What to do when you find an injured turtle
In looking out for turtles on the road, we all hope to find a healthy turtle specimen and help him or her cross the road if needed. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Oftentimes a turtle found on the roadside is injured or deceased, but that does not mean we cannot help. Injury, or even death, does not render a turtle useless to our overall goal of securing the population. Every individual turtle is extremely important to the longevity of the species, in fact studies have shown it takes approximately 59 years for one snapping turtle to replace itself in the population! With injured turtle findings increasing every year during spring nesting season, we feel it is important that we are all aware of the steps to take if you find an injured turtle during your travels. This blog post will provide you with all the steps to take to give an injured turtle the best chance of survival, and be prepared for when you do find one.
Step 1: Prepare your turtle road warrior kit
Step 2: Know where to take an injured turtle in your area
Step 3: What to do when you encounter an injured or dead turtle
Step one: Prepare your turtle road warrior kit
If you are not familiar with turtle road warrior kits, please watch our video to prepare your own:
A turtle road warrior kit includes everything you need to keep an injured turtle as safe and comfortable as possible during transport. The best way to assist injured turtles is to start by keeping this kit in your vehicle for quick access if/when you do encounter an injured turtle.
To summarize the contents of your kit, you will need:
Bin with an aerated top (avoid clear bins, opaque or solid colour are preferred)
Padding for bottom of bin (dry)
2nd bin for smaller turtles
Reflective vest
Heavy rubber gloves
Safety helmet and light
Small tarp or heavy shower curtain
Closed toed boots
Shovel
Step 2: Know where to take an injured turtle in your area
Note: NEVER attempt to care for an injured turtle yourself. Turtles require the experience and expertise of a trained rehabilitator.
When you come across an injured turtle it is important to know where you can take it so it can get help. Knowing this can save a lot of precious time when the situation is urgent! We recommend to keep contact details handy on your mobile device or in your vehicle for locations near you that treat injured turtles. If you observe that a turtle has been injured or if you think the turtle may be dead, please TRANSPORT the turtle as soon as possible to a rehabilitation centre. For example:
In the Kingston Area:
Transport injured or dead turtles to a Turtles Kingston Temporary Holiday Station or directly to Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre.
Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre (SPWC)
8749 Highway #2 Napanee, Ontario K7R 3L1
613-354-0264
Outside of the Kingston Area:
Call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) at
705-741-5000.
OTCC works with over 30 Turtle First Response Centres across Ontario – these are private clinics, or rehabilitators that they have trained in emergency treatment for turtles; the availability of these varies so please call the OTCC to arrange. They will be able to direct you to the appropriate one, while transfer to their hospital is being organized. If you have to keep a turtle overnight, place it in a well-ventilated container with no water and in a cool, dark place, away from pets. Leave them a message and they will get back to you when they open.
Please note that the turtle MUST BE IN YOUR POSSESSION for them to send a Turtle Taxi to pick up the injured turtle.
Step 3: What to do when you encounter an injured or dead turtle
You may be unsure of whether a turtle you find is alive or deceased. Turtles are ectotherms (cold blooded), and can slow their metabolism to a point that they appear dead. It is worthwhile to bring a turtle that appears to be dead to a trauma response centre, so that it can be rehabilitated, or humanely euthanized rather than enduring a slow and painful death. Oftentimes, a deceased female can be gravid – meaning it is carrying eggs. This lends the opportunity for the eggs to be extracted and incubated, and eventually hatched and returned to the wild. A dead turtle can still be a useful turtle!
Injured turtles can appear in various forms. Although some injured turtles may look like they are beyond help, turtles are shockingly resilient, and wildlife rehabilitators have the training and experience to give them the best chance at survival.
Road Safety and Awareness
While we all want to help injured (or on the move) turtles along roadways, we must also do our best to keep ourselves and other people safe while aiding turtles. Please ensure you follow road safety directives!
Stop only when it is safe to do so.
Be aware of your surroundings while walking on the shoulder of the road to access the turtle.
Walk as far to the side of the road as possible.
Case Example
This snapping turtle was struck by a vehicle in June 2017, and brought in to the OTCC turtle hospital. Due to snapping turtles being unable to retract their heads into the shell, his head was badly injured. You can see the extent of the damage in the image below. The turtle hospital provided this turtle with pain medication, put him under anaesthesia for reconstructive surgery, provided him with suitable husbandry, and looked after him until he was ready to be released! Although his injuries were initially a gruesome sight, this transition shows how resilient a turtle can be. This turtle would not have survived his injuries in the wild, but because someone brought him to the OTCC he was able to heal and return to his habitat, and hopefully go on to breed and contribute to the next generation. Every turtle counts, and every rescue effort makes a difference!
The injured snapping turtle is shown upon admission, during recovery, and fully healed trying to climb out of his bin. (https://ontarioturtle.ca/ourmission/hospital/)
Step 4: How to transport injured or dead turtles
Approaching the turtle
Pull over to the shoulder of the road only when it is safe to do so, and ensure you follow the rules of the road. Put your hazard lights on, exit your vehicle only when it is safe to do so, and ensure you are wearing protective gear (these should be components of your turtle road warrior kit, as mentioned earlier). Make your presence known by wearing a reflective vest, yield to oncoming traffic, and approach the turtle only when it is safe for you to do so.
