With the summer season fast approaching, the DEC wants drivers to be looking out for turtles crossing the road. If you spot one, drivers are asked to safely move the turtles to the side of the road.
May and June are busy times for the state's native turtles, which are looking for sandy areas or loose soil to lay their eggs.
Drivers that spot a turtle should not swerve suddenly or abruptly switch lanes, but take care to avoid hitting the reptile.
When moving a turtle, the DEC says you should not pick the animal up by its tail, instead, pick it up on both sides of it's shell.
According to the DEC, "New York’s 11 native species of land turtles are in decline, and turtles can take more than 10 years to reach breeding age. The reptiles lay just one small clutch of eggs each year, which means the loss of a breeding female can have a significant effect on the local turtle population."
To learn more: click here.
