Forget the chicken! Turtles are starting to cross New York roads.

Turtles are on the move in the months of May and June, looking for sandy areas and loose soil to lay eggs in. Thousands are killed each year in New York by vehicles while migrating to nesting places.

"While a turtle's shell provides protection from predators, it does not protect against being struck by vehicles while crossing roadways," said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos. "Vehicle strikes are a major cause of mortality among turtles and New York's native turtles are more susceptible at this time of year as they seek sandy areas or loose soil in which to lay their eggs."

Credit - Karen Solorzano via Unsplash
Credit - Karen Solorzano via Unsplash
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Move Turtles to Safety

Drivers are encouraged to slow down to avoid hitting migrating turtles with their vehicles this spring. If it's safe to do so, turtles should be moved to the side of the road. But don't pick it up by the tail.

Most turtles, other than snapping turtles, can be picked up by the sides of their shell. Snapping turtles have necks that can reach a long distance and have a strong bite, so if motorists try to help a snapping turtle, they should pick it up by the rear of the shell near the tail using both hands or slide a car mat under the turtle to drag it safely across the road.

Credit - Fernando Mate via Unsplash
Credit - Fernando Mate via Unsplash
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Turtle Decline

Never take turtles home. They are protected by law and cannot be kept without a DEC permit because all 11 species of land turtles native to New York are in decline.

Turtles are long-lived species and it takes many years for a turtle to reach maturity. Even losing one mature female can have a negative impact on a local population.

Credit - Ruthlaine Tan via Unsplash
Credit - Ruthlaine Tan via Unsplash
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