First it was the mating turtles causing delays at JFK, and now it’s those pesky shelled reptiles clogging up the Metro-North train tracks.
Yes, the new Mileposts, your source of monthly breaking Metro-North news, reports that a large number of wood turtles have been expiring on the tracks on the Upper Harlem Line.
A group called FROGS (Friends of the Great Swamp…no, we’re not joking) was conducting research on these turtles in the Pawling-Patterson area when it pointed out to the railroad that the turtles were unable to climb over the rails after having climbed between them. They tend to nest in sandy soils, similar to the faux ecosystems found at track embankments.
Here’s the saddest sentence you’ve read all morning.
“The turtles were able to get between the tracks to begin their nesting habits, but could not get back out, so they wound up trapped, becoming exhausted and overheated, and eventually dying.”
The crack Track & Structures staff at Metro-North piled up rock ballast across the track bed and tapered it down over the rails to give the turtles a handy little ramp. A half dozen handmade ramps occur every 50 feet near where the tracks hit the Appalachian trail.
Apparently it’s working. Approached for comment, one wood turtle stuck his head in his shell and would not come out until a reporter had vacated the area.
[image: Examiner.com]
Kidding aside, beautiful wood turtles are NY State listed as “of special concern” which means that the State is worried that if their decline continues they might soon be listed as “endangered”. Metro-North has done a wonderful job saving these trapped creatures and deserves the “thanks” of all of us. The turtles we previously lost were all females of breeding age (13 and up) and critically valuable for the survival of the population. If anyone wants to assist FrOGS our efforts to save wood turtles and rare bog turtles drop us a line at po box 373, Pawling NY 12564.
Idiotic article.
There was no turtle terror, and no tie up of transit.
Wood turtles are going extinct.
Advertising wood turtles for sale (these are collected in the wild) is absolutely offensive. The dealers are unscrupulous, and the buyers are stupid, because they contribute to extinction, and the turtles are rarely properly cared for, become problematic in regards to upkeep, as the owners tire of them.
It is a disgusting business.