Turtle Crossing!

Turtles can travel many miles during a single year and will often travel far from water to lay their eggs. During the spring and summer, be on the look out for turtles crossing roads, especially May through June when females move to familiar egg laying sites. During their travels (to and from laying their eggs) they come across many obstacles but the most dangerous is crossing roads.

Here are some tips if you see a turtle trying to cross the road:

If you see a turtle on the road slow down, pull over to the side of the road and when it's safe help them get across in the same direction they were going.
Use both of your hands to hold them at the sides near the end of their shells, and lift them up to move. Always keep your hands away from their faces.
NEVER pick them up by the tail, you can damage their vertebrae.

Even if you are not sure the turtle is alive any longer, please consider bringing the turtle to the Wildlife in Need Center (Oconomowoc) or the Dane County Wildlife Center (Madison) for assessment. If deceased, they can harvest any intact eggs which may be incubated in their turtle hatchling programs. All hatchling turtles are released back into the habitat that the mother had occupied!

Wildlife in Need: https://www.helpingwildlife.org/

Dane County - Wildlife Center: https://www.giveshelter.org/wildlife-center