WATCH OUT FOR TURTLES!

This is the time of year when turtles are moving, crossing roads. Be careful not to hit any with your vehicle! While I hate to see anything killed on a road, reptiles have an especially hard time because many are slow-moving or use the warm road surfaces to bask (they are ectothermic, remember?).

Habitat fragementation and degredation are significant problems for these species and mortalities due to collisions from vehicles are a major source of population decline.

Check out this blog post....

Wildlife Center of Virginia (World Turtle Day Blog Post)

If you stop to help a turtle across the road (be careful as this is dangerous for you...you might be struck by a vehicle), please move the animal to the side of the road is is facing! Wouldn't you feel bad if the critter had to cover all the distance it traveled again?

Dutch Gap Conservation Area, Chester.