Diamondback terrapins have begun laying their eggs for the season at Orient Beach State Park.
Hundreds of turtles live in the brackish marshes on park grounds, according to park manager Susan Wheeler.
In early summer, female turtles cross the park road to get to the sandy beach, where the soft ground is ideal for them to bury their eggs.
After a spring mating season, female turtles will typically lay anywhere from two to 26 eggs. Hatchlings emerge 60-90 days later, and either make their way into the water or spend the winter in their nest and emerge in the spring.
The diamondback terrapin population was dwindling in the early 1900s, when they were commonly served as a gourmet food. New York passed legislation to help save the species in 1990, limiting the harvesting and sale of diamondbacks from August to April. The population rebounded, though the turtles still face a threats from humans in the form of coastal development and traffic, particularly during nesting season.
“You have to educate people about these things,” said Wheeler. “We want people to come to the park, come and see the birds, see the turtles and learn how not to disturb them and how to respect them.”
The turtles’ shell can grow up to six inches in males and nine inches in females. They can live for up to 70 years.
