More than 825 baby diamondback terrapin turtles rescued from New Jersey storm drains have made their home at Stockton University in recent weeks.
As the small turtles attempt to cross streets, they can easily slip into storm drains. Local volunteers have been scooping up the hatchlings using modified nets, and bringing them to the university in Galloway, New Jersey, according to a Facebook post last week from the university.
The northern diamondback terrapin is a medium-sized turtle that ranges in length from 4 to 5.5 inches (10 to 14 cm) in males to 6 to 9 inches (15 to 22 cm) in females, according to the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. Their range is from Cape Code, Maryland, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Stockton Vivarium said it is caring for 1,108 terrapins, mostly recent hatchlings. The hatchlings will spend about a year at the center before being released into the wild.
