Musk Turtle #22-3586 Release

Throughout the winter, Musk Turtle #22-3586 remained in the warm and cozy Reptile Room at the Wildlife Center. The turtle ate well and put on weight, one gram at a time, and remained healthy and active throughout the cold winter months. In Virginia, rehabilitation permitting conditions stipulate that reptiles and amphibians must remain in care until at least May 1, a more seasonally appropriate time for herptiles to be active. Specific release times typically depend on species and the weather in their home habitats; turtles are often released during the second half of May, after any potential frost dates. Aquatic turtles are usually the first to be released of the turtles, and on May 15, this tiny turtle was transferred back to the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke for release. At release time, the turtle weighed in at eight grams – five grams more than his fall admission weight!