Project Emys
“Sometimes the smallest things
take up the most room in your heart.”
– Winnie-the-Pooh –
Native Turtles
While I was collecting donations for the sea turtles, I kept hearing the same questions:
“Where do the turtles live that you’re collecting for?”
“Why in Papua New Guinea?”
“Why not here in Wedemark?”
So I searched the internet to see if there were any turtles native to Germany, and I found what I was looking for: the European Pond Turtle [Emys Orbicularis].
In the Middle Ages it is said that it could be found in most non-fast-flowing waters. However, because it was popular as a Lenten food, it was caught and eaten in large quantities. Sadly, the populations decimated in this way have not recovered due to the destruction of their habitats, which continues until today, and so it is considered one of the most endangered species in Germany. Only in Brandenburg there are still about 60 animals of the original population. It is also endangered by the spread of invasive species such as raccoons and raccoon dogs.
Thankfully, there are a handful of projects that breed the EMYS and release them into the wild in the right places to save them from extinction.
Two weeks after hatching, we are barely bigger than a bottle cap.
After a lot of research, we now start our own project for the breeding and releasing of the European Pond Turtle with TEAMTURTLE. For this purpose we have contacted the experts of a repopulation project as well as their breeders, because it is very important to us for the wellbeing of the animals to do everything right from the beginning and to correctly comply with all nature conservation regulations.
We love to be in the water …
On a piece of land made available to TEAMTURTLE, a pond system is being created that is specially designed to fit the needs of the EMYS. In these ponds they grow up as close to nature as possible to be released into the wild at the age of 4 to 5 years.
In cooperation with NABU Wedemark, we want to look for suitable habitats in Wedemark for this purpose and optimize them if necessary, as well as make all the necessary contacts and prepare the documents required for the approval of such a project.
… but for the best sunny spot to dry our shells we also climb ashore.