Another Reptile falls to Ignorance *GRAPHIC*

[mues155]

We got a phone call late at night about a week ago about a very large turtle crossing the road in town.
Of course when people say very large it can only be one thing. a Common Snapping Turtle.
Well when my boyfriend arrived at the scene the poor snapper had been run over. He brought it home so we could access the damages to his shell.
He had a complete split from his neck to his tail, and a split on his side where the top and bottom shell meet. It was very bad and the snapper was non responsive. If he made it through the night we would have started repairs to the shell...he did not make it through the night.
I would like to give the person out there the benefit of the doubt...ok maybe this person was driving and did not see the turtle, or thought it was just trash or something and just didnt have enough time to correct the wheel. It was night time after all.
But the realist inside me says no this was on purpose by a person thinking hes so cool and wants to run this turtle over for no other reason than to brag to people about it.
I dont get people...
this turtle was far from large, his shell measured about a foot and a half, maybe a 10 year old turtle. But big enough that driving over it in a vehicle would feel much like taking a speed bump at 40 mph.

That night I sent out an unkind facebook status update with the turtles picture on it. I got support from my friends that if this was on purpose what a shame.
I then got a private message from a guy saying he had pulled over and helped matt put the turtle in his car and was concerned and wanted an update on the snapper. I was surprised that this guy would see my staus and i was a little impressed when he said he was a reptile lover and he appreciated what we did by getting the snapper out of that situation. At least i take comfort knowing theres a nice reptile-friendly stranger out there.

I dont know who ever thought it was a cool idea to purposely run over animals on the road but karma will get them...its just not right.

R.I.P. Snapper

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Poor thing. Where I work there are a lot of reptiles getting run over in the summer. Snakes, turtles, frogs.. It upsets me every time I see one. Luckily I do have some drivers and other employees here who will stop for these animals when they see them in the road to let them cross or allow them time to cross. I'm sure many are hit on purpose as well. I'll never understand those people who will dodge a mammal but try to hit a reptile.

[babyknees]

That is horrible and just so sad. Poor snapper.

[mues155]

I just wish people wernt so heartless to a living creature. Ive hit small gophers or song birds on the interstate and of course those are on accident and theres a difference. But I do feel horrible that because of me a living thing is dead. How can some people not feel that?!

[MasonC2K]

Given it was at night I am going to have assume that the person didn't see it. I know I wouldn't have.

[Raptor]

Given it was at night I am going to have assume that the person didn't see it. I know I wouldn't have.

Pretty much. You generally don't see things until the last second. Even animals with reflective eyes because the light has to hit at just the right angle.

[AK907]

Poor little guy.

Sounds like something my brother in law would do. I rode with him a couple weeks ago when I needed his truck to pick up a rack. He saw a baby raccoon playing in the road, gunned it, sweved and hit it. He brags often about animals that he purposely hits.

[adamjeffery]

ive hit a few animals while driving. its hard to see them until its too late sometimes. i wont swerve to hit an animal but i wont put myself or my passengers in danger to swerve to miss one either. my life is more important than any animal standing in the road.
if i have time to asses the situation and have adequate time to maneuver around then i will ....of course.
adam jeffery

[mues155]

Given it was at night I am going to have assume that the person didn't see it. I know I wouldn't have.

I would like to also go with that thought as well but given the street corner he was on, its a big end of main street parking lot where high school kids hangout. That spells danger so any animal. I just am not sure in this case that i can believe it was an accident. Even though i hope it was.
Either way it is still sad that this snapper had to suffer, what a horrible death for a turtle.

[python_addict]

wow.......poor baby....im sure someone would have seen him i have been on the highway with a friend and we saw a baby turtle and we drove clear to the next town and turned around to look for him we skipped her whole birthday party just to find him we finally did and we took him home gave him some krill and minnows then released him at her grandparents private pond.