Those Beguiling Hatchlings — 13 October 2003No one can resist the charm of terrapin hatchlings. Big eyes and big head on tiny bodies. Charismatic personalities. And too cute for words.
 
When I stopped by the Sanctuary to check out reports of a hatchling strolling the Goose Pond Trail, I found a young lady and her family staring at the tank of terrapin babies rehydrating before release into the wild. Never missing an opportunity to bond human and reptile, I asked if she would care to meet one of the turtles. “Do you have warm hands to keep her comfortable?” I asked. There is something magical about that first moment when a child meets a real, live turtle. Not something from a children’s book. Not a pop-up cartoon. Not a stuffed animal. But a real, live, squiggly, squirming hatchling. The wonder and the awe mark a formative instant that will be remembered for a lifetime. | |||||||
