The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.
Published April 17, 2019
It’s turtle time on lake area roads
LAKE OF THE OZARKS – The lake area has an abundance of wildlife and this time of
the year those little armored four-legged ones will be battling vehicles for a
chance to eat, and mate.
With that in mind, The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) urges drivers
to be cautious on the roads this spring and give turtles a brake.
These reptiles are often hit by cars during the warmer months but are at special
risk this time of year because they are more active. Common turtles spotted
crossing Missouri roads include three-toed box turtles, ornate box turtles, and
snapping turtles.
Turtles emerge from their burrows and begin the hunt for food and mates during
warm and wet conditions, which can lead them to cross roadways, oftentimes
resulting in their death.
Thousands of box turtles are killed every year by vehicles. Young males make up
most of the travelers, sometimes wandering as much as six miles searching for
territories and mates.
Females are also crossing the roads in search of nesting areas.
Turtles are cold-blooded creatures and depend on external sources of heat to
determine their body temperature. This is why people see them on warm asphalt
during cool, spring days.
Vehicles are one of the leading factors in box turtle declines, and MDC urges
motorists to be cautious and slow down when they see a turtle in the road.
If helping a turtle make it safely across, check for traffic and move the turtle
across the road in the direction it is traveling.
Additionally, MDC encourages Missourians to leave turtles in the wild. Taking a
wild animal, be it turtle or other wildlife species, and keeping it as a pet
normally ends in a slow death.
Leave turtles in the wild, follow the speed limit, and keep your eyes on the
road.
DID YOU KNOW
Most Missouri turtles can live up to 30 years, but the common box turtle can
live up to 80, occasionally living more than a century.
For more information on Missouri’s turtles, visit the MDC online Field Guide at
nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/search/turtle
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