If you see a turtle/tortoise in the road, do you stop and help?

Question

When I drive, I drive with the animal safety in mind. I'm always scanning the edges of the road - day or night. Since I've been in florida the past 3 years I have helped to save numerous water turtles and gopher tortoises by stopping to help them out of the road and into a safer spot. Is their anyone else out there like me?

Answer 1

No, it's just too dangerous in my opinion to get out of the car everytime you spot an animal. I'll try to avoid the animal as much as possible though. (I live in FL too)

Answer 2

The act of saving a turtle becomes an obligation in payment for our Dominion over all creatures.

Answer 3

YES!! my then 2year old (now 11) still talks about it.. its sad to see people zipping by w/ out a care... it was not un-safe for me to put my blinkers on and pull over... i shuffled the poor guy off the wrong path...in-fact i had idiots beeping screaming get out of my way.!!.. it was a sunny afternoon on a side street too... animals have never hurt me, and i blame us, humans for pushing them out from their homes, with the construction going on and on

Answer 4

You are doing a great job keep it up!.I will do the same if i get a chance.A good lesson to learn from.

Answer 5

I grew up in the counrty in TN. I moved ALOT of animals out of the road.

If it's at all possible try to move the turtles and other reptiles far from the road. I moved a turtle out of the road once and actually watched him trun around and head back. Turns out he was cold and the road was warm. So now I'll carry them far from the road or to a nearby park (this works better cause the park has paved walkways that are safer for them than a roadway.)

Just be careful of the size and type of turtle you pick up. I once had a 10lb mud turtle get lose in my car. Those jaws went through a broom handle I didn't want to see what he could do to me. And I was saving the ungratefull thing from being shot by a farmer for killing catfish.

Answer 6

Not any more.  The last time I did this I thought I was helping a large box or painted turtle.  It had (what I thought to be) a smooth shell.  When I reached down to help it off the road, the d**n thing hissed and snapped at me.... It was a Snapping Turtle!  Apparently it had rolled down through some mud and the mud had given it the appearance of being smooth.  This thing was bigger than a basketball and could have taken a few fingers off if it had been any closer.  Probably if it had been daytime I wouldn't have made the same mistake.

Answer 7

Yes, it sounds silly but I have. Here in Missouri, in the summer, we get lots of turtles crossing the road. So, as long as the conditions are safe, I will stop and help the turtle across the road.  I make sure that it is still heading its original direction and it gives me warm and fuzzy feeling when I am back on the road. Awwwww, ain't that nice?

Answer 8

We don't have turtle/tortoise around NYC but I do that for the horseshoe crabs. At mating time they sometimes get stuck in the sand on beach, so me and hubby will go and flip em over, as much as we can. Its fun to help out!!!

Answer 9

yes  i go round it if it is almost across,got about 20 turtles in the garden ponds that people have rescued and 3 baby crocodiles and one crocodile 1 meter long that the police rescued from the beach where it was tied up with a wire .it is now healed and fat .

Answer 10

I was in the desert volunteering for a guzzler project once, riding in the back of a pickup with the other volunteers.  We came to a stop, the driver got out, and carefully moved the endangered desert tortoise out of the road.  He told us that doing so was a last resort, because if the tortoise evacuates its bladder, that is its water reserve, and the animal can die.  He also noted that it is important to make sure you place it pointed in the same direction as it was headed.

Live and learn.

Answer 11

You are such a wonderful gift to animals as well as to human beings, from God.

Yes, you are not alone, so keep on doing what you think is helpful, and so everybody that see you will follow.

Answer 12

Oh yes! I'm from Pa., and many times I have helped the box turtles across the highways.  I have encouraged my adult children to do the same. Love to see the turtle to get going into the woods safe and sound.

Answer 13

Yes I do.  I'll honk if a squirrel or any animal is sitting in the middle of the road.

Answer 14

Yes, if I can do it without getting myself or my car hit in the process.

Answer 15

Yes.  My boyfriend has eagle eyes and always spots them, and anything else.  If there a turtle/tortoise on or on the side of the road, we get it to safety.  If it looks like it's crossing a certain way, we get it to the side it seems to be going, cuz it will go that way anyway.  (snakes too!)

Answer 16

i live in AL and i save turtles whenever i see them!

Answer 17

Yes, I sure do! I love animals! Turtles are such amazing animals. They can't always make it out of the way in time. My mom taught me from a young age to help animals as much as I can. I remember as a child stopping along the road for turtles, and I have done it ever since! Thank you for doing your part!

Answer 18

Yes I do.

Sometimes I encounter people that are trying to catch a snapping turtle on the road, and they want to take it home to butcher it. I say "trying" because usually they are standing around trying to figure out how to pick it up without being bitten. I like to walk right up, take the turtle away from them, and put it in the water.

I have also noticed that many people, when they see that I have stopped for a turtle, enjoy speeding up and running it over before I can get to it.

Answer 19

There should be, and it makes the world a better place when there are people like you out there who care about animals. =]