TURTLE
I was recently told some of our residents are removing our turtles and tortoises from the roadways and putting them into the ponds. I understand why you are doing this. You don’t want them to be hit by a car. Now I’d like to explain why you shouldn’t be taking the turtles and the tortoises directly to water. A tortoise will drown if you put it in water because they cannot swim. A tortoise has claws which they use to dig their burrows and navigate all kinds of terrain. If they are on the road, pick them up and move them to dry ground in the same direction they were heading. If it’s a turtle, remove it from the road and put it on land close to water. Let them decide if they want to be in or out of the water. Both tortoises and turtles breathe via lungs.
The tortoises I have seen in our community are Gopher Tortoises. These are endangered and you certainly do not want to be caught harming them in any way.
By now you are wondering, how do I tell them apart? Tortoises have claws, a dome shaped shell and reside in sunny sandy locations. A turtle has almost paddles for legs, no claws. Their shells are streamlined, which is good for swimming. You could shock them by throwing them into the water. That’s why it’s best to place them near water. A word of warning, something I was reminded of last year; keep them pointed away from you when you pick them up otherwise you could get very wet. Enjoy our wildlife and respect them.
