The Northwoods is home to a couple of rare turtle species and a state conservationist hopes you report sightings and give the slow moving creatures a little help across the road if they need it.
From May through July, female turtles cross roads to find suitable nesting areas in sunny uplands with sand, gravel, and loose soil. Turtles getting run over by cars is considered a leading cause of decline in turtle numbers in Wisconsin. The DNR's Andrew Badje says the Wisconsin Turtle Conservation Program is a citizen-science project to locate turtle crossing hotspots.
He says the Ornate Box Turtle in central and southern Wisconsin is endangered.
He says the Northwoods has two rare species...
"...in the Rhinelander area we have a state threatened wood turtle. More of a cool water river species. Another one of our rare turtles isn't listed, but it's still a protected species, the Blanding's turtle, is found in the Rhinelander area and north central Wisconsin as well...."
Badje says if you want to help a turtle, he says vehicle safety is first. He says move off the road and put on your flashers. Take a stick and nudge the turtle toward the side of the road they're headed. If you pick them up, do so near the lower side of the shell near the rear feet, keeping your hands away from the mouth and claws. Move them to the side of the road they're heading.
Since the project began in 2012, more than 1,300 citizens have reported nearly 3,000 turtle sightings throughout Wisconsin and have identified more than 1,300 turtle road crossing hotspots, many in the Northwoods. To report turtle crossings and other turtle sightings, or for additional information about Wisconsin turtles, search online forWisconsin Turtle Conservation Program.
