On September 3rd, we celebrated our 11th annual Turtle Hatchling Release at the Morrison Dam Conservation Area in Exeter. The day couldn’t have gone any better—the rain held off, the crowd was lively, and the turtles were cautiously optimistic but raring to go! Our team released 133 native turtle hatchlings back into their maternal waters to help rebuild vulnerable wild populations.
This process started back in May when nesting season began. With community members and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Area on the lookout for nests, we excitedly collected the eggs at risk. From nest collection to egg incubation and hatchling care, every step of this journey ensures that not only the species will hopefully be successful, but that the community is supportive, engaged, and invested! Without professional intervention, many of these hatchlings, and the adults they will become, wouldn’t have made it this far.
Would you believe us if we said that approximately 1,000 people attended the release! We are incredibly appreciative of every single person who stopped by to see the hatchlings and learn about all the amazing organizations that participated in our event! We also want to give a special thanks to all the vendors that joined us on this special day to make it such a success. We should all be proud of the community it takes to make these events triumph. We look forward to another successful event next year!
