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It takes 60 years to replace just one: watch for turtles on the road this spring and summer!
By Kate Dickson from cottage country’s Turtle Guardians
If you’ve been coming up to cottage country for a while, chances are you’ve seen turtles on or near roads, especially throughout the months of May and June. “Why are they in such a dangerous place”, you may be wondering? There are a couple of reasons!
It turns out that our roads frequently intersect turtle’s wetland habitats, which they need to move between for different needs like hibernating, mating, and more. With this movement, they almost inevitably come across roads they must cross. If you spot a turtle in the middle of the road, you are allowed to help them because all of Ontario’s turtles are species at risk, and intervening when a species at risk is in harm’s way is perfectly legal as well as encouraged! In fact, road mortality is the leading threat to turtles, so helping them across the road is particularly impactful! Here's how:
For all turtles except snapping turtles: Simply pick them up like a sandwich and move them to the other side of the road. You should sanitize your hands after as a precaution but don’t worry - your only (and very low) risk is salmonella. So the risk of helping a turtle in need is akin to preparing chicken in your kitchen!
For snapping turtles: Yes, snapping turtles can bite, but contrary to popular belief they cannot remove a human digit, and they only snap as a protective measure, as they cannot retract inside their shell. So, while a bite is certain to hurt a bit, it is not going to cost you a finger or toe! Be that as it may, it’s reasonable to want to avoid one, so that’s why there are a number of techniques for moving snappers. You can learn more in this instructive video!
The other reason you might see a turtle on the road, especially during the previously mentioned months of May and June, is because it is nesting season! During nesting season, “pregnant” freshwater turtles dig a hole to deposit their eggs, just like sea turtles, and it turns out that the gravel we use along roadsides makes a great substrate for these nests. That, and the shoulder of the road is nice and warm, which turtles like because it helps eggs incubate into little babies! If you see a turtle along the side of the road, it might be nesting. Keep your distance and reach out to our team at Turtle Guardians at 705-854-2888 for direction. If it is confirmed to be a nesting case, we will give further instruction!
Unfortunately, you might also come across an injured turtle. If this is the case, you should call the Ontario Turtle Trauma Center (OTTC) immediately at 705-741-5000. They will instruct you on what to do based on the situation and can often dispatch an emergency driver to your location to pick the injured turtle up and bring it to their facility for medical attention. Turtles can survive even the most traumatic injuries - their healing potential is truly incredible - and they may be carrying viable eggs. Unless the turtle is very clearly dead, a call to the OTTC is warranted!
You can learn more about Turtle Guardians here and follow along with us at @turtleguardians on Instagram and Facebook!
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