Into the Outdoors: Turtles

Since we will soon be seeing them out and about, I thought we should maybe take our annual look at turtles. They were my late wife’s favorite form of wildlife.

After doing some homework, I learned that some of the things I once thought about these little critters were totally wrong. For example, I always believed that you could take a turtle home, keep it as a pet for a little while, let it go, and it would be fine. Studies have shown, however, that this is not the case. Released in an unfamiliar place, they live a life of total confusion, and sometimes die. I suppose you could release them in the exact place where you found them, and that might help. I guess that the best thing would be to just look at them and leave them alone.

Here’s another turtle related problem. That is invasive species. Humans are the real problem. Someone will go to a pet store and buy a turtle, usually a red-eared slider, for a pet. Ultimately, they get tired of it, so they release it into a river, stream or lake. These turtles are quite capable of surviving on their own. They reproduce, and can do significant damage to the ecosystem into which they are introduced. Introducing non-native species into an environment is pretty much always a bad idea.

If you see a turtle on the highway, there is a pretty good chance that it is going to be killed. I have often stopped and moved them to the roadside. It is important to place them in the direction they were heading. Otherwise, they may very well wander back onto the road, and your efforts to help them will be in vain.

Snapping turtles are sort of in a class by themselves. While usually quite docile in the water, they can be downright mean on land. They will bite you. I have heard stories that they can bite a broom handle in two, but that is something I would have to see to believe. They are supposedly delicious eating. At Wholey’s, on Strip in Pittsburgh, the meat sells for close to twenty dollars per pound. The meat might be good, but, to me, at least, it can’t be that good. As for catching my own, I have neither the heart to kill one nor the stomach to clean it. I guess I won’t be eating turtle anytime soon.

In Minnesota, snapping turtles are used as “cadaver dogs.” A GPS is attached to the turtle and it is released into the water. If it comes upon a corpse, it will stop to feed, and the searchers can home in on it. The photo is one I took at the Carlos Avery Wildlife Area in Minnesota. Ever since, I have wondered how old he is. I have tried to research it, but with no success. I think it’s safe to say that he is pretty old.

Well, it finally happened, although later than usual. The grackles and starlings have homed in on my bird feeders. They are rather unpleasant birds, especially starlings, which have a disturbing tendency to relieve themselves on cars, patios and other inconvenient places. Still, they have to eat, just like anything else. The same goes for the squirrels that visit the feeders.

And finally, I have noticed more and more boats on the river. It should be kept in mind that, even though the air temperature may be warm, the water is still brutally cold. Be sure to take precautions against hypothermia.

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Email: salmonangler1@gmail.com