Female Diamondback Terrapin #299 (Stumpy)
One of Turtle Journal’s favorite terrapin ladies returned to nest on Thursday morning. This sweetheart, Terrapin #299 whom we have been monitoring for nearly a decade, has lost both front limbs below her wrists.
“Stumpy” Missing Both Front Limbs below Wrists
We first observed Stumpy in July 2005 as she came ashore to deposit her second nest of the season. We watched as she laboriously dug her nest and carefully placed 16 eggs in it. We harvested those eggs and relocated them to a protected area as part of a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant to conserve threatened diamondback terrapins.
Turtle Journal Offers a Helping Hand
Turtle Journal has seen her nearly every year since that initial 2005 encounter, probably because her handicap increases her nesting time on land. Even with that challenge, Stumpy is a reliable nester and we’ve been proud to give her a helping hand by protecting her eggs and her offspring.
Stumpy Heads Back to Buzzards Bay
Stumpy crawled back across the tidal flats to return to Buzzards Bay. Hopefully, we’ll see her again in a few weeks as she comes back ashore to deposit her second clutch of the year.