Woman preserving turtle nest in backyard

A Florida cooter lays eggs Nov. 7 in the yard of Cathleen Holzknecht, who lives near Satsuma. Holzknecht is ensuring the nest, which is environmentally protected, remains safe until the turtles hatch. (Photo submitted by Cathleen Holzknecht) A Putnam County woman’s backyard has become a state-protected nest for Florida cooter eggs, and she is doing her part to ensure the eggs remain safe during the three-month incubation period. Cathleen Holzknecht, who lives just south of Satsuma’s Shell Harbor Boat Ramp, said she was in her yard with her four dogs on the morning of Nov. 7 when they alerted her to what she thought was a snapping turtle. Instead, she saw what she later learned was a cooter, a species of river turtle, digging a hole while laying eggs. “I don’t know how many people really get the opportunity to see something like that because it was over fast,” she said. She ushered her dogs inside the home and watched from her house as the turtle laid its eggs.

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