SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A snapping turtle was seen laying eggs on the Western New England University’s campus Monday night.
The University’s Police were called at around 6:45 p.m. by a concerned resident of Gateway Village. Public Safety personnel coned off the area to prevent any unwanted human contact with the eggs. They believe the turtle may have come from the Breckwood Pond behind Gateway Village.
May and June are peak months in Massachusetts for turtle nesting season and drivers will want to pay close attention to the road for these little ones.
Nesting season for turtles typically involves a long journey in pursuit of a suitable habitat to incubate their eggs. This may also involve turtles crossing the road. If you see a small turtle in the road, you can carefully pick it up and move towards the direction it was going. If you place it back on the side it came from, they are likely to just try and cross the road again.
However, you should never take a turtle to a further away location than where you found them. Most turtles have a strong homing instinct and they will likely try to return home.
If you see a snapping turtle cross the street, it is recommended to not pick it up as they are fast, powerful, and their jaws can reach the sides of their shells. Instead, you can use a broom to encourage it to move forward.
Most species of turtles in Massachusetts are protected by law from being captured or kept.