A sign just outside Lunenburg warns drivers to watch out for newborn turtles crossing between August and September.
Many baby turtles are hatching and making their way to water during that time.
Carter Feltham with the Mersey Tobiatic Research Institute says drivers likely don’t have to worry about dodging the tiny turtles.
“Honestly, I’ve never come across a baby turtle on the road. They can find a water source that’s a bit smaller than what an adult turtle would need. They seem to know exactly where they want to go from birth, which is kind of a cool instinct.”
Feltham says drivers should pay particular attention for turtles around June.
That is when adults make their nests along the roadsides.
And without the adult turtles, there would be no baby turtles.
All the same, Feltham says it doesn’t hurt to be aware.
“If a turtle is crossing a road, it doesn’t know it’s a road. Just shoosh it along across the road and that way it has less chance of getting run over can still continue its normal activities.”
Feltham does caution against handling snapping turtles as their long neck allows them to reach around their bodies.
She says the best practice is to leave the turtles alone and allow them to cross safely.
Reported by: Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
