A snapping turtle is seen along a Wisconsin roadway (left) while a sign warns motorists of the potential for turtle crossings near Pell Lake (right). Credit: Heather Kaarakka, Jennifer Tschida

By of the

Why have turtles been crossing the road in Wisconsin?

Because it's mating season and female turtles are headed to their dry, upland nesting sites.

The roads that crisscross many of Wisconsin's wetland areas often divide turtle territories and sometimes even provide an attractive nesting site in the roadside sand and gravel. Each year, this leads to thousands of turtle deaths. Most are killed when they are hit by vehicles while crossing roads during mating season, which in Wisconsin occurs from late May to early July.

"You talk to anyone about turtles and it's amazing how passionate they get about protecting them," said Andrew Badje, conservation biologist with the Wisconsin Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation. "On the highways along the Mississippi River, over a hundred turtles are hit each year."

The Wisconsin Turtle Road Crossing Initiative is a campaign by the Wisconsin Turtle Conservation Program to help protect turtles by establishing turtle crossing signs and underpasses.

One such crossing can be found in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve on the campus of UW-Madison. When turtles are thought to be active in the area between the Class of 1918 and University Bay marshes, a sign on University Bay Drive can be flipped up to alert drivers to possible crossings.

"This time of year, we get turtles going back and forth to lay eggs," said Laura Wyatt, program manager for the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. "It's wonderful to share the land with wildlife, but we have to do what we can to protect them."

So what should you do if you see a turtle along the road?

According to Badje, motorists should stop and, if safe to do so, help the turtle cross in the direction it was headed. "Always put your safety before that of the turtle."

When picking up a turtle, lift by the very back of the shell. Grabbing the tail can dislocate the turtle's spine, while grabbing the sides could put the helper at risk of a bite since a turtle's neck can stretch farther than expected.

Snapping turtles can be dangerous to handle, so motorists should use a nearby stick to give a suspected snapper something to latch onto and prevent bites during relocation.

Turtles commonly lay their eggs in areas that might not seem like a good habitat to the observer. That's why turtles should always be moved and faced in the direction they were originally headed so they might continue on their way. Otherwise, a turtle might attempt another crossing and put itself back in danger.

The WTCP maintains a map of turtle deaths that occur on roadways based on reports submitted by the public.

If you witness a turtle, alive or otherwise, on a Wisconsin road, the WTCP urges you to submit a report using an online form on its website.

"It only takes a minute and you can use Google Maps to pinpoint the exact location," Badje said.

Wisconsin has 11 native species of turtles, ranging from soft-shell to snapping varieties. One species, the ornate box turtle, is endangered, while the wood turtle is threatened, and the Blanding's turtle, which can be found in Milwaukee, is listed as special concern.

By reporting road-crossing deaths and observations of specific species, the public helps the WTCP catalog the turtle population and identify areas where conservation work is needed.

"Hopefully with this program we will reduce the number of turtles that die on Wisconsin roadways," Badje said.