Sept2022 – Make Way for Turtles!

Make Way for Turtles!

Nature is truly amazing. It’s incredible how animals know so much just by instinct. But sometimes, those first few minutes or hours of life can be the most dangerous. And sometimes, kind-hearted humans can give animals a bit of a helping hand.

On June 2, Environmental Standards Chemist, Robiana Beegle-Renna, noticed a rather large snapping turtle at the front door of our Valley Forge office. The turtle was not there to work and did not have a key card. So, rather than helping us out for the day, the turtle decided to lay her “clutch” of eggs in the mulch at the base of a pine tree near our parking lot.

Concerned for the nest, Environmental Standards Team members went into action. First, they reached out to local game authorities and inquired about what to do. They were advised to leave the nest in place and make others aware of its presence. So, employees and the landscapers were quickly notified, and flags were placed around the perimeter of the nest so it would not be disturbed.

Approximately 13 weeks later, during a heavy rain event, 15 tiny hatchlings emerged from the clutch and started scampering about, and eventually made their way to our large parking lot while staff members were arriving for work. The decreased visibility from the dark cloudy skies and heavy rain did not bode well for the tiny reptiles even if their lineage had kept their species propagating for hundreds of millions of years.

Once again, a Team member helped out. Turtle lover Dwight Hoster took notice and quickly stepped into action. Traffic cones were placed in the parking lot, and all the hatchlings were carefully transported to a much more friendly hatchling habitat.

We are blessed at the Valley Forge office to frequently view wildlife from our offices including a pair of nesting bald eagles, red foxes, white-tailed deer, and now snapping turtles. Next time you visit, we hope you get to see some of nature’s beautiful creatures that we are so blessed to see!