Turtle nesting behaviour

Turtles need to come out of the water to nest. During late spring and early summer, particularly during storms and rains, they will emerge from the water. The female turtles need to find a nice open area to construct its nest. 

Once the female turtle has found a suitable spot - she digs a hole with her back legs and drops up to 20 eggs into the hole. She then fills the hole with the loose soil (from the initial digging of the hole). The hatchlings usually emerge about 2-3 months later but this duration may vary depending on the species. For example, it is also likely that it can take up to 12 months before emerging.

When walking around the lake during the nesting season, you may spot a female constructing her nest. If you witness this, it is important to stop and move slowly around the turtle. We recommend that you try and keep 10-15m away to quietly enjoy watching her create the nest.  

Once the female turtle has completed building her nest, she will raise up on her back legs and drop herself on the soil to flatten it. She will repeat this a few more times. This act helps to disguise the nest and makes it very difficult to find it. However, despite this – foxes and pigs have been found to be quite capable in detecting and damaging turtle nests.

To view turtles nesting, the best time to come and visit is Spring and early summer each year. Particularly after and during a storm or rain. We highly recommend that you bring your binoculars to enjoy this beautiful sight while keeping a good distance.