April 30, 2025
It’s Turtle Crossing Season!
Slow Down and Let Them Cross Safely
In May and June, aquatic turtles such as the eastern painted turtle and American snapping turtle will be leaving their watery habitats of ponds, rivers, and wetlands to set out and find suitable nesting sites to lay their eggs. For many, this includes crossing many of our busy roadways.
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According to the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island, they received 44 turtles in 2024 that had been hit by cars. This is why it is so critical that drivers slow down when passing close to ponds, rivers, and wetlands in the spring.
Land turtles such as the eastern box turtle, and semi-aquatic species like the wood turtle, are also susceptible to road mortality. These species look for sandy or loamy soil in fields, open woods, and occasionally on people's lawns for nesting sites. Having already crossed the road once to lay eggs, these turtles will cross yet again to return to their habitats. It’s dangerous for a slow-moving turtle to be on a busy road.
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The eggs deposited in spring will hatch in late August to early September. Many hatchlings will also attempt to cross roadways to reach watery habitats. You can help ensure safe crossings by slowing down on the roads and watching for our native turtles.
You can help a turtle cross the road.
Be aware and careful of passing cars. When safe, gently pick the turtle up with both hands (unless it is a snapping turtle) and move them in the direction that they are headed. Place the turtle a few feet off the road. Do not assume that they are going toward water, and please do not attempt to relocate them.
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife provides recommendations for handling turtles when helping them to cross roadways:
- Please support the turtle by holding them with two hands, one on each side of the shell between the front and back legs.
- Never hold a turtle just by its top shell or carapace, as this will hurt it, and will not give you a secure hold on it. You also do not want to grab a turtle by its tail, as this too will cause pain and injury.
- If it is a large turtle like a snapping turtle, gently shepherd it across the road with a stick or a broom or get help in herding a large snapping turtle across the road.
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Visit https://asri.org/wildlife-crossing to obtain a sign for your yard!
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You can help alert drivers.
Audubon is offering yard signs to alert drivers of potential wildlife crossings and asking them to lower their speed. If you live near a pond or wetland, help wildlife by placing a sign in your yard for the months of May, June, August, and September. Visit https://asri.org/wildlife-crossing for details and to order your sign today.Wild turtles need to remain in the wild.
Although many are charmed by native turtles, any species found in the wild should never be kept as a pet. In Rhode Island, it is illegal to remove any native reptile or amphibian from the wild, as many of them face severe population declines that could lead to local extinction.
Get up-close with native turtles!
Check out the live turtles at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol, Rhode Island. Visitors can get up close with a northern diamondback terrapin and an eastern painted turtle as well as discover other marine life found in local habitats and Narragansett Bay. Register today for a special evening celebrating these amazing creatures! Details below.
- Turtle Time: A Family Celebration of World Turtle Day - Celebrate World Turtle Day with your family on May 23 at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium! Meet a variety of turtles up close and personal—touching, learning, and even snapping a picture with them! Discover the secrets of different turtle species, their unique habits, and how they contribute to our ecosystems. From box turtles to aquatic turtles, you’ll have the chance to interact with them and ask all your turtle questions. It’s a fun, interactive evening of education and exploration—perfect for nature-loving families.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; May 23, 2025; 6:30-8:00pm; Fee: $10/member adult, $5/member child; $14/non-member adult, $7/non-member child. Ages: 6 and up. Register here!
