Gone Zooing

Lou Perrotti, RWPZ Conservation Programs Coordinator, during fieldwork in Panama.

By Lou Perrotti,
RWPZ Conservation Programs Coordinator

Hello, Gone Zooing readers!  

I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder that early June is turtle nesting season. It is this nesting behavior that unfortunately costs the lives of many turtles every year. Due to increased development and habitat loss, turtles often find themselves now having to cross busy roads to get to their nesting sites. You will start seeing many species of turtles crossing roads all over the state for the next few weeks.

Even here at the Zoo, during this time of year we receive many calls from visitors regarding the sighting of a turtle on the pathways around the Zoo. We are fortunate enough to have a natural wetland area that is heavily populated with Eastern Painted turtles and the Common Snapping turtles that haul out of the water at this time of year to deposit their eggs. These turtles will usually seek out the same egg laying spots each year and are hard-wired to do so.

This is one of the major threats that face turtles and tortoise populations every year and sadly it can eventually take all the females and what would have been the next generation out of many populations.

In most cases, the best thing we can all do for them is to leave them alone.  Once the eggs are laid they will soon return back to the water. If we take them back to the water before the eggs have been laid they will just turn around and return back to the same spot. 

So, if you find yourself driving through a wetland area in the next few weeks please be aware of the possibility of a turtle crossing the road, especially in the early morning and late afternoon hours.  This is one way we can do our part to try and reduce road mortality and unnecessary disturbance in nesting turtles.