Local Master Naturalists and the Virginia Herpetological Society are conducting a survey to determine the number, sex and general health of box turtles in area counties.
From the last day in May, 21 Master Naturalists have scanned roadsides, scoured gardens and hiked through woods to identify box turtles, arguably the most encountered reptile in the area, reported Robert W. Dunstan, D.V.M.
“The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources estimates there is a 32% decrease in box turtles in Virginia over the past century and this project, expected to last for many years, should help us to better understand changes in the number and health of the box turtle population where we live,” said Dr. Dunstan.
To date, 40 have been identified. Unfortunately, 25% of these turtles were dead because they were run over by motor vehicles. Although the survey was limited to box turtles, during the summer it is not unusual to find other turtles species endangered by crossing area highways, he said. Often these are females looking for a place to lay their eggs.
Be aware of turtles crossing a road and avoid hitting them.
Ideally, try to assist them on their way. If in a car, stop safely, pull off the road and use safety signals. Then escort the turtle in the direction it is heading so it does not go back into traffic. Smaller turtles can be picked up. Larger turtles that are heavy or can potentially bite like snapping and soft-shell turtles can be guided across the road by an umbrella or a window scraper.
Turtles have remarkable recuperative abilities, even turtles with cracked shells can often be rehabilitated so do not assume a turtle is dead, it may still be alive and in need of help, said Dr. Dunstan.
“As we continue our survey, Master Naturalists would like to see the number of turtles found hit by cars to decrease,” he said. “We believe the box turtles would agree with us.”
