Henderson Park and Turtle Experiences

Mid-afternoon on a warm and sunny day this past May, I drove to Henderson Park with the intention to read my book, enjoy the shady, calming effects of the beautiful Soft Maple and Cottonwood trees, relax to the sights and sounds of the chirping birds and the flowing North Raccoon River – and then go home.

What happened was even better!

As I entered Henderson Park, I noticed a woman walking along the south side of the gravel entrance road looking down into the timber flood plain.  Curious, I slowed down, lowered the passenger side window and in a friendly voice asked, “so what are you doing, hunting for mushrooms?”  

“No, I’m looking for turtles sunning on the fallen trees,” explained the herpetologist (one who studies turtles).  “I like turtles.  The person I came with dropped me off at the entrance and will pick me up as he leaves.” 

“What will you do, if you spot a turtle?  You won’t try to catch it and take it out of the park, will you?”

“No, I just like to look at the turtles I spot and then take their pictures.”    

Reflecting about this unexpected experience with someone passionate enough about turtles to intentionally try to spot them, I started to wonder what species of turtles live in Greene County in the marshy banks and waters of the North Raccoon River?  By typing in “Turtles of Iowa” as an internet search, I found enough information and websites about turtles to warm the reptilian heart of any budding herpetologist.  

Sadly, the news about turtles in Iowa isn’t good.  Of the 13 species of turtles you may find somewhere in Iowa, ten are on the “Threatened and of Greatest Conservation Need” list; yet surprisingly, harvesting is still legally allowed for some of these species.  In Greene County, the three species of turtles a herpetologist is most likely to find include – Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, and Smooth Soft-Shell Turtle.   

As I left Henderson Park on that sunny May day, I parked my car and walked on the south side of the entrance road hoping that I would spot some turtles sunning on a fallen tree trunk.  While I did not see any turtles, I did receive the unexpected gift of learning that in future visits I should keep my eyes open for turtles as it is possible I could spot a Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle or a Smooth Soft-Shell Turtle at our shared treasure, Henderson Park, on the sunning logs and in the marshes and waters of the North Raccoon River.  

On each visit since meeting this herpetologist this past May, I hopefully focused my eyes any place where a turtle could be.  I looked on fallen logs with sun shining on them.  Learning turtles would some times lay their eggs in the soft gravel on the edge of gravel roads, as I entered and left Henderson Park, I drove slowly looking carefully for turtles.  Finally, on June 8th, around 10:15 in the morning, my efforts hit pay dirt when I spotted a turtle sitting at a right angle to the road with its head facing me.  Though I am not certain, it is possible this turtle was preparing to deposit its eggs into the sandy soil. 

As a budding herpetologist, I did my best to memorize the size and appearance of this turtle.  From my memory and the pictures, I took, this turtle appeared to be about 15 inches in length, with a dark slightly bumpy shell, and a pointed tail.   By comparing pictures and descriptions of Snapping Turtles, Painted Turtles and Smooth Soft-Shell Turtles, it became clear this turtle was the type that would snap at you.  In other words, this was a Snapping Turtle.  

With further research, I learned that Snapping Turtles can lay about 40 eggs each year, sometimes hundreds of feet away from the turtle’s water habitat.  The eggs are the size of quarter, but round like a ping pong ball, with a hard surface, and buried about six inches deep.  Of the 40 eggs laid, statistically, only two will hatch, a 5% hatching rate.  Of all turtle hatchlings, only one out of a hundred will survive until reproductive age of 8 to 10 years.  The turtles that survive this long have a chance of living up to 40 or more years.  

To understand this low survival rate for Snapping Turtle eggs and hatchlings, just think of all the predators that would love eating these eggs and hatchlings – foxes, coyotes, skunks, minks, raccoons, possums, crows, herons, hawks, owls, largemouth bass, and other predatory fish.

With the odds of survival so stacked against turtles and with ten of the thirteen turtle species in Iowa on the “Threatened and of Greatest Conservation Need” list, this provides each of us yet another important reason to protect and restore the impaired North Raccoon River and surrounding marshes – turtles! 

Having lived in Jefferson since only December 2021, Bryan knows he will always be a newcomer in town. Though this may surprise his readers, he wants everyone to know that he truly delights in this role!