I’m sure many of us have come across a turtle trying to cross a road and wondered if we should stop and help it. A common time for turtles to be on the move is between April and October. This is when turtles are looking for new nesting or hibernation places, water sources or mates.
We’ve got five tips for you when it comes to turtles:
1. You need to determine if it is safe. A busy road is not only dangerous for turtles but for you too.
2. Can you determine which species of turtle it is? If it’s a small turtle, you should be able to pick it up by firmly holding onto either side of its shell somewhere between its front and back legs. The turtle may struggle a bit, so keep it close to the ground to prevent it from getting injured in case it wiggles free.
If it’s a large turtle with a long tail it is likely a snapping turtle. Snapping turtles have long necks and you’ll want to be very careful not to get bitten.
There are several techniques for moving snapping turtles, and each situation dictates the best course of action to take. One thing to remember is to never pick the turtle up by its tail, as this can seriously injure it. You can use a shovel, board or something else that isn’t sharp to gently coax the turtle across the road. Sometimes the turtle will bite on to this object. If this happens, gently pull the turtle across the road. Their rough reptilian skin will help protect them from the road. You can also use a shovel to coax the turtle into a large bin which can then be carefully carried across the road. Carefully coax the turtle out of the bin ensuring it’s facing the direction it was originally heading.
3. Always move the turtle in the direction it is going – even if it’s away from water.
4. Never take turtles from the wild. If the turtle is injured you should contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitation centre.
5. As with all wildlife, wear gloves or wash your hands after handling the turtle.
To learn more about at-risk turtles and how you can help, click here.
CWF
Our mission is to conserve and inspire the conservation of Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all.
5 comments
My husband was driving and I was watching the road when a medium sized turtle likely a snapping turtle was motoring across the road near the turnoff for Killarney. the turtle had already reached the median on the road and was obviously was making a push to reach the other side.
I wondered if we could have helped him. We do not know if he made it.
Thank for the lesson. I often see turtles in this area (near Midland ON) and wondered if I could help them. I have on occasion stopped traffic to protect them.
So glad this helped you out!
a few years back I tried in a very friendly way to persuade some kids in a paddle boat who had
collected a pail full of turtles out of mud creek at Port Franks .. without a boat it was impossible for me to rescue them .. they left the pail in the sun on the other side and just laughed at me .. at the time without a cell phone connection I was helpless to do anything .. I wonder who a person could have called in a situation like this I felt ill about the whole situation .. I know that all the turtles perished ..