Monday, May 23 was World Turtle Day. Lest you think this is some goofy day to celebrate a random animal group, take note: Wisconsin turtles really do need our help! Many of our turtle species are declining. Most of the reasons are human created problems, with the automobile high on the list.
This DNR article has suggestions and sources of more information as to how we can protect turtles. Driving very carefully near any body of water from now through June is critically important. Don’t run turtles over! The US Fish and Wildlife Service says, “If you see one crossing the road, stop and help it along if it's safe to do so. Walking behind a turtle can encourage it to move along and avoid getting hit by a car.”
Western painted turtle. Photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS
Some of the turtle facts and figures are sobering. Blanding's and wood turtles, for example, don't BEGIN breeding until they are 12-15 years old. Losing even one breeding age female can devastate a local population. Sorry for all the caps but I really love turtles—they're interesting, inoffensive, and as slow as me. Someone has to stick up for slowpokes.
Wood turtle. Photo by Jessica Piispanen/USFWS
They're not always slow. I can remember last year coming across a herd (?), flock (?), bunch (?) of softshells turtles on a Wisconsin River sandbank. Amazing how quickly they all scooted into the water.
When a turtle is spotted crossing the highway, I and many others have the impulse to stop the car and move the turtle to the side of the road in which it is heading. Please don’t attempt this unless you are absolutely sure that you can do so safely. We don't want you squashed by cars either.
Snapping turtle. Photo by Eric Bégin FCC
But I'm reminded of one of my favorite turtle experiences. Lee, a young friend, and I were returning from a fishing trip late one May afternoon and driving along the lower Wisconsin River on a mercifully empty highway. Merciful because turtles were crossing the road just as the DNR warns us. I stopped for the first 3 or 4, different species of smaller turtles, and careful of myself and them, got them across the road. But the next was a big snapper, hunkered right in the middle of the highway. Lee was young, strong, athletic; he had been a star on UW Madison's Rowing Team. As soon as I pulled over, I said, Lee, this one's for you. Bless his heart, he lifted the big and now unhappy turtle and got her safely to the other side. I owe Lee another fishing trip.
Take care and watch for those turtles, please.
Topf Wells, Madison Audubon advocacy committee chair
Cover photo by Arlene Koziol
