May and June are when turtles are most on the move in Georgia — and if you travel in the state during the next few weeks, you’re bound to come across one of the slow-moving creatures crossing a road.
The majority of them likely will be females in search of suitable places to lay eggs. Regardless of the species, all Georgia turtles bury their eggs in sand, soil or decaying vegetation, usually in flask-shaped nests that females dig with their hind legs.
Finding a good nesting spot, though, often requires turtles to cross roads — which makes this time of year perhaps the most dangerous period in their lives. Hundreds of Georgia turtles die each year beneath the wheels of cars and trucks. Some drivers speed over the reptiles without a thought, but others make an effort to avoid hitting them. Many drivers even pull off the highway to help a turtle safely get across.
Of Georgia’s 27 turtle species, the ones that I encounter most often on a road this time of year are box, painted and common snapping turtles. Over the years, I have stopped numerous times along highways to help a turtle make it safely to the other side.
The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division offers some good advice for helping road-crossing turtles. First, before you pull off the road, make absolutely sure it’s safe to do so. Turn on your hazard warning lights.
Always move the turtle to the other side of the road in the direction it was going. Do not drive the turtle to a “better location” or take it home — else it’ll just try to return to its original home. Wash your hands after handling a turtle.
And if you’re dealing with a snapping turtle, be extra careful: Even though you’re trying to help it, a frightened snapping turtle can lunge at you with lightning speed. You could be severely bitten — even lose a fingertip. For a video on helping snapping turtles cross a road, visit youtube.com/watch?v=Lgd_B6iKPxU.
IN THE SKY: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The moon will be last quarter on Wednesday. Mercury and Venus are very low in the west just after dark. Mars is low in the southwest at dark and sets in the west a few hours later. Jupiter and Saturn rise in the east around midnight. Saturn will appear near the moon on Sunday night and Jupiter will do so on Monday night.
Charles Seabrook can be reached at charles.seabrook@yahoo.com.
