our search for nests in mid-June. Depending on how many nests/hatchlings are found, your shift may be an hour to a few hours.

All the necessary training will be provided by the staff of the Orleans Conservation Trust and MA Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.

As always, your volunteer service is greatly appreciated! Come join this incredible citizen science program!

Contact Kris Ramsay, OCT Director at 508-255-0183 or Kramsay@OrleansConservationTrust.org to get involved.