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Brad Semel, a biologist and endangered species specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, releases a 9-month-old Blanding's turtle into a swampy area of Moraine Hills State Park on June 15, 2022, in McHenry.
Brad Semel, a biologist and endangered species specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, releases a 9-month-old Blanding’s turtle into a swampy area of Moraine Hills State Park on June 15, 2022, in McHenry.
Biologist Brad Semel releases a 9-month-old Blanding's turtle into a swampy area of Chain O'Lakes State Park on June 15, 2022, in Spring Grove.
Biologist Brad Semel releases a 9-month-old Blanding’s turtle into a swampy area of Chain O’Lakes State Park on June 15, 2022, in Spring Grove.
Brad Semel, a biologist and endangered species specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, releases a 9-month-old Blanding's turtle into a swampy area of Chain O'Lakes State Park on June 15, 2022, in Spring Grove.
Brad Semel, a biologist and endangered species specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, releases a 9-month-old Blanding’s turtle into a swampy area of Chain O’Lakes State Park on June 15, 2022, in Spring Grove.
Gary Glowacki, left, the manager of conservation ecology in Lake County, and Kathryn McCabe, right, a wildlife ecologist, feed Blanding's turtles and clean their tanks on June 15, 2022, in Antioch.
Gary Glowacki, left, the manager of conservation ecology in Lake County, and Kathryn McCabe, right, a wildlife ecologist, feed Blanding’s turtles and clean their tanks on June 15, 2022, in Antioch.
Blanding's turtles are marked with white paint as they are treated for a potential fungus on June 15, 2022, in Antioch.
Blanding’s turtles are marked with white paint as they are treated for a potential fungus on June 15, 2022, in Antioch.
Sara Denham, a wildlife resource manager with McHenry County Conservation District, scans a gravid Blanding's turtle on June 15, 2022, in Wonder Lake.
Sara Denham, a wildlife resource manager with McHenry County Conservation District, scans a gravid Blanding’s turtle on June 15, 2022, in Wonder Lake.
A recently released 9-month-old Blanding's turtle in a swampy area of Chain O'Lakes State Park on June 15, 2022, in Spring Grove.
A recently released 9-month-old Blanding’s turtle in a swampy area of Chain O’Lakes State Park on June 15, 2022, in Spring Grove.
Biologist Brad Semel holds pieces of broken turtle eggs ravaged by animals June 15, 2022, near a swampy area of Moraine Hills State Park.
Biologist Brad Semel holds pieces of broken turtle eggs ravaged by animals June 15, 2022, near a swampy area of Moraine Hills State Park.
Sara Denham, right, a wildlife resource manager with McHenry County Conservation District, and Brad Semel with the IDNR, sort through Blanding's turtle ready to be released back into the wild on June 15, 2022, in Wonder Lake.
Sara Denham, right, a wildlife resource manager with McHenry County Conservation District, and Brad Semel with the IDNR, sort through Blanding’s turtle ready to be released back into the wild on June 15, 2022, in Wonder Lake.
Brad Semel, a biologist and endangered species specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, releases a 9-month-old Blanding's turtle into a swampy area of Moraine Hills State Park on June 15, 2022, in McHenry.
Brad Semel, a biologist and endangered species specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, releases a 9-month-old Blanding’s turtle into a swampy area of Moraine Hills State Park on June 15, 2022, in McHenry.
Kaitlin Moorhead looks at a slide as she and a team of people monitor and assess the health of Blanding's turtles in Antioch.
Kaitlin Moorhead looks at a slide as she and a team of people monitor and assess the health of Blanding’s turtles in Antioch.
Blanding's turtles are marked with white paint as they are treated for a potential fungus on June 15, 2022, in Antioch.
Blanding’s turtles are marked with white paint as they are treated for a potential fungus on June 15, 2022, in Antioch.