GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With animals awakening from winter hibernation, John Ball Zoo is asking drivers to be aware of turtles crossing the roads. Turtles will be more active in April and May, as they move between wetland areas for feeding and mating.
“The natural habit for turtles has been fragmented by human activity,” said John Ball Zoo Conservation Manager Bill Flanagan. “Turtles often use different wetland areas for hibernation versus summer activity, and they seek out dry, dandy areas to nest in. These areas are often broken up by roads, parking lots, and other human-made structures. One of the biggest threats to our local turtle populations is vehicles and roads.”
West Michigan is home to several rare turtle species, including Blanding’s turtles, eastern box turtles, spotted turtles, and wood turtles. Recently, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources upgraded eastern box and wood turtles as endangered species.
John Ball Zoo recommends residents to assist turtles they find crossing roads. However, they should only assist turtles if it is safe, they are obeying traffic laws, and not stepping into or blocking traffic.
To move a snapping turtle, it is recommended to take the floor mat out of your car, gently help the turtle onto the mat, and carefully drag the mat across the road.
READ MORE: Tips on how to safely help Michigan turtles get where they're going
People who move a turtle should be mindful of a turtle’s mouth and feet to avoid being bitten or scratched.
Those who assist turtles should move them across the road in the direction that the turtle was heading. However, John Ball Zoo says that people should not move them too far from where they found them. They should also never put them in their car to take them somewhere else.
“Turtles that are on the move are going to a specific place at a specific time,” said Flanagan. “It can often do more harm than good to relocate turtles to another place because they will face more danger getting back to their original destination.”
John Ball Zoo is also partnering with Grand Valley State University on a community data collection projection to assess the roads where turtles are at the greatest risk. The zoo and GVSU will monitor 15 to 20 sites within a 50-mile radius to track how many turtles are struck by vehicles in 2023. Information will be gathered from April-September. The information will be used to create conservation plans to help protect turtles in the future.
“Conservation requires tremendous effort,” said Travis Kurtz, community science coordinator at John Ball Zoo. “We are proud to work with our community members on this project that gives them an active role in John Ball Zoo’s conservation mission. This project helps connect our local community with the wildlife that shares space with them.”
