Diamondback Terrapin Protection Program

Join Our Turtle Protection Team!

Orenda Wildlife Land Trust is seeking your help protecting Diamondback Terrapins at our “Turtle Garden” located on one of our sanctuaries in West Barnstable, where they have been nesting in large numbers for years. Terrapins are listed as “threatened” in Massachusetts due to various factors including over-harvesting in the 19th century, predation, traffic, and habitat loss.

Since 2020, we have been conducting habitat management, nest identification, nest protection, and hatchling observation and assistance to ensure that this species continues to thrive in and around Cape Cod.

Terrapins spend most of their lives in the salt marsh. Each summer, females lay their eggs in sandy areas above the high tide line. Eggs hatch in the late summer and early fall and the hatchlings make their way to the upper rim of the marsh, where they mature for several years before entering the larger marsh area.

Volunteers are an integral part of this successful conservation project and are needed from early-June to early-October to locate, protect, monitor, and process terrapin nests.

If you are a prospective volunteer interested in being part of our Turtle Protection Team, please complete this form and email us at Turtles@orendalandtrust.org to arrange to join us for an upcoming volunteer training session:

2025 training session dates:

  • Nesting Season: Saturday, May 3, 12 PM (new and returning volunteers)
  • Nesting Season: Saturday, May 10, 12 PM (new and returning volunteers)

Training sessions will take place at the Margaret Wyman Sanctuary at 194 Meadow Lane in West Barnstable

  

⇒ Terrapin Protection Team Resources

Terrapin Adoption Program

You can support the work we do at our Turtle Garden Sanctuary by symbolically adopting a Diamondback Terrapin, Hatchling or Nest. Your adoption directly benefits our continued efforts to preserve and maintain the required nesting beds and habitat for the terrapins. Due to the generosity of donors like you, Orenda Wildlife Land Trust will be able to protect and monitor nests, collect important data, and release hatchlings into Barnstable Great Marsh.

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