Help! ornate box turtle rescued from interstate

[Trinity]

Okay, so on my way to work this morning down a 70 mile an hour highway, I see a turtle in the middle of my lane. Not wanting it to get hit by any other cars, I stopped and picked it up. However, I didnt want to walk into the tall prairie grass, down the embankment to the fence at the bottom, perhaps 15-20 feet away because of my shoes, (open sandals in high grass is something I'm not interested in.) So I've placed it in a box and have it here at work with me with the intention of releasing it today or tonight.

I've since learned that it is Terrapene Ornata, or an ornate box turtle. Its considered endangered in many states. Its the Kansas state turtle, which I found odd, (we must have a lot of them.) From websites, I've learned that this turtle I have is female and about 10-15 years old. They live 25-30. And the leading cause of death is destruction of habitat and automobiles.

Now, here's my question. I do not want to and cannot keep it as a pet.

So should I (change my shoes) and return the turtle to exactly where I got it from as far away from the interstate as I can get her? Which is about 20 feet from the interstate unless I hop a fence, which is always doable. Its pretty grasslandish and is surrounded by woods.

Or should I take her out to a more remote location or state park that fits the habitat description and has no close by highways?

Or should I call the Wild Care and/or Operation Wildlife rescue services and have them tell me what they think I should do and perhaps have them relocate the turtle.

Now, before anyone yells at me for taking the turtle. It was in the middle of a four lane interstate at rush hour and most likely would have died had I not picked it up.

Thanks for any replies!

 

[cricket54]

I rescue box turtles, mud turtles, snapping turtles, ect. all the time from the road. I can't stand to drive by and leave them there even if I am taking a chance that I could get hit. When I can I take them across the road where they were headed way far from the road. I understand you not being able to do this then when you found the turtle. I would take it to a State Park or find a way on the other side of the fence to let it go headed away from the road where you found it.

Sharon

 

[Trinity]

I did call the rescue people. They said I should have taken it to the other side of the road it wanted to cross. I guess she didnt catch that it was an interstate and no one in their right mind would do that. Well, at least I wouldnt, running out into 70 mile an hour, rush hour traffic just to get her was enough for me! She did say we should place her back as close to where she was picked up because their intestines get used to the vegetation there.

I took her home after work and changed clothes. My husband and I went back to where I picked her up this morning. Trapsed across the prairie grass about 50 feet down to the fence. There are bunches of woods and wild fields down there. We placed her headed into the woods on the other side of the fence. Hopefully, she doesnt ever decide to climb back up the hill onto the road.

Here's a pic:

 

[Wade]

Actually, box turtles do migrate. In the spring, they travel from their hibernation sites to their feeding and breeding areas, and then in the fall they go back. Unfortunately, this often takes them accross many roads, which is why turtle road mortality is extremely high in spring and fall.

I've never heard of diet as a reason not to move a turtle, a better reason is that if they're taken out of their home range they may not find a suitable site to hibernate. The return to the same spot every year, and if they can't find it they may just return to the spot they were released and die when it gets cold. However, turtles released within a mile or so of where they came from are usually able to re-orient themselves.

Sharon's suggestion about taking the turtle accross the road in the direction it was going is right on, but obviously difficult in your situation! It shouldn't really be necessary to take it very far from the road, just getting it accross is enough. The turtle knows where it's going and will continue. It won't turn around back towards the road unless it was taken back the wrong way in the first place.

Wade