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Walking down the path from my home to my car on my way to work this morning, amid the leaves and sticks and recently-dropped berries, a tiny prehistoric shape caught my eye. It wasn't moving, just sitting there on the pavement. It's funny how vividly living things can jump out from general detritus.
I knelt down to take a look and found a perfectly miniaturized version of the giant turtle who had visited me two summers ago.
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He had hopped up into the grass and was rather quickly making his way north (the creek is east). I pulled him out just for a second, and was surprised to find his shell slightly soft (not to mention quite dirt-caked). The tiny feet and claws swam through the air, but never withdrew into the shell. His beak already looked sharp and powerful, but he never opened it. I took a couple of quick close-ups -- couldn't resist the tail, medieval-weapon that it is -- and put him back where I found him, where he quickly made good his escape.
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it's so cute...oh my goodness.
ReplyDeletemy patronus is a mole.
I wouldn't pick up even a baby snapping turtle on a bet. I learned my lesson on that years ago. When those guys clamp down, it can really hurt.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I think the soft shell means that he hatched fairly recently. I've never seen one that small, so that may be what they look like at < 1 year old...
Yeah, you'll notice I'm keeping my fingers well clear. I'm pretty sure the instinct decision tree goes option 1: escape, option 2: CHOMP.
ReplyDeleteProbably a brand new fresh one, yeah. I wonder from WHERE, though, and what he was doing all the way in my front yard. But who knows; it's riddle with all sorts of holes and underground byways.
He's a cutie. I think my patronis would be a panda bear.
ReplyDelete