Turtle Crossing

I live in a soggy marshy swampy area in Southern Mass on the Connecticut border. There is one spot in particular where we seem to get a whole bunch of turtles crossing the road. The swamp is on one side, woods are on the other. I always have an eye out for turtles all spring and summer. Some years we have more, some years not so many but it's enough that I'm petitioning the town to put up a turtle crossing sign



I've caught two in the past two weeks so far this year. Not such a good count but I figure it has to do with the housing construction that is going up on the wooded side of the street. I don't know much about turtles so I'm wondering if I can get an ID on these guys. They're all over the place out here. I know they're not exotic but since I see them all the time I'd like to know what they are. Thanks!!

This was the first guy I found.http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/p...el/turtle3.jpg
http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/p...el/turtle4.jpg

This fella has a snail stuck to his back. You know you're slow when you're hitching a ride with a turtle.:D
http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/p...el/turtle2.jpg
http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/p...el/turtle1.jpg

It is a Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). They are very common. They can be found from Southern Canada, United State and Northern Mexico. Good luck with getting those signs posted. I hate seeing turtles that have been run over.

It's pretty awful. Totally avoidable if people would just pay attention to the road. I wanted to keep these guys but my husband would kill me if I kept every critter I caught in the swamp.:D

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Originally Posted by TheNunciate

It's pretty awful. Totally avoidable if people would just pay attention to the road. I wanted to keep these guys but my husband would kill me if I kept every critter I caught in the swamp.:D

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They are avoidable. There is a road in Manahawkin, South Jersey where Diamond Back Terrapins cross the road all the time and people made their own turtle crossing signs. Then the town put up street signs but people where stealing them.

I am the same way. I want to keep everything.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Repsrul

They are avoidable. There is a road in Manahawkin, South Jersey where Diamond Back Terrapins cross the road all the time and people made their own turtle crossing signs. Then the town put up street signs but people where stealing them.

I am the same way. I want to keep everything.

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well yeah, that'd be awesome to have a turtle crossing sign lol