Hello Friends, pictured here is small little Spotted turtle, who was admitted to New England Wildlife Center last week. He was found out of place, near trash cans in a residential community in Randolph. Once found, he was brought into the center quite ill. When looked at by our veterinarians he was found to be quite malnourished and dehydrated. We quickly set out to stabilize his condition through therapeutic fluids and a nice meal. He is still very young, and is only a few months old, currently he is just slightly larger than a quarter. He is now eating well, and is off of death’s door. We expect him to be released as we make our way to Spring time.
Also we have some GOOD NEWS! The spotted turtle was once listed as a species of special concern in Massachusetts due to a decline in numbers, but recently Mass Fish and Wildlife removed them from the list. They are now considered to be widespread throughout the state. Awesome! Spotted turtles are small and normally grow to be around 5 inches in length. They are semi-aquatic and females have the potential to live to be 100 years old! They eat small animals including worms and crustaceans supplemented by aquatic plants and algae.
We have a lot of turtles in our enrichment and medical wards who will need to stay with us until warmer days. During the Winter, remember that NEWC is still open to the public 7 days a week. Come visit any time, self guided tours are $5 a person, or schedule a guided tour with one of our knowledgeable staff!