"Removing Turtles From The Road"
THANK YOU SUPER-KIND PERSON, BUT JUST ONE THING....
There are two 'wive's tales' surrounding turtles 'on the road' and it's important to know they're substantially incorrect. First, is that if a turtle is moved to a remote location (from the bank parking lot, for example), to the country; it's said that the turtle will die trying to get home to Smyrna. NOT TRUE. But, it's important to remove the turtle to SUITABLE habitat! And that's a habitat with WATER within walking distance on it. Even land turtles must drink. Any creekside is good for Box Turtles. Any pond for pond turtles.
Besides that, is the concern of removing turtles from the road IN THE DIRECTION THEY WERE WALKING. The facts on that one are: *Absolutely not necessary* ESPECIALLY if the habitat is WORSE on the side they're heading for. They can have NO idea, and are probably just looking for a place to lay some eggs. Or each other.
Case in point I witnessed on Azalea Drive (see image) was a VERY kind lady who hopped out of her car to save the pictured turtle (in hands) and HOLY SMOKE that turtle pee'd on her! Anyway she saw it walking away from the pond and so she put it on the side *away* from the pond as she surely had been taught. Which was naught but a steep incline to a fence. So the turtle would HAVE to go back across the road. And if she had laid eggs on that side, all the hatchlings would have to cross back, too. (Which is a lot of bird and tire exposure).
So, look around and remove turtles to the SAFEST side of the road. And just HOPE if she is dead-set on looking for a place to nest across the road (in the bank parking lot), at least you did your best. To close, if you took her completely away from harm, and put her in another lake or another part of the lake she will NOT die trying to get back to Azalea Drive.
Thanks y'all. With love and respect, Erik.
Qualifications (Someone always asks): Veterinarian (Have taken, and then taught in UGA's Exotics Course) - and sometimes Tortoise Breeder (geochelone denticulata) keeping and treating chelonians since 1974.
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