Picking up the turtle
Be gentle and very careful when picking up an injured turtle. There may be internal injuries or injuries to their ‘plastron’ (bottom shell) that are not obvious to you. You do not want to cause pain or additional injuries during transportation.
You can place a light cloth or towel over the turtle's head when moving, as it can help calm the turtle. Be sure to REMOVE the cloth once you have placed the turtle in the bin.
ALWAYS USE BOTH HANDS as the turtle will be very fragile and stressed.
For Snapping turtles, it is best to use the ‘pizza hold method’ (watch the video) as it will most effectively distribute their weight if their carapace or plastron has been fractured. NEVER pull on a turtles tail as this can cause serious injury!
Securing the Turtle
Use your tub/tote from your turtle road warrior kit to comfortably secure the injured turtle.
Line the tote/tub with DRY towels for stability and comfort, and place the turtle gently on the towels. Ensure that you have holes punched in the lid for ventilation and to allow the injured turtle to breathe during transport.
If you have not prepared a turtle road warrior kit, you will have to place the turtle on a car mat in the rear seats or cargo area of your vehicle. Keep pets, children, and unsecured objects in your vehicle away from the turtle.
If the injuries are extensive, cautiously place the turtle on a FLAT BOARD or tray from your kit to act as a ‘STRETCHER'. Gently place the turtle with or without the supporting board/tray into the plastic bin.
Turtle Handling Notes
Do not jostle the turtle. Excessive movement causes extra stress, and if it is a gravid (egg carrying) female, the movement may affect the attachment of the EMBRYOS within the eggs.
DO NOT MOISTEN THE TOWEL OR PAD that is lining the bin. A moistened towel can cause an infection in an open wound.
If there are eggs (a turtle may expel eggs during the trauma), gently wrap them in a paper towel (or similar cloth) and place them in a secure location in your vehicle. It is possible that they could be incubated and hatched.
Leaving the Scene
Note the location of where you found the injured turtle.* Make note of the road name, intersections, mileage markers, etc. You can also use your cell phone to search the GPS coordinates of your location.
SECURE THE BIN in your car for the safety of the turtle, and to not distract you while driving. Depending on the size of your bin, you may be able to move your car seat to keep it secure between the front and back seats, seatbelt it gently into place, or use other objects in the car to secure the bin.
Close the lid on the bin. Turtles will appreciate the darkness of the closed bin to keep them calm.
Drive to a safe location, like a parking lot or your home, to contact a wildlife rehabilitator.
*You can also take photos of the turtle on your phone which will record the GPS location. You will be required to provide this information when completing the intake form at Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee or at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough. It is IMPERATIVE that the rehabilitated turtle be RELEASED AT THE LOCATION WHERE IT WAS FOUND as per provincial regulations. Releasing turtles in other locations can have a serious impact on their survivability.
While Driving
Turn slowly and carefully to prevent the turtle from moving around in the container and reduce stress
DO NOT turn on the radio and speak softly if you need to, as quiet surroundings will also help to calm the turtle.
DO NOT smoke or use vapour cigarettes when transporting a turtle.
DO NOT place the bin in a draft (direct path of air conditioner or heater vent)
DO NOT place the turtle in water while transporting to deter infection in open wounds. In addition to this, an injured animal may succumb to drowning as they may not have the strength to raise their heads above the water.
DO NOT feed/water the turtle. It is best not to provide the turtle with anything to drink or eat.
Next Steps
Once you have reached a safe, secure location, you can park your car and report your injured turtle to a location such as Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre, the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre or other wildlife centre near you
(Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre)
Step 5: Report your turtle encounters
We encourage you to use the ‘Adopt-A-Pond ‘Turtle Tally’ app or the 'iNaturalist' app to REPORT your turtle encounter. These can record the GPS coordinates and display the precise google map location. Details on the importance of reporting your turtle encounters are essential because the data collected gives an accurate profile of their populations. The information can assist in the implementation of mitigation measures (exclusion fencing, eco passages and alternate nesting sites).
NOTE: never share the location of turtles on social media. All turtles are species at risk and unfortunately prone to poaching.
Did you know?
Turtle injury is not limited to car strikes. The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre turtle hospital treats turtles with injuries due to motorised vehicles, boats, fish hooks, dogs, and humans; we can all keep an eye out for injured turtles at all times! The OTCC had over 1000 admissions of injured turtles in 2020 alone. We hope that educating the public on how to help injured turtles will result in more turtles being saved and treated, and aid the overall population.
Call to Action!
Now that you know how to prepare for turtle rescue, what to have on hand, and how to handle an injured turtle, we need YOU to spread the news. Injured turtles depend on good Samaritans like you to help them survive. By simply sharing posts on the value of saving injured turtles, you can help educate the public. By being prepared to help when you come across an injured turtle and keeping an eye out for them, you can lead by example and effectively help if you do encounter an injured animal. If you would like to contribute even more, you can volunteer as a turtle taxi volunteer - someone who is called upon to drive injured turtles part of the way on their journey to a wildlife rehabilitation centre, when the finder of the turtle is not able to. Take the time to spread the news on how easy it is to help, and advocate for injured turtle rescue and transport!