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Don Lewis, Massachusetts Audubon Society,
Fox Island Wildlife Management Area


Life and Death on the Outer Cape — 14 November 2000

Unusual surprises continue at the end of the universe.  This afternoon as another storm front edged its way over the Cape, a box turtle hatchling was discovered on the shoulder by Fresh Brook in South Wellfleet.  With a straight line carapace length of 3.3 and width of 2.8 centimeters, this young critter weighed in at 6 grams, still sporting a prickly sharp egg tooth.

A bit lethargic and possibly dehydrated, it’s resting quietly overnight in 17°C room temperature.

Ninety minutes later and a couple of miles to the northwest, another diamondback terrapin carcass was discovered in the marsh grass south of Fox Island.  Exposed by a 12.2-foot flood tide, this 5-year-old male measured 9.25 centimeters carapace length with a 7.8 centimeter plastron. 

His carapace was exquisitely sculpted and bore no signs of scratching or predation.  The plastron showed an anomalous discoloration of the humeral and gular scutes, suggesting that this turtle may have been buried for some time with only this portion of the shell exposed to the elements.  This terrapin is the 15th found dead in the Fox Island Wildlife Management Area since 3 November.

 

With a storm front plowing across the bay, winds are forecast to blow at sustained speeds of 25 to 30 mph from the northwest tonight and tomorrow.  While temperatures are still moderate, around 50 degrees, wind and surf may drive in some cold-stunned sea turtles over the next 24 hours.  We’ll probably hit the beaches after tomorrow’s 13:30 hours, 12-foot high tide, and again at first light on Thursday.