Reptiles page 3

Animal Stories: One time, while walking on a beach in Florida, we came across some loggerhead turtles hatching. This seemed very strange because it was in the middle of the day and there were people swimming in various locations along this stretch of beach. The turtles were hatching at the base of the dunes and we only saw them because we were walking right by as the sand began to churn and the tiny turtles emerged. Having seen television shows about how almost all the newborn turtles are eaten by predators before they get to the water, we carefully gathered up all the babies (which took quite awhile), and, using our hats, carried them down to the surf. We certainly weren't going to let those nasty sea gulls get this brood! The small, brown turtles paddled like wind-up toys once they were in the water. It was fascinating to watch them all disappear in the distance as they swam out through the crystal water.

Sea Turtle (Mote Marine Aquarium, Sarasota, Florida) Galapagos Tortoise (zoo) Tortoise (zoo) Tortoise (zoo) Black-Headed Python (zoo) Emerald Tree Boa (zoo) Emerald Tree Boa (zoo) Boa Constrictors (zoo) Blotched Water Snake (Zilker Gardens, Austin, Texas) Blotched Water Snake (Zilker Gardens, Austin, Texas) Water Snake (Lake Renwick, Will County Forest Preserve District, Illinois)