@fishlikemike: One year later it’s time to say goodbye A year ago, this little snapping turtle needed a better chance. I documented his growth for an entire year, and today he was finally released back into the wild! Life is incredibly tough for baby snapping turtles, with some studies estimating that fewer than 1 in 1000 survive from egg to adulthood with most fatalities occurring during that first year. Once they reach the juvenile stage, their odds improve dramatically, with estimated annual survival rates around 68–75%. As they grow larger, fewer natural predators are able to prey on them. He’s still got a long life ahead of him, but he’s going back into the wild much bigger, stronger, and with much better odds than when his journey began. I wonder if I’ll ever cross paths with him again 🐢