MENASHA, Wis. (WBAY) – Drivers in northeast Wisconsin may be seeing more turtles on roadways as nesting season ramps up, a local naturalist said.
Andrea Bierbrauer, a naturalist and education ambassador at Heckrodt Wetland Reserve in Menasha, said turtles venture onto roads as they move between wetlands and higher ground to find nesting sites and new breeding territory. Many return to the same areas year after year — behavior she described as “generational” — even though roads now cut through routes they used long before development.
Bierbrauer said turtles typically lay eggs out of the water in sandy or dirt-covered uplands, and they may also be traveling in search of food sources.
If motorists spot a turtle struggling to cross, Bierbrauer said people can help — but only if they can pull over safely. She said the key is to move the turtle in the same direction it was headed, even if that is not the nearest side of the road.
“You pick it up and then put it on the side it’s heading,” Bierbrauer said. “So, you’re just helping it across the road to get to where it’s nesting site, or back to the pond that it came from.”
She also urged drivers to stay alert, especially on rural roads, while making sure they do not cause a crash while trying to avoid an animal.
“Especially the rural areas, and you’ll see turtles crossing the road — making sure you’re not running them over, but also making sure you’re not also creating an accident,” Bierbrauer said.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also encourages the public to report turtle sightings to help monitor populations, Bierbrauer said. Heckrodt Wetland Reserve offers educational programming about turtles and other wildlife for all ages.
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