Box turtles are long lived, but slow reproducing animals. Long lived if they make it across the road safely that is. They are also very slow in general and basically have no capacity to avoid being hit by vehicles while crossing roads. Kill rates on interstates are 95% or better. What is 30-45 seconds out of your ride to stop and move a turtle across the road if you may be extending their life 10-25 or even 50 years? This year $50 has been donated to give to the rider that saves the most turtles during the season. Lets see how many turtles we can save collectively this year! Just a few simple rules to follow.
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1. Stop in a safe manor that does not endanger other riders and vehicles.
- 2. Move the turtle to the side of the road in the direction the turtle was heading. If he is facing to the left side of the road, move it to the left. Otherwise he will just turn around and try to re cross the road and you have put him at greater risk than before. In the photo at left, the turtle is just starting on the pavement and should be taken to the opposite side of the road.
- 3. Dead turtles don’t count.
- 4. It does not have to be a club ride, you just have to be a club member. All rides count - group, individual, club and non club.
- 5. This is done on the honor system.
- 6. Monthly totals to be submitted on by the 15th of the month to dbiker@mindspring.com so the club totals can be kept and posted in the Spoke Notes and web page.
- 7. The cash will be awarded at the end of October to the rider reporting the most saves.
It is safe to handle box turtles by picking them up by their shells. It is not recommended that other turtles, especially snapping turtles, be handled by persons without prior experience.
Click to learn more about the Eastern Box Turtle.
Reported Saves as of mid July.
Tora 6
CD Duncan 4
Dale 7
Geane Helfeich 7
Jay Stevens 3
John Fleek 1
Mary Shultz 3
Gene Tieney 16
Susan Stafford 1
Total 48
