On coming to the aid of a snapping turtle

Last June, naturalist Holly Twining of the Fields Pond Audubon Center and I escorted a large snapping turtle off a busy road. June is the time female snapping turtles – and painted turtles, too – leave their pond, lake or river.

They head overland to lay 20-40 eggs in a nest of sand and gravel – a dry, warm nest that incubates the eggs. Some turtles have to cross a road to find a gravel bank, a dangerous journey. Some lay their eggs on the edge of the road itself.

The first priority in helping an animal on the road is always human safety. The greatest danger is from cars. People are not afraid of cars, but what a toll they take of human lives -perhaps 180 per year in Maine, 40,000 yearly in the United States.

The other danger is a frightened animal.

Snapping turtles in the water do not bite people. Malcolm Coulter, professor emeritus in wildlife ecology and an authority on snapping turtles, wrote in “Maine Amphibians and Reptiles,” edited by Malcolm Hunter, Aram Calhoun and Mark McCollough: “Contrary to popular notions, swimmers have little to fear from snapping turtles in the water. The snapper’s typical behavior in water is to escape.”

On land, though, snappers do snap. That frightens raccoons, foxes and people, but not cars. Snapping turtles are no match for a car.

This turtle was big and conspicuous on the road. We pulled over and ran back to where the turtle was, in the middle of one lane and heading for the other lane. We strategized – Holly would stop traffic; I would try to pick up the turtle and carry it in the direction it wanted to go.

“Turtle Lady” Jean Adamson, in past talks at Fields Pond Audubon Center, had advised (where necessary) to pick up a snapper by the back of the shell, not by the tail, which can result in a dislocation in the tail, which could result in inflammation and infection.

Holly very carefully stopped traffic in both lanes. I picked the snapper by the back of its shell, behind its legs. It was a hard area to grip, and the turtle scratched with its back feet and claws. I put it down several times, and the drivers waiting were very patient. Finally we were across the road. We escorted the turtle a bit farther and bid her farewell, hoping that she would find a good sand bank.

Now June is over and September is coming. In Maine, September is the month that turtle eggs hatch. Some eggs. Few eggs.

All summer, I’ve explored sand banks. Many show the signs that a fox, coyote, raccoon or skunk sniffed out, dug out and ate turtle eggs. Research has shown that most eggs and most nests do not produce baby turtles. Most eggs get eaten.

Some eggs do hatch out small snappers though, cute with a tiny egg tooth on the nose and a shell the size of a quarter. Some try to cross roads with dire results, and a few grow up to three feet long with their neck and tail outstretched.

Fields Pond Audubon Center will offer a talk with live snapping turtles present, a short slide presentation about their life cycle and information about conservation of snapping turtles at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6.

Jean Adamson, “Turtle Lady,” who helps injured snappers, will bring in a live one, and Susan Kynast, recipient of an award from Maine Audubon for her efforts to protect snappers, will answer questions about the latest in turtle conversation. Everybody is welcome.

There is an admission charge of $6, half price for older children who can sit through a 40-minute talk before seeing the live turtles. For information, call 989-2591.