Steve Jasiecki/Female terrapins trying to find higher ground to lay their eggs often find themselve on the causeway.
Submitted by STEVE JASIECKI
MARGATE – If you drive along the causeways to any of the barrier islands along the Jersey shore, chances are you have seen terrapin turtles trying to cross the road. You may have also seen the disastrous results of turtles who never made it to the other side.
The northern diamondback terrapin turtle, Malaclemys terrapin, lives in brackish waters that make up the back bays and estuaries of the Atlantic Coast. These turtles, along with other marsh animals play a very important ecological role in keeping the wetlands stable.
For one, terrapins graze upon periwinkles, a small marsh snail. If left unchecked, periwinkles would decimate the marsh grass which would cause degradation of the salt marsh habitat.
Terrapin eggs and the small hatchlings provide food for predators like racoons, foxes, birds and fish. Only a small percentage of turtles make it from eggs to adulthood.
Terrapins spend most of their lives in the water and females only come ashore to lay their eggs. They dig their nest on high ground so the eggs will not be drowned out by high tides. In their search for higher ground they often find themselves on a busy causeway.
Several activist groups erect turtle fencing along the sides of roadways to try and prevent the turtles from reaching the roads where they encounter heavy traffic. Once the turtles are blocked by the barriers, they will start to dig their nest away from the road.
Unfortunately, if there are breaks in the fencing or if there is no fencing, turtles will cross onto the road, sometimes ending with tragic results.
Loss of habitat, wetlands degradation, the bulkheading of coastal areas, road mortality and other elements have taken their toll on the turtle’s population. They need human assistance and vigilance if they are to thrive. One way we can help the turtles is to be alert for the possibility of turtles crossing the road. Don’t speed and leave plenty of space between cars so you can see them if present.
Stopping to help turtles cross the road can be very dangerous. If you do see a turtle crossing the road and you want to help her get to the other side, take the turtle in the direction she is heading and not the direction from which she came. Always use extreme caution and be alert for our reptilian friends.
