ANCHORING A NEST PROTECTOR
Hello from Kelly at Think Turtle Conservation Initiative
The following is information we wanted to share about anchoring a turtle nest protector into firm or loose substrate.
Firm Soils
Turtle nest protectors are most successfully anchored to the ground using 12″ galvanized (spiral nails) spikes. They are readily available at most hardware and buildall stores. On occasion, it might not be possible to use a spike to secure one corner of a nest protector or any at all because the subsoil layer contains varying-sized rocks, and attempts to hammer a spike in were unsuccessful, having hit the rock. If you cannot drive a spike into the ground, forego the spike and weigh that corner of the nest protector down with a heavy rock. If unable to use spikes to anchor, use heavy rock positioned on each corner and, if necessary, the sides; be sure to leave the center of the mesh uncovered. Hence, the nest has full access to the sun, rain, and air circulation, which all have a role in developing the turtle eggs during incubation.
If installing a nest protector even remotely near a road that you have explicitly received “permission” to do, we do not recommend using rocks to weigh a nest protector down for safety. Should a rock end up on the road through human interference, animal, weather events, etc., it could cause a motorist to have an accident. The person who installed the nest protector in this manner could be held responsible and liable for any damage or injuries caused. You will need to look for other ways to protect the nest. We have an article about Predator Deterrents on our website. You may find some information in it helpful. https://thinkturtle.ca/predation-deterrents
Please understand that we cannot guarantee these methods will safeguard a nest from predation; however, in our experience, attempting something versus nothing may be enough to help save the nest.
Sandy or Loose Soils
Installing nest protectors in sandy or loose soils is often the case as turtles are attracted to this substrate composition because it is easy to dig a nest and will hold the sun’s warmth, making ideal conditions for the incubation period when a turtle embryo is developing.
Although it is the perfect substrate for the female turtle to dig a nest and turtle eggs to develop, the downside is that it is difficult to anchor a nest protector securely into the ground because it is very loose. Anchoring a nest protector in some way is the best strategy to deter predators. A raccoon, fox, etc. that comes upon a nest protector, likely drawn there by the lingering scent the female turtle left behind, will attempt to shift the nest protector, meeting resistance in the form of a nest protector anchored securely into the ground might just be enough to prompt the predator to move on.
Tips for Anchoring a nest protector into a loose substrate
Installing a nest protector in sandy soil can be challenging, with numerous problems. Our best advice is to either expand the area protected or go deep.
Expand The Area Protected: After weighing down the corners of the nest protector and sometimes the edges, we surround the nest protector with rocks/stones on the ground like a border, and if able to surround the first border with a second border of rocks/stones, we do. The idea is that the nest is in the center of the nest protector, and by putting a border around the nest protector, the nest is that much further away from probing paws, beaks, and digging predators; in one case where we had a very persistent raccoon and placed 18″ square flagstones around the nest protector to create an impenetrable border around the nest protector. The nest managed to get past predators in this situation. Note: As we are so busy when working outdoors we don’t always take photos when we should. We added four rocks to this photo via photoshop to best illustration this nest protection method in practice.
Go Deep: Underneath the sand may be firmer, more cohesive soil. By harnessing the properties of this soil type and using long lengths of rebar, e.g., 36″, you may successfully anchor a nest protector in sandy or loose soils. The rebar should be sledge-hammered into the ground alongside the outer frame of the nest protector on all four sides until it is flush with the top of the turtle nest protector frame. Fasten the rebar to the side of the nest protector with screws, washers, and perforated pipe strap commonly used in plumbing and HVAC applications. The strapping can be easily cut to the desired length and securely hold the rebar in place.
When hammering the rebar into the ground, even if the soil underneath doesn’t feel as firm as hoped it might be, driving the length of rebar deep into the ground will help prevent the nest protector from being moved horizontally. We recommend placing hefty rocks on the four corners of the nest protector to alleviate possible verticle movement. There is no guarantee this method will deter predators; a determined predator could dig under a nest protector easily if deterrents don’t put them off. However, most often, a nest protector anchored and secured in this way should create enough resistance that an animal looking for an easy meal may be disappointed and move on.
If you have any questions about nest protectors or other turtle related matters please phone or text Think Turtle Conservation Initiative at 647-606-9537 or e-mail thinkturtle@yahoo.com.
Thank you for helping positively impact the survival of a new generation of local turtles.
Best Regards,
Kelly Wallace, Managing Director
Think Turtle Conservation Initiative
Cell/Text: 647-606-9537
E-mail: thinkturtle@yahoo.com
Facebook: thinkturtleci
Username: Wallace Kathleen Kelly
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