Turtles crossing roads

by KEVIN STRAUSS

Now is the best time to get a good look at our prehistoric-looking snapping turtles. You may have noticed that turtles are crossing the roads right now. Late June is the time when many of our northwoods turtles are leaving their ponds and lakes and seeking out a sandy hillside to lay their eggs. A hundred years ago, that was a fairly easy trip through woods and possibly over a dirt road or trail. But now that we have 24-foot-wide paved roads and cars driving 40-60 miles an hour, life has gotten a little more complicated for the mother turtles.

The main species you will see crossing the road up here are snapping turtles and painted turtles. Both species lay eggs in the evening, snappers may also lay eggs in the early morning. Both species like to lay their eggs in open, slightly hilly areas and in sandy soil. While eggs often hatch in the fall, the bottle cap-sized young often overwinter in their nests, sometimes even freezing solid in winter before thawing and emerging in the spring.

Some snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) travel long distances to reach the same egg-laying site each year. The 8-24 inch long snappers lay 10-96 white eggs (usually about 25) in a clutch. Survival rates are low. About 80 percent of all turtle eggs will become food for skunks or raccoons. Of the eggs that survive, many of the young turtles will become food for birds or fish, but if a young snapper survives its first few months, it gets big enough to become a challenging predator in its own right. While snappers have a reputation for eating meat, half of their diet is plants.

We are used to seeing 4-9 inch long painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) basking on logs or rocks in the water. While these turtles with their green shells and yellow-striped legs and heads are much more colorful than snappers, they area also easier to find, so it isn’t as exciting to see them on dry land. They only lay 4-8 small white eggs under about four inches of sandy soil.

While some well-meaning drivers pull off to the side of the road to help the turtles across, be careful. If you are on a curvy road (like Highway 1) be sure to pull all the way off the road in a relatively straight section and listen for traffic before helping a turtle. It is also a good idea to help the turtle cross the way she is going. If you just move the turtle back to the shoulder of the road, she will probably try to cross again.

Always approach turtles, especially snapping turtles, from behind. Snapping turtles got that name for a reason. While they are shy in the water, they can be very aggressive on land. There are many stories of a snapper biting a person’s finger and not letting go. Don’t let that happen you to. If it does happen, you may need to either kill the turtle or submerge it in a pond or lake to get it to let go.

Turtle egg-laying season is one more opportunity to take a look at the amazing “circle of life” in nature. Drive carefully. Watch for turtles.