It’s taken the better part of a year, but two wayward turtles found wandering in the Salmonier Nature Park have finally settled into their new homes in Ontario cottage country.

Two snapping turtles—reptiles not native to Newfoundland—were found in the park late last summer.

The creatures ended up with Salmonier Nature Park staff who nurtured and cared for them while trying to find them a new home.

That’s where the Turtle Guardians out of Ontario come in. Leora Berman is the chief operating officer of The Land Between, a Halliburton Ontario-based charity that oversees the Turtle Guardians.

She says getting the two turtles, which had to undergo various veterinary checks and tests, back to Ontario turned out to be a longer process than they ever anticipated because of COVID-19.

The two creatures finally arrived safely in Ontario two weeks ago and are thriving in their new surroundings. They cannot be returned to the wild and will be kept in captivity where they will be part of education programming.