Spring Has Sprung!
An eastern box turtle lounging on a bed of moss.
How to coexist with wildlife in your own backyard.
Finally, we can shake off the winter blues, put away the hats and gloves, and get outdoors to enjoy the sunshine!
Just as we’re “waking up”, so too are our wildlife friends who call Nashville home.
This is when we will interact with our local wildlife the most, so how can we keep these interactions positive and safe for all?
Pictured above is an Eastern Box Turtle, who just happens to be Tennessee’s State Reptile!
These ancient creatures have been around a long time, and live within a football field size radius their entire lives, and they can live to 60 years old and beyond. Over time, this home range has become inhabited by people, houses, lawns and fences…yet this turtle still moves among its new obstacles to forage for food, find water sources and find a safe place to lay eggs.
There’s a good chance you may encounter this turtle in your own yard, so how can we coexist?
Tip 1: Walk your property prior to mowing to look for turtles! They aren’t easy to spot since they camouflage well, so look closely and make it a family activity
Tip 2: Set your mower blade to the highest setting so if there is a turtle in the grass, you may just mow over it with no harm! A turtle’s spinal column is attached to its shell so a deep injury from a mower blade can be deadly.
Tip 3: Turtles are most active at dawn and dusk, so avoid mowing your lawn during those times
Tip 4: If you do encounter a turtle in your yard, give it a few minutes to go on its way - it's most likely just passing through! If you’re in the middle of mowing, drop a laundry basket over the turtle til you finish your task, then let it go on about its business
Tip 5: If a turtle gets injured, place it in a box and keep it in a dark, quiet space until you can connect with a certified wildlife rehabilitator. Turtles are very resilient, but their best chance of long term success when injured is to be seen by a wildlife professional
Rehabilitation Resources:
