Turtles at Lake Darling; Photo by Nate Gonner
It’s Wild Turtle Week. This is a week-long celebration of turtles led by the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources would like to inform Iowans that all of Iowa’s turtles besides painted turtles and red-eared sliders are identified in Iowa’s State Wildlife Action Plan as species of greatest conservation need. Many of Iowa’s turtle species are in decline due to threats such as habitat loss and road mortalities.
Avoid hitting turtles in the roadway and move them out of the roadway if it is safe for you to help them. Make sure to always move the turtle across the road in the direction they were headed and never take a turtle with you to a different location. Never pick up a turtle by the tail as this can damage their spine and only handle snapping turtles if you know how to do it safely. You can find more information about Iowa turtles in the links with this news story at KCIIRadio.com.