Everyone knows and loves sea turtles, those iconic, beloved symbols of the ocean and endangered wildlife. The chance to witness a turtle nesting on a tropical beach is on many a bucket list.
However, few realize that a parallel phenomenon happens every year right under their noses, and this one is equally heroic and imperiled.
In late May or early June, our local aquatic turtles — the freshwater cousins of their marine relatives — embark on a mass exodus from their wetlands. Just like their maritime cousins, they leave their watery homes to make the journey to a warm, dry spot to lay their eggs, then return home. While a mother sea turtle’s journey is (literally) a walk on the beach, our native turtles travel up to a mile to nest, and that means crossing roads full of cars, yards full of people and dogs, and even construction sites full of heavy equipment.
And that’s not all. In two or three months, when the eggs hatch and the young emerge from their underground nests just like sea turtles, they must make their way back to the water on their own. Imagine being the size of a quarter and an easy target for every wild predator out there, and having to navigate an urban environment to reach a wetland you’ve never seen.
Maine is home to seven species of native turtles which are an integral part of our natural heritage. Three are on the state’s list of endangered, threatened and special concern species: the wood turtle, the spotted turtle and the Blanding’s turtle. Three are considered “common” species — snapping turtles, painted turtles and musk turtles. Eastern box turtles remain a question mark. Despite occasional sightings, biologists haven’t been able to confirm any populations in Maine.
Each species is incredibly different in appearance, habitat requirements, diet and even behavior. All are long-lived, late reproducing species, which means that it takes 10-20 years before they can even begin to reproduce. Statistically, it takes a turtle 50 years just to replace itself. For one of the most endangered taxa on the planet, every animal is important to save.
What can you do to help turtles crossing roads?
— Keep an eye out for small, dark objects that look like hockey pucks or tire fragments.
— Stop if it’s safe to do so and help the turtle get to the side they’re headed towards. If you turn them back, they’ll simply cross the road again.
— Be aware that your stopped vehicle may prevent those behind you from seeing the turtle and they may hit it trying to go around you. Put your flashers on and try to motion to let the next driver know why you pulled over.
— Always take an injured turtle with you, keep it covered to keep flies away from the wound, and contact a wildlife rehabber that specifically treats turtles ASAP. Even mortally wounded animals may crawl away.
— Remember that turtles are often carrying eggs which may still be viable even if the turtle isn’t. Those eggs can be incubated by a turtle rehabilitator and the hatchlings released back to the wild.
— Never relocate a turtle to a “better” place or take it home as a pet. They have homes and need to stay with their populations to reproduce. Every turtle taken from the wild is a blow to the survival of its species.
— Don’t panic around snappers. They’re more afraid of you than you are of them. If you remain calm, they’ll usually do the same. You can use your car mat, towel or cardboard as a skid to help get them across the road.
Most importantly, learn to ID our local turtle species. It’s critical to get injured wood, spotted or Blanding’s turtles to the most experienced turtle rehabilitator possible, regardless of distance. That turtle could be the last breeding female of a tiny, struggling population.
It’s important to give her the best possible odds for a good outcome. Transport can always be arranged. The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife is a good resource for help in locating the best rehabber for injured Maine wildlife. Call 207-287-5209, 207-287-8000 or check the “dealing with orphaned, sick, or injured wildlife” page of their website. Animal Help Now is another excellent resource at ahnow.org.
Pamela Meier is the founder and director of The Turtle’s Back, Inc., a rehabilitation and education facility that has been dedicated to native turtles for ten years. Find her at theturtlesback.org.