Turtles being released by the ABCA at their annual Turtle Release. This year's event will take place in Exeter. (photo by Bob Montgomery)Turtles being released by the ABCA at their annual Turtle Release. This year's event will take place in Exeter. (photo by Bob Montgomery)
Midwestern

Turtle Hatchlings To Be Released At Morrison Dam

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority will be releasing 40 turtle hatchlings at the end of this month.

Healthy Watershed Technician Hope Brock says the hatchlings will be about five days old.

Left to find their way from their nest to the water on their own they have a survival rate of about 1%. She says once they get to the water they're still vulnerable, but at least they have some protection.

This is the second year for the turtle release and last year's event attracted over 100 people. Last year they had 100 hatchlings and people got to release one themselves, but that won't possible this year so they're going to release a few each hour.

The event takes place August 31 at the Morrison Dam Conservation Area from noon until 6pm in the evening.

Brock says there will be other activities like demonstration geo-caching and telemetry demonstrations where the public can track a turtle using an antennae and then they'll release a few turtle hatchlings every hour.

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