This is the time of year when female turtles step out of the safety of their ponds and wetlands in search of sandy, sunny areas for nesting. Turtle nesting season typically lasts from late May through early July in New Hampshire, reaching maximum intensity right now, in early to mid-June. To find appropriate egg-laying habitat, female turtles may travel several hundred yards or more, and more often than not they find themselves digging nests on one of the last open, widespread, sandy habitats left in New Hampshire: the side of the road.
“Today, the biggest threat to turtle populations in New Hampshire is being struck by automobiles on roadways,” says New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Wildlife Biologist Mike Marchand.
Roadkill disproportionately affects slow-moving species like turtles, and the loss is felt even more keenly because some turtle species take upwards of 15 years to reach reproductive maturity. In other words, it takes a long time for a local turtle population to “replace” a breeding female who has been crushed by a car!
What can you do? Slow down and watch for turtles, especially on roads near wetlands, ponds and lakes. If you see a turtle and if it is safe for you to do so, help it cross the road in the direction it was traveling. (Use extreme care when handling snapping turtles, or simply wait for them to cross on their own!) For more information on turtles in New Hampshire, including what to do if you find an injured turtle or a turtle nest in your garden, click here for the New Hampshire Department of Fish & Game’s turtle newsroom. Hungry for even more turtle talk? Visit www.yearoftheturtle.org.
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