Today, I helped Lauren, from the NMLC, take care of the Northern Red-Bellied Cooters. First, Lauren and I took the turtles out of their tank, one by one. It was fun to feel them squirming in my hand. We then measured the lengths of their carapaces with a special ruler. They were about 55mm long, on average. We then put each of them in a cup and weighed them on a tiny scale. They weighed an average of 50 grams. However, there was one turtle
that brought the average way up. He was much longer and heavier than the rest. He was appropriately named “Tank.”
The NMLC got the Red-Bellied Cooters in September as part of the head start program. They have grown tremendously since then. They were only about the size of a quarter when they were first brought in to the center. The will be nurtured at the NMLC for almost a year, before being released in local ponds. With the care and support they receive at the center, they will grow as much in one year as a 
Red-Bellied Cooter in the wild would grow in five years! This is really amazing. It really does give them a much-needed head start in life.
Today was my last day at the CCSN and NMLC. After work, the staff of both organizations had a fondue party for me at Kathy Zagzebski’s house. Almost everyone was there. We had three different kinds of cheese fondue and two different kinds of chocolate fondue. The food was delicious and the party was a lot of fun. After spending three weeks with the CCSN and the NMLC, I was really sad to leave. They are both amazing organizations with dedicated and caring staff. I feel honored that I was able to spend time there.
Posted by Christy Buckley on Dec 16, 2006
Comments
Five different types of fondue? That sounds great! You should have added raclette to it and it would have been perfect!
Posted by:
TinTin | Dec 28, 2006 6:57:33 PM