Nicandri Nature Center

Nicandri Nature Center Beautiful nature center located in Robert Moses State Park and owned and funded by New York Power Authority.

Programming by not-for-profit Friends of the Nature Center.

Spring sunshine is worth the effort. 🌞🌞🌞Our Blanding's turtle, Jedi, using the plants as a comfy couch to get closer to ...
06/02/2026

Spring sunshine is worth the effort. 🌞🌞🌞
Our Blanding's turtle, Jedi, using the plants as a comfy couch to get closer to the sun spot.

Yesterday the staff said goodbye to Thing 2, one of our animal ambassadors.Thing 2 was a male painted turtle, the most c...
06/01/2026

Yesterday the staff said goodbye to Thing 2, one of our animal ambassadors.

Thing 2 was a male painted turtle, the most common turtle species in our area. They are known for their colorful red and yellow head and shell markings that give them their name.

Two was known for his bitey-ness (if you've ever met a painted turtle, you get it :)), his voracious appetite, and his love/hate relationship with all turtles in his space. He was a regular at programs, an uninterested participant in our turtle race activity, and liked visiting the backyard for some summer sun. If you've visited lately, Two lived in a tank in the classroom.

Thing 2 had no rear feet, cause unknown, which left him unable to survive in the wild and originally brought him to be a team member for the nature center in about 2008.

He also had some elements of metabolic bone disease, a condition that can affect reptile bone development. Good care can help with MBD, but can never truly cure it. In recent years, Thing 2 had begun to decline physically. Our veterinarian provided treatment and advice, but recently Two started a more serious decline. It is extremely hard to know if a turtle is in pain or even ill, so Two was humanely euthanized so that he wouldn't suffer as his health worsened.

While the story of a common turtle may seem unremarkable to some, in the years since the new nature center opened well over 200,000 people have had the opportunity to see a painted turtle up close and learn about this very cool species thanks to Two. Many more knew him from his time at the school and from attending events and field trips with the staff.

His life made a difference and we'll miss having him around biting at us.

Some spring photos from the trails for you to enjoy. The trails are a little muddy in spots but we have our board paths ...
05/31/2026

Some spring photos from the trails for you to enjoy.
The trails are a little muddy in spots but we have our board paths up and most areas are totally fine - it's beautiful out there so don't let a little spring weather deter you!
Trails are open dawn to dusk daily.

June Schedule is available
05/28/2026

June Schedule is available

We are open today 9-5. Come get out of the rain or enjoy a slightly soggy but still beautiful trail walk :)We'll have a ...
05/25/2026

We are open today 9-5.
Come get out of the rain or enjoy a slightly soggy but still beautiful trail walk :)
We'll have a craft out all day and our scavenger hunt is always up too!

We saw some new friends on the trail today. Welcome to these baby wood ducks. :)
05/24/2026

We saw some new friends on the trail today.
Welcome to these baby wood ducks. :)

Happy World Turtle Day! Boxy, our three-toed box turtle, wants to tell you to come visit today and enjoy the World Turtl...
05/22/2026

Happy World Turtle Day!
Boxy, our three-toed box turtle, wants to tell you to come visit today and enjoy the World Turtle Day Event!
Activities, presentations, crafts, and oodles of turtles from 10-2.
Full program list and event details in the comments :)

Address

23 Robinson Bay Road
Massena, NY
13662

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5am
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13157055022

Website

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