I’ve been thinking about turtles lately. Nearly every trip I take on the road to my house in the last week has involved a turtle in the road. I have to factor in extra time for moving turtles and must admit I was unsure whether I should put them on the side of the road where they are heading or where they’ve come from. Fortunately, there are several organizations out there to help us with our turtle dilemmas.
Timely information from Great Works Regional Land Trust about what to do when you see a turtle in the road:
Turtle Migration is here – please keep an eye out for turtles and help them across the road if you can. Our region of southern Maine has some of the highest populations of rare and threatened turtle species in the state. Maine IF&W recently flipped up the Turtle Road signs to alert motorists of the turtle migration.
If you happen to see a turtle crossing the road or about to:
- please give him or her a hand by moving it across the road (in the direction it was headed).
-Do not move the turtle to a new location. Turtles follow the same routes year after year and are “programmed” to the same locations to nest and estivate. Moving a turtle to a new location will just cause it to travel further to its final destination.
A new website to report wildlife/road sitings (not just turtles):
There is new initiative in the state to document wildlife/road interactions. Maine Audubon in partnership with UC Davis, Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and Maine DOT recently launched an online reporting tool to record wildlife/road encounters. They are encouraging Mainers to record and report any wildlife/road encounters on the new website. http://www.wildlifecrossing.net/maine/
Using a Google-based mapping tool the website allows users to report what, where, and when an animal was observed. Documentation photographs can also be uploaded to the site. Data will be instrumental in addressing concerns related to both wildlife and public safety on roads networks.
If you have an itch to learn more about turtle, the Center for Wildlife has a program just for you:
June 26, 2010 – Why Did The Turtle Cross The Road?
Center for Wildlife
Saturday, June 26th 2:00- 3:30pm
Native Turtles 101. Meet caregivers and turtle ambassadors from the Center for Wildlife to learn Blanding’s and Spotted turtles’ survival threats and state-of-the-art turtle rehabilitation techniques. Reservations required. Visit, www.yorkcenterforwildlife.org/news.htm.
