A story from the local news was passed along from a local subscriber of The Daily Gazette and is very timely as we enter turtle egg season.
If you are a subscriber of The Daily Gazette you can follow this link to the original story or read the repost below.
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By Ameara Ditsche
May 12, 2025
A snapping turtle crosses Old Saratoga Road on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Gansevoort.
Collin Bolebruch
Why did the turtle cross the road?
To lay eggs, probably.
Throughout May and June, various turtle species seek a safe spot to leave their eggs, resulting in the meandering creatures often appearing in the middle of the roads and creating a mini traffic jam. Experts and turtle advocates spoke with the Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers to help you get where you’re going while keeping yourself and the shelled reptiles safe.
Susan Tellem founded the American Tortoise Rescue, the first of its kind at the national scale, after rescuing an injured turtle in the road and noticing a lack of discussion surrounding the species. Forty years later, she still has that first tortoise — Buncle, a land turtle with searing red eyes.
If you move a turtle out of the road, it is crucial that you place them where they were headed, rather than return them to their starting point. Simply put, move them in the direction their head is facing. Otherwise, if you bring them back to where they started, they'll just turn back around and start over again.
“A lot of people don't ever think of turtles, but when you run into them, they actually are very smart,” said Tellem. “They know what they want to do.”
Locally, you’re most likely to see a common snapping turtle — New York’s official state reptile. Though snappers may appear aggressive, the species is largely non-confrontational, usually only chomping down defensively.
“It's very interesting, because it doesn't matter where turtles are within the United States or elsewhere, turtles all have the same behavior about crossing the road,” said Tellem, who's based in California.
To avoid being bitten, it is recommended to grab snappers by the back of their shell in order to remain out of reach of their head. To identify a snapper, look for a shell length around eight to 20 inches, a weight of around eight to 35 pounds and a tan, brown, black or olive gray shell with three ridges, called keels. Additionally, their tails are long with jagged saw-toothed ridges, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Additionally, you can help a turtle move by letting it walk onto a mat, tarp or blanket and gently dragging it across the road.
For all species of turtles, you should never grab them by the tail as that can lead to dislocated bones.
While helping the animals on their journey is urged, people are discouraged from taking them home. In New York, all native turtles are protected by law. Removing them without a permit is forbidden, according to NYSDEC.
“If they're wild, they should be left in the wild,” added Tellem.
Most turtles on the road will be female and, as it can take up to 10 years for a turtle to reach breeding age, the loss of an egg-laying female can have significant effects on the population.
One benefit of snapping turtles in the wild is their ability to maintain foliage, especially in bodies of water. Lorri Cramer, director of turtle rehabilitation and curriculum development at the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society, recalled a time several years ago when, following a series of complaints, NYSDEC removed snappers en masse from a lake near Bear Mountain. Within a year, the lake had turned into an overgrown bog due to the lack of shelled groundskeepers.
“Snapping turtles are sort of like grass mowers, but under the water,” said Cramer.
If you are bitten, it is recommended to visit the emergency room to be safe, although tales of losing a finger are largely urban legend, said Cramer.
If you come across an injured turtle, it is best to take it to a veterinarian that specializes in reptiles or exotic animals. If you are not able to find one, a standard veterinarian will probably be able to help a turtle in distress, Tellem said.
Some local options are:
- Saratoga Veterinary Hospital in Wilton
- Countryside Veterinary Medical Group in Queensbury
- Newburgh Veterinary Hospital in Newburgh
One local hotspot is near Collins Lake in Scotia. Village Police Chief Adam Halbfinger noted the department gets a few calls a year during the spring season requesting assistance with a seemingly stuck turtle.
Halbfinger reiterated the expert advice on handling snappers from the rear of their shell and noted there is a “turtle crossing” road sign in the area near Quinlan Park.
The chief added that residents who are uncomfortable moving an animal themselves can call the department and officers will assist.
Generally, the turtles are in search of higher ground, Cramer said. Laying their eggs in such areas protects them from being drowned by high tides or flooding.
“They also like it to be a southern exposure, because that gets more warmth from the sun and that helps the eggs to hatch,” said Cramer.
May 23 will mark World Turtle Day, a celebration started by ATR more than 20 years ago.
“They're really prehistoric looking,” said Cramer, of snapping turtles. “Their tails often resemble that of dinosaurs but they came before the dinosaurs...The thing I love about them, if you can look at their eyes, their eyes look like stars, beautiful, beautiful eyes.”
For all species of turtles, you should never grab them by the tail as that can lead to dislocated bones.
While helping the animals on their journey is urged, people are discouraged from taking them home. In New York, all native turtles are protected by law. Removing them without a permit is forbidden, according to NYSDEC.
“If they're wild, they should be left in the wild,” added Tellem.
Most turtles on the road will be female and, as it can take up to 10 years for a turtle to reach breeding age, the loss of an egg-laying female can have significant effects on the population.
One benefit of snapping turtles in the wild is their ability to maintain foliage, especially in bodies of water. Lorri Cramer, director of turtle rehabilitation and curriculum development at the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society, recalled a time several years ago when, following a series of complaints, NYSDEC removed snappers en masse from a lake near Bear Mountain. Within a year, the lake had turned into an overgrown bog due to the lack of shelled groundskeepers.
“Snapping turtles are sort of like grass mowers, but under the water,” said Cramer.
If you are bitten, it is recommended to visit the emergency room to be safe, although tales of losing a finger are largely urban legend, said Cramer.
If you come across an injured turtle, it is best to take it to a veterinarian that specializes in reptiles or exotic animals. If you are not able to find one, a standard veterinarian will probably be able to help a turtle in distress, Tellem said.
Some local options are:
- Saratoga Veterinary Hospital in Wilton
- Countryside Veterinary Medical Group in Queensbury
- Newburgh Veterinary Hospital in Newburgh
One local hotspot is near Collins Lake in Scotia. Village Police Chief Adam Halbfinger noted the department gets a few calls a year during the spring season requesting assistance with a seemingly stuck turtle.
Halbfinger reiterated the expert advice on handling snappers from the rear of their shell and noted there is a “turtle crossing” road sign in the area near Quinlan Park.
The chief added that residents who are uncomfortable moving an animal themselves can call the department and officers will assist.
Generally, the turtles are in search of higher ground, Cramer said. Laying their eggs in such areas protects them from being drowned by high tides or flooding.
“They also like it to be a southern exposure, because that gets more warmth from the sun and that helps the eggs to hatch,” said Cramer.
May 23 will mark World Turtle Day, a celebration started by ATR more than 20 years ago.
“They're really prehistoric looking,” said Cramer, of snapping turtles. “Their tails often resemble that of dinosaurs but they came before the dinosaurs...The thing I love about them, if you can look at their eyes, their eyes look like stars, beautiful, beautiful eyes.”