Turtles on the move! What to do (and not to do) when you see a turtle in the road
(TVLSE, Okla.) “Turtle Island” is a name used by many Native nations, including the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.
The turtle is more than just wildlife. It appears in creation stories across the continent and holds cultural significance in many Native communities, where it is often treated with respect as a relative.
Unfortunately, springtime in Oklahoma means box turtles in the road, especially after rainstorms. Experts say they are usually on their way to feed, mate or find a place to nest, as females lay their eggs in soil.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conversation offers the following tips to safely move a turtle out of the roadway:
- If traffic is heavy or the road doesn’t have a shoulder, do not attempt to move a turtle off the road. Only move a turtle if traffic is light and you can safely pull onto a wide shoulder.
- Turn on your hazard lights and fully pull off on the side of the road the turtle is heading. This may keep you from unnecessarily crossing into the opposite lane.
- Grab the turtle by the middle part of the shell where the top part of the shell (the carapace) meets the bottom part of the shell (the plastron) with a firm grip to avoid dropping the turtle. To help snapping turtles across the road, use a branch or a similar object to gently prod the turtle from behind. Do not pick a turtle up by the tail.
- Take the turtle to the side of the road in the direction the turtle is heading. If you take the turtle to the side of the road it just came from, it may attempt to again cross the road. Place the turtle as far off the road as possible but never cross a fence or trespass on private property. Turtles have small home territories and should not be relocated to a “better place.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says you can also use a car mat to guide the turtle off the roadway, especially if it’s a snapping turtle.
If it is a snapping turtle, it’s best to pick it up at the back of its shell so that it does not bite your hand. Keep in mind that a turtle should also never be picked up by its tail because this can seriously injure it.
Slowing down and giving turtles the space to safely cross is one small way people can help protect a species that has long been part of both the land and Native cultures.
