TURTLE SEASON
Region’s native turtles are busy through early July, and drivers are advised to be on the lookout
Why did the turtle cross the road?
In all likelihood, it was just trying to get to the other side.
Erik Kiviat, executive director and co-founder of Hudsonia, a not-for-profit institute for research and education at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, said the region’s native turtles are busy from late May through early July, seeking out appropriate sandy and loose soil in which to lay their eggs.
And, if need be, they will cross roads to get there. Both Kiviat and state environmentalists stress that at this time of year, it is especially important to be on the lookout for turtles and to drive cautiously, particularly on roads near rivers and marshy areas.
Earlier each spring, from late April through May, the native female snapping, Blanding’s and painted turtles are traveling from one pond or wetland to another looking for food, and possibly seeking to mate.
It’s not uncommon to see them crossing roads in the region in April and May as well.
While snapping turtles — New York’s official state reptile — and painted turtles are found throughout the region, Blanding’s turtles are “all over western Dutchess County,” Kiviat said. Blanding’s turtles are considered a “threatened” species by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
In a recent press release, the state Department of Environmental Conservation urged driv-
ers who might see turtles crossing roads in search of nesting places to use caution and take care to avoid hitting them while driving.
According to the state environmental department, “thousands of turtles are killed each year when they are struck by vehicles as the turtles migrate to their nesting areas.”
New York’s 11 native species of land turtles are in decline, state officials said, and turtles can take more than 10 years to reach breeding age. The reptiles lay just one small clutch of eggs each year, which means the loss of a breeding female can have a significant effect on the local turtle population, according to the press r elease.
And, if you are lucky enough to come across a turtle crossing a road or near the shoulder, drivers are encouraged to”safely stop their vehicle and consider moving the turtle to the side of the road in the direction the reptile is facing,” the state press release states.
When handling these reptiles, be gentle and never pick one up by its tail as this may frighten or injure it, according to state officials, who state that most turtles can be picked up safely by the side of their shells.
Snapping turtles however, can pose a bit of a challenge.
“It’s important to use extreme caution when moving snapping turtles; either pick the turtle up at the rear of the shell near the tail using two hands, or slide a car mat under the turtle to drag the turtle across the road,” the state environmental agency press release states.
Kiviat agreed that car mats can be helpful when handling snapping turtles — the largest of the local species, which can reach up to about 18 inches in diameter. If you’re accustomed to handling reptiles, he said, grasp the turtle by the rear edge of its shell and move quickly to avoid being bitten.
“You have to be quick,” Kiviat said. “You don’t want to get bitten by a snapping turtle.”
For more information on protecting turtles and other reptiles, visit DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/277.html.