84 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MAY 2018
WHY DID THE TURTLE CROSS THE ROAD?
By JUNGLE BOB
We all know that bad chicken joke
with the corny punchline. Well, I
have no clue about what goes on in
a chicken’s mind, but I am clear as
to what those road-crossing turtles
are thinking about.
I get a variety of calls from
friends and neighbors in what are
perceived as “emergency” wildlife
situations. Often the reason is that
an animal looks “lost “or “helpless:”
the turtle.
Long Island is home to many
species of turtles that are all on
a mission every spring. They are
seeking a soft patch of earth with
ample sunshine, so they can lay
their eggs. With open spaces
vanishing on LI, this often means
crossing a roadway where they stop
traffic and seem to fit the lost and
helpless description.
One species that gets a lot of wideeyed
gapes when spotted is the
snapping turtle.
Snappers are not rare — in fact,
almost every freshwater pond and
lake has them as residents — just
seldom seen. They spend most of
their time under the water, coming
up only briefly for an occasional
breath of air, their black shells a
perfect camouflage in deeper water.
These reptiles can reach enormous
sizes of up to 75 pounds. In the
spring, females are on the move,
leaving their watery dens on their
annual journey to lay eggs.
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Good Samaritans beware! Adult
snappers have an ornery disposition
and do-gooders are often rewarded
with a startling snap of their jaws,
which can crane backwards over
their shell. If picked up incorrectly,
they will literally bite the hand that
is trying to help them. If you feel
compelled to help her along, make
sure you grasp her shell near the hind
legs and move her in the direction
she was going.
You see, their journey is the result
of millions of years of maternal
instinct. If placed back from whence
they came, they will inevitably
march back across that road.
They will cross that road ... as the
power of a mother’s love simply will
not be denied!
Jungle Bob’s Reptile World is located
at 984 Middle Country Rd. in Selden.
They can be reached at 631-737-6474
or junglebobsreptileworld.com
Common snapping turtles are not an uncommon sight on Long Island.
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