Dear Esteemed Faculty, Staff, and Students,
Greetings to all!
As spring gracefully yields to early summer, our campus lotus pond embarks upon a profound ritual of life's renewal. Each year, from April through June (with some records beginning as early as March), the native Taiwanese "Spotted Turtles" (long-tailed turtles) commence their nesting season.
In their quest to find a secure and supple sandy terrain to excavate nests and lay their eggs, these devoted mother turtles endure great physical exertion, often venturing ashore and even risking perilous crossings of roadways, confronting the grave threat of vehicular harm. To safeguard these silent inhabitants, the campus has officially launched the "Mother Spotted Turtle Nesting Season Protection Initiative"!
? Our Guardianship Endeavor: Crafting a Five-Star "Maternity Suite"
To ensure the mother turtles can safely nest within our grounds, we have undertaken the following habitat enhancement projects:
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The Heart-Island "Super Sandy Beach": We have laid an exceptionally fine sand layer, measuring 40-60 centimeters thick, upon the heart island. This soft sandy expanse is the favored nesting site for the mothers, each clutch yielding approximately 7-15 eggs, nurturing new life safely upon the island.
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Gentle Crawling Slopes: Considering the increased weight of the mothers during nesting, we have constructed broad, textured gentle slopes with an incline of less than 20 degrees, complemented by "resting points" in the water, facilitating an easier ascent onto land.
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Preserving Competitive Advantage (SDG 15.8): In the future, we will remove invasive Brazilian turtles (red-eared sliders) from the pond, thereby liberating more basking spots and food resources for our native mother spotted turtles.
? How You Can Assist: The "Nesting Protection Alliance" Guidelines
During the critical period from April to June, we invite you to join us in adhering to the following principles:
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Maintain Silence: Should you witness a mother spotted turtle emerging ashore by the pond, please lower your voice and slow your pace. Your quietude is the greatest encouragement you can offer her.
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Refrain from Disturbance and Capture: The nesting process is exceedingly delicate; please observe from a distance and abstain from touching or capturing the turtles.
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Reject Abandonment: The abandonment of pets is a principal cause of ecological imbalance. Let us collectively preserve the habitat of our native species.