1) Watch for turtles crossing the road. For more details, see the How can I help a turtle cross the road? question listed below in the FAQs.

2) Keep turtles in the wild Please never ever take a turtle from the wild. It’s a huge detriment to the local ecosystem. Taking a turtle from it's natural environment has a whole range of consequences, and means they are effectively dead to their population. Turtles are very long-lived, with similar lifespans to humans. They are incredibly important to their local ecosystem, and taking them from their habitat means there’s now no chance that individual can reproduce and keep the population stable. Turtles also reach sexual maturity much later than other species, again similar to humans. For a Blanding’s turtle, that can be anywhere from 14 to 20 years old! And they will continue to reproduce throughout their lifetime, so that could be 40, 60, 100 years more of replenishment to the population, since they are so long lived. The pet trade is a large reason why turtle populations are disappearing globally, and adds to the long list of threats they already experience. See the new question "I found a turtle...can I keep it?" for more details.

3) Never release pet turtles. Equally important as never taking a turtle from the wild, is never releasing a pet turtle. Pet species, such as red-eared sliders, have no geographical overlap with our local species, and carry a wide range of pathogens that our local populations have no resistance to. Most of these diseases cannot be tested for. If the virus is allowed to spread and mutate in the wild, there will be no way to control this, and it could lead to a pandemic. Reptiles are in global decline, and 4 out of 7 of NH's turtle species are already Listed species, so this could result in the extinction of our native turtle species.

In addition to spreading disease, pet species can out compete native turtles, reduce the available territory, and take away resources. In other parts of the country, red-eared sliders even outnumber other native turtles, such as the similar-looking painted turtle, so we want to do everything we can to avoid this happening in NH as well. Unfortunately we hear more and more reports of these pet species found in the wild here.

4) Check on your pets when they are outdoors. It's becoming increasingly common for us to receive turtles who have had their shell gnawed on by a dog. Turtle shells are made of bone, so to our furry companions, that's just a big bone they can chew on. It's important to keep an eye on your pups when they are outside - these injuries are often fatal if not caught quickly.

5) Survey before mowing. Another incident we see is injuries from lawn mowers. Help wildilfe by doing a survey of your lawn before starting mowing, to identify if any critters are using your grass for cover. Box turtles in particular are known to be affected by this, and are already critically endangered in the state.

Please never ever take a turtle from the wild. Below are some of the reasons why it's so important to keep wild turtles wild...

1) Taking a turtle from the wild is a huge detriment to the local ecosystem Taking a turtle from the wild means they are effectively dead to their population. Turtles are very long-lived, with similar lifespans to humans. They are incredibly important to their local ecosystem, and taking them from their habitat means there’s now no chance that individual can reproduce and keep the population stable. Turtles also reach sexual maturity much later than other species, again similar to humans. For a Blanding’s turtle, that can be anywhere from 14 to 20 years old! And they will continue to reproduce throughout their lifetime, so that could be 40, 60, 100 years more of replenishment to the population, since they are so long lived. The pet trade is a large reason why turtle populations are disappearing globally, and adds to the long list of threats they already experience.

2) Baby turtles are independent and capable Turtles know what they're doing. They have been around for over 200 million years -- a lot longer than humans! Their instincts and needs are very different from us, making it easy to misunderstand when a turtle requires help. Did you know that turtles do not need nor receive any parental care? Mom lays her eggs and then immediately returns to her home while the eggs incubate and hatch on their own some months later. When a hatchling emerges from the nest, it's already equipped with everything it needs to seek out its preferred habitat. The truth of the matter is that not all of these hatchlings are going to make it, but don't despair! Mother nature knows what she is doing, and it is best to just let nature take care of itself. Sometimes, we can do more harm than good even with the best intentions at heart.

3) Turtles are intimately tied to their local environmentsDid you know that a turtle might spend its entire life in an area the size of a football field? Each species of turtle has adaptations to help them thrive in their chosen habitats, which can be miniscule compared to other animals. Even different populations of the same turtle species can exhibit specializations that help that localized group flourish in their particular environment.A wild turtle knows its habitat intimately, and understands how to utilize the available resources in order to survive. This includes a hibernaculum that is used year after year to take shelter during the winters, the best spots to find a partner during mating season, and, for females, a good location to lay eggs during the nesting season. They would know how to navigate between bodies of water to find different foods, or to find a good place to estivate during hot summer days so they don’t overheat.Hatchlings spend their youth mapping their environment and learning the critical aspects of surviving on their own, and it is crucial that they be allowed to develop their instincts naturally. A kidnapped hatchling might never have the option to be released back into the wild because it was denied the opportunity to develop its essential wild intuitions.Taking a turtle from the wild means ripping it away from everything it has ever known and forcing them to live in a confined, foreign, and unfamiliar place. How would you feel if a giant came and picked you up against your own will and dropped you into a small room halfway across the world to live out the rest of your life? A turtle that is taken from its home and kept in captivity will always be at a severe disadvantage when it comes to rerelease. We can avoid this dilemma altogether by keeping wild turtles wild!

Check back for more reasons or see our #keepwildturtleswild Instagram Posts

From May to September turtles are on the move!

You can make a huge impact by being on the lookout for turtles crossing the road during these pivotal months. Helping a turtle cross the road can truly be the difference between life or death for that individual.

The featured photo shows how you handle most native turtles to New Hampshire, behind the front limbs. Many turtles will retract into their shell, but others will try to run away by flailing their arms and legs, and may even slightly scratch the skin. Keep very low to the ground to avoid hurting them if you accidentally lose your grip and drop them. Their pushing strength can be surprising!

There's one exception to how you handle turtles with the common snapping turtle, since they can reach quite far with their necks, and have a tendency to be defensive out of water, so you need to grasp the bottom 1/3 of the body (but NEVER by the tail!). Check out the Toronto Zoo's video for tips on helping a snapping turtle cross the road.

First off, CONGRATS! Not many people get to witness the nesting behavior of turtles, and it's an amazing site to behold.

The single most important thing we can do is NOT disturb her while she's nesting. When turtles are disturbed from nesting, it forces them go find a new location, and this is often a very dangerous feat. There's many factors that came into play when choosing this spot, and now she has to start the process over - traveling far, often across roads, risking herself and her eggs.

The best thing to give her space and keep pets clear of the area. It may take a while, but soon she will be on her way, and you may also have just saved her life.

Here's a few additional things to keep in mind -

1) Turtles do not receive parental care. She will not return to the nest this year. Hatchlings will typically emerge around August/September, though painted turtles may overwinter in the nest. After emergence, they will make their way to the local wetlands.

2) Eggs are deposited underground. Turtles often spend an entire evening digging a nest to lay their eggs. Females dig deep into the ground with their hind legs, deposit eggs, and then meticulously cover the hole back up. Ideally a nest be left undisturbed, but the eggs are protected deep down there, so even if it's in a regularly used location, they should be safe underground. Keep an eye out for hatchlings emerging in early Fall.

3) Nest locations are reused. When possible, turtles often return to the same nesting locations year after year, so it's likely this turtle has used your home for nesting in the past. They are very particular about where they nest, so even if it seems unideal to us, she's taken a lot into account when choosing this spot.

4) Nests are regularly predated. Most turtle nests are predated. Skunks and raccoons in particular are amazing at finding nests. If you're interested in protecting the eggs, reach out and we can help with tips. If you're concerned about the location and really want the eggs moved, this is a risky process that may result in no eggs being viable, and it's likely nature will take it's course anyways.

These are just some tips, but please call a wildlife rehabber if you have an uncertainty about a situation. We're here to help!