Preserve the wildlife

[scrapple]

I was coming home on Belle Meade around 10am today and a turtle was crossing the road in front of me and now in the on-coming traffic lane. I stopped wanting to pick it up and move it along. Lucky for me a car wizzed around me before I could get out of the truck. Unfortunately for the turtle, the car ran directly over it, flipped it up in the air and it landed back on it's flippers, seemed to be moving along. Those shells are really hard. I'm hoping the car never realized it just ran over a turtle and was instead confused by why I stopped in the road. Just a reminder that there's all kinds of wildlife out there.

[K9-Lovers]

Now must be time for turtles to be moving, for some reason unbenownst to me. We also saw a big turtle, but he was already dead. He must have been hit by a car because he had made it up the curb about a foot and onto the grass before he died. This was on Morse drive right next to the "dry" pond behind the hospital where they have been working on lining the pond. A big black vulture was disposing of his carcass.

[iandwk]

I was coming home on Belle Meade around 10am today and a turtle was crossing the road in front of me and now in the on-coming traffic lane. I stopped wanting to pick it up and move it along. Lucky for me a car wizzed around me before I could get out of the truck. Unfortunately for the turtle, the car ran directly over it, flipped it up in the air and it landed back on it's flippers, seemed to be moving along. Those shells are really hard. I'm hoping the car never realized it just ran over a turtle and was instead confused by why I stopped in the road. Just a reminder that there's all kinds of wildlife out there.

I watched a man last year on Canal Street try to pick up one of these turtles. He bent down and the turtle very quickly turned halfway around and stretched its neck out and almost got his hand. He decided to leave it alone after that. I would have done the same thing, so I am glad I saw what they can do. My reflexes may not have been as fast as that man's.

After watching that, I decided the best thing to do is to try to route traffic around a turtle until he is off the road, if feasible.

[redwitch]

I stopped once to pick up a turtle and send it on its merry way. I was amazed how quickly they can scoot for a short while. I was also amazed how smelly a turtle is. Anyway, I caught it, picked it up, put it back on the grass. As I was walking back to my cart, there was a police officer standing there and explaining that it was illegal to handle a turtle regardless of the intentions. I kinda (??) looked at him like he was nuts -- it's better to let the thing get run over than handle it? Sorry, didn't get the logic, even if they are endangered (which also surprised me). So, do be aware that if you try to save the poor thing, you're breaking the law. sigh

[Bill-n-Brillo]

I've stopped a couple of times to help turtles get across a street safely. Didn't realize it was against the law!! Sheesh!

I got taken aback by the last one - the turtle started furiously kicking my fingers with his back feet when I picked him up. Kinda surprised me so I put him down. Then I told him that I was just trying to help him out and that he needed to relax. Picked him up again and you'd have thought he understood what I said! :) He was as calm as could be then. My good deed for the day....

Bill

[jblum8156]

That's a nice story. I sometimes think that animals can pick up on our attitude even though they don't understand what we're saying. Something in the tone of voice I guess.

[otherbruddaDarrell]

I stopped once to pick up a turtle and send it on its merry way. I was amazed how quickly they can scoot for a short while. I was also amazed how smelly a turtle is. Anyway, I caught it, picked it up, put it back on the grass. As I was walking back to my cart, there was a police officer standing there and explaining that it was illegal to handle a turtle regardless of the intentions. I kinda (??) looked at him like he was nuts -- it's better to let the thing get run over than handle it? Sorry, didn't get the logic, even if they are endangered (which also surprised me). So, do be aware that if you try to save the poor thing, you're breaking the law. sigh

Wrong officer.................last year I helped a Sumter county officer by removing 2 turtles from 466 and took them to the lakeshore where I released them. He was very nice and appreciated the fact that I could take them there.

[Pturner]

Hurray for those of you who have stopped to help the turtles! That warms my heart.

[cherylncliff]

I've stopped a couple of times to help turtles get across a street safely.
Bill

Our local Nature Center here in MI (we still have a lot of turtles here) is quick to remind people that turtles are usually migrating when they try to cross a street (who knew turtles migrated?? :shrug:), thus it is improtatnt to get them ALL THE WAY ACROSS the street :highfive: when you do help them and not just put them back on the side or off the curb -- otherwise they will just turn around and start all over again! (Not too bright, but I guess they trade that for longevity...)

[duffysmom]

The way to pick up a turtle is to put a towel or rag over the turtle and release the turtle on the side of the road in which they were headed.

[K9-Lovers]

This is one way to get a turtle to move quickly in any direction you desire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppcS6E9hVqc

[K9-Lovers]

Turtles helping each other:

http://www.dogwork.com/friends76/

[K9-Lovers]

Okay, enough is enough......one last really good one: The Turtle Cam

http://www.dogwork.com/turtlecam/