Why Turtles Risk Their Lives Crossing Roads
Every spring, turtles make one of the most dangerous journeys in Canada.
Not because they're lost.
Because they're following a route that's older than the road.
For thousands of years, female turtles have left the water to lay their eggs in warm, sunny soil. Many return to the same nesting areas year after year, guided by instincts that evolved long before cottages, highways, and even Canada existed.
Then we built roads.
What looks like a turtle wandering onto the pavement is actually an ancient migration interrupted by modern infrastructure.
The turtle isn't making a mistake.
We changed the landscape.
Some turtles don't lay their first eggs until they're 15 to 20 years old. That means every adult female represents decades of survival-and losing even one can have a lasting impact on the local population.
A turtle crossing the road may be older than you are.
Next time you're at the lake...
If it's safe to stop, help the turtle across in the direction it was already heading.
It knows exactly where it's going.
It's been making this journey for generations.
The road is the newcomer.