Slow Down Connecticut, It’s Turtle Nesting Season

It's horrifying to see any animal getting hit by a vehicle. We're the dummies that took away their natural pathways and landscape, and built asphalt trails for Dollar General trucks to funnel cheap Cheetos in our faces. This is the time of year in Connecticut though, where if we show just a wee bit of respect, we can pay it back to our beautiful turtles.

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Have you noticed turtles on the roads in the past few weeks? I've seen a couple on my trip to work along 202 from Torrington to Brookfield. Why? It's turtle nesting season in Connecticut from May to July. This is the time of year where mama turtles try to find the perfect spot to lay their precious eggs. Connecticut is full of humans, so it's pretty tough for them to find just the right spot. As they wander, mama turtles may be in serious danger as they search across roads, past predators, etc.

It's really a miracle that the little fella you see in the above photo made it into this world, the odds are truly stacked against them every step of the way. So what can you do? Slow down, especially near wetlands, lakes, ponds, and swamps. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also suggests that if you can - safely - pull over and nudge them in the direction that they were going in.

When I say safely, don't be like the lady I almost ran into on Park Road in Waterbury last year, who stopped her vehicle in the middle of the road by Tracy's Pond in order to shoo a turtle.

If you live near a road in Connecticut that you feel could benefit from a "Wildlife/Turtle Crossing" sign, send the location in an e-mail to deep.ctwildlife@ct.gov.