Turtle Highway

In spring and summer watch for activity on the road! It's not the chicken crossing the road, it's the turtle, and it's on a mission! Find out what it's doing and how to help it below!

This time of year many turtles cross the road looking to nest or to reach new habitats. Unfortunately, much of their territory has been bisected by our turtle-unfriendly roads. Snapping turtles are a particularly common sight to see in the road, as they often looking for a nesting site. Other turtles and tortoises may be looking to live in a new area, searching for more food, water, or other resources. Turtles can often be hit in the road, but fortunately they can have someone in their corner: you!

The most important thing to remember about turtles and tortoises is that they are stubborn. If you stop in the road, grab the turtle, and face it in the opposite direction it was moving in, it will turn around and go back in the road. The best course of action is to move the turtle to the side of the road it was trying to reach. If you encounter a snapping turtle, use a stick or other long object to prod it in the direction in needs to go in. If no stick is available, only grab the snapping turtle from between the back legs. Anywhere else on the body CAN and WILL be in biting range, due to snapping turtles' long necks!!! ​And finally, the best thing you can do is to keep your eyes on the road! Seeing them early on will give you a chance to safely pull over and help out!