A New Jersey woman who has made a lifelong hobby of saving trapped turtles from storm drains is passing the tradition on to her children. Now they are saving more generations of terrapins, according to ABC affiliate 6 Action News.
A clip shows Evelyn Kidd and her kids fishing the small diamondback turtles from drains with a net. The baby, palm-sized turtles likely get trapped as they cross the road on a trek from their nests to the nearby bay in Ventnor.
"I was a young kid when I started. My brother showed me that there were turtles in the drain and my dad set us up with a fish tank net and a long pole and I have been doing it every summer," Kidd told 6 Action News.
"I got one!" her 6-year-old son yells mid-clip as he pulls a turtle from the drain.
The net is a lifeline for the freshly hatched creatures. The Kidds take them to Ray Scott's Dock or Stockton University's Vivarium Animal Lab, which has a rescue program.
The experts can treat injured terrapins, as well as save eggs from mothers that get hit and killed on the road. Amazingly, in a nod to Jurassic Park, they can ensure that every egg that hatches produces a female.
But unlike fictional dinosaur DNA tinkering in the popular movie, the gender work at the turtle lab is ensured with incubator temperature controls. Adding females to the population helps to replace the ones that are killed, all according to 6 Action News.
Stockton assistant lab supervisor John Rokita considers Kidd and others who pull the trapped turtles from drains "good Samaritans."
"Otherwise, thousands would just be dead in the sewer," he says in the clip.
In less than a year, the quarter-sized hatchlings will grow to the size of a dinner plate and get released into the brackish waters they call home. Rokita told 6 Action News that they treat turtles that have eye injuries, as well as ones that have been hit by cars. Veterinarians often provide expertise.
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Definitely 👍 It's a reminder about how human activity impacts animals of all sizes. The World Wildlife Fund reported that habitat loss is the main threat to 85% of species considered threatened or endangered. Urbanization and tourism cause coastal degradation, impacting marine life. And more roads are creating greater hazards for turtles and other critters, all per the WWF.
Kind-hearted community members in Florida and Delaware have made headlines for rescuing sea turtles, too. One was struck by a boat, and another one was caught in fishing lines, as other examples of animal-related heroics.
Kidd's story is a showcase of how local efforts can make a big impact. Involving friends and family in the discussion can raise awareness about our planet's health and how we can help some of the critters that are struggling.
Simply planting a native flower patch in your yard will provide a sanctuary for pollinators that are crucial to our food supply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that bee colony losses are happening partly due to pests and pesticides.
"When I was little I was made fun of sometimes for being in the drain. But I always had a … strong conviction that it was the right thing to do," Kidd said in the 6 Action News clip.
The experts added that the turtles should never be kept as pets.
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