Why did the turtle cross the road? Actually, it’s not just to provide a punchline to this very old joke since it has a purpose that’s more important than you think.
Why Do Turtles Cross Roads?
It’s now June and, depending on where you live, it can be quite common to find turtles crossing the road. Unfortunately, this exact behavior by turtles has made them incredibly easy to get hit by passing vehicles, resulting in collisions as a major cause of death among their kind. So why do they even do this in the first place? Turns out, it’s not just to get to the other side.
During early summer it can be quite common to find turtles like snapping turtles, painted turtles and eastern box turtles crossing streets in order to go to their favorite nesting sites on the other side and lay their eggs. Usually, people that see them while they’re driving put them back on the side of the road where they came from. However, this means that the journey the turtle started will repeat all over again. As such, the best thing to do if you want to help these turtles is to bring them to the other side of the road so they can finish their journey.
From there, it takes about a month and a half for the turtle eggs to hatch. Afterwards, the newborn turtles will be crossing the road to get to the side where their mother came from, which usually leads to a body of water like the ocean. Again, seeing a baby turtle cross the road, you should just point them to the direction where they’re going to ensure their safety since they already know where their goal is.
Additionally, you should be cautious when handling turtles or picking them up because some of them carry bacteria that can be dangerous. Furthermore, it’s best not to touch them when they’re crossing the road and it would be better to use a stick to prod them towards the direction they’re going.
So there you go, the reason why turtles cross the road.
