Baby Turtle Headstart Program – ECHO Leahy Center

Welcome to our Baby Turtle Exhibit!

ECHO is proud to partner with Vermont Fish and Wildlife to give eastern spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera) and northern map turtles (Graptemys geographica) a "headstart" on life in Lake Champlain. ECHO's Animal Care Team provides care over the winter for neonate turtles that were 'extracted' from their nests prematurely by predators, or neonates that were extracted or naturally emerged late in the fall when cold temperatures put them at grave risk if left on the beaches. This program provides a better chance of survival for neonates of these species, both of which are currently of conservation concern in Vermont.

As of 2025, ECHO has successfully overwintered and released 445 baby turtles over 18 years of this program. Turtles from the previous winter's cohort are released back into the Lake every June.

Learn more about our turtle headstart program at: https://www.echovermont.org/animals-exhibits/turtle-headstart/

Watch juvenile map turtles and spiny softshell turtles in their indoor habitat at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. This live stream showcases the work of Vermont Fish and Wildlife's conservation effort to give vulnerable hatchlings a fighting chance at survival before their release into Lake Champlain each summer. A powerful window into wildlife rehabilitation and the dedication behind protecting native turtle species.