Outdoor weddings can experience many difficulties, such as weather delays, but no one could have prepared for this. In the middle of the ceremony, unexpected guests began arriving, stealing attention from the bride and groom. When the wedding guests noticed the newborn snapping turtles, they worked together to move them to safety.
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Newborn turtles are super teeny tiny, measuring about an inch across their carapace. The mom turtle selects an area away from water when the eggs are laid. The babies hatch independently and must trek from the nest to the nearest water source. In this case, the home is a small pond. The guests spotted the little animals as they began their journey and helped them cross the gap.
A wedding is memorable enough, but watching baby turtles hatch adds to the memories. Several guests helped them stay safe so the ceremony could resume. Each new arrival was met near the nest opening and safely “airlifted” across the yard to a spot near the pond.
The common snapping turtle resides in shallow ponds and streams. It is a scavenger that helps keep these areas clean. While in the water, it can be relatively docile. On land, during breeding season, it can be aggressive. Unlike most turtles, snapping turtles cannot fully retract into their shells, making them vulnerable to predators.
These wedding guests were terrific. They did everything correctly, from carefully picking up the little tykes to gently placing them near the pond. It was fantastic to see the guests working to protect these tiny wedding-crashing turtles. Helping them across the yard to the pond increases their chances of survival.
Please share if you would pause a wedding to save tiny turtles.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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