Here in Back Bay, the sight of Chelonians, descendants of Testudines, commonly called “turtles,” slogging through ditches or sunning themselves on half-submerged logs and tree stumps in our brackish and freshwater waterways is nothing of note—at least on the surface. Get it? In truth, these Triassic Period (that’s pre-Jurassic BTW) reptiles, marking more than 230 million years on earth, are more than a bit noteworthy. Why? Because Turtles are a keystone species. What the heck does that mean? According to biologists, including those at the National Geographic Society, it means that the impact of turtles on the ecosystems they inhabit—aquatic, terrestrial (our ecosystem), and semi-aquatic environments—is significant to the extent that their absence would dramatically alter, or cause said ecosystem to terminate. And, that means end-of-story for all who inhabit that ecosystem, including homo sapiens. Conversely, the presence and abundance of turtles supports their environment, enabling other species to survive and thrive. They accomplish this feat through several processes. Their feeding, traveling, and, uh, expelling of waste (pooing), spreads plant material and seeds by ingesting and then expelling these items in their waste products as they traverse their territory. But turtles don’t stop there. They clean up waterways and other aquatic and terrestrial areas by eating creekside vegetation, algae, and carrion. Through their laying of clutches of eggs, few of which survive to adulthood, turtles provide food for birds, mammals, reptiles, and other species. Even adult turtles, through predation, provide food for animals such as coyotes, bears, foxes, raccoons, and large birds of prey.
What’s in a Name, and Which Name is Correct?
Terrapins, Tortoises, and Turtles are all from the reptilian order Chelonia. In technical terms, Tortoises inhabit dry land environments, Terrapins are found in semi-aquatic, freshwater and brackish environments, including Back Bay, and Turtles are aquatic. Most of us just use the term "turtle" to describe the four-legged, hard-shelled reptiles with whom we share our land and water.
There’s a Reason Turtles Cross the Road to Get to the Other Side
It’s not uncommon at this time of year to see turtles, large and small, attempting to cross our rural roadways, fields, and ditches. Unfortunately, many times turtles are seen in these areas, they are injured or deceased, having been struck by passing motor vehicles. Firstly, let’s discuss why turtles cross the road. Land-based freshwater turtles have territories. Box turtles, for example, may have a territory of approximately one square mile in which they live out their lives. At different times of the year, food availability (or lack of), the call to mate, the search for an egg-laying site in which to burrow, and other factors, create the need for these terrapins to move from one part of their territory to the other. This is when we see them on the road. Other turtles, including Virginia Beach’s Common Snapping Turtle, also traverse trails and roadways. WARNING: Do not attempt to move a turtle that may be dangerous. Snapping Turtles have a bite force that can easily sever a human finger. If you encounter a snapping turtle crossing the road and can avoid it, do so. If you encounter a turtle on a roadway that is small enough to move, remember that any turtle may snap or bite. This quick video has good advice on how to approach a turtle on the road, beginning with keeping the turtle on track with its original direction of travel: https://youtu.be/MPuEInESLXs?si=W88ZwFnLascQDcpk
Let’s Talk Species, Shall We?
The most common turtle species found in our area include varieties of box turtles, cooters, painted turtles, sliders, and snapping turtles. River Cooters are mainly vegetarians, consuming large amounts of plant matter which helps to keep our waterways clear. These turtles can also consume berries that fall into waterways, along with crawfish, cicadas, and other insects. Eastern Box Turtles, on the other hand, consume a much more omnivorous diet based on slugs, frogs, snails, insects, fish, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and fungi. When we talk about snapping turtles, we go into another realm. Snappers are our most aquatic of non-sea turtle species, spending most of their time under, on top of, or partially submerged in the water, as they feed on a variety of plants and living prey including frogs, aquatic birds, fish, insects, spiders, worms, frogs, small turtles, snakes, small mammals, and carrion. Anyone who has observed a lovely group of ducks or other waterfowl bobbing on the surface of a pond or creek, and suddenly witnessed one of the flock go under water never to return to the surface, has most likely witnessed the bird's demise via snatching by a submerged snapping turtle.
Wait . . . You’re How Old?
The belief that turtles’ lifespan is long isn’t a belief—it’s a fact. Turtle longevity is due in part to the fact that they have very slow metabolisms. They mature slowly and therefore age more slowly than many other species. The longest-lived turtle still with us is Jonathan, a 191-year-old tortoise living on the Island of St. Helena, in the Seychelles. Jonathan is the globe’s oldest living land animal. Humans have helped care for Jonathan for many decades, keeping him safe from harm as he now has some age-related health issues including vision loss. Around these parts, the turtles we encounter average 10-80 years in age—and that’s in human, 365 days equal one annum—years. While most turtle eggs and hatchlings do not live to maturity, those that do survive have lifespans often surpassing humans. Red-eared Sliders reach maturity at 5-7 years and can live up to 40 years.
Help Turtles, Help Yourself, Help Us All!
There are ways to help ensure our resident turtles have a safe environment, ensuring that they can support the larger ecosystem, in which we all live. Consider turtles when:
1. Driving. Slow down and let them cross the road. Help them cross if you can do so safely.
2. Spraying pesticides and herbicides. If you’ve got turtles around, you’ve got some natural pest control already. Many chemicals that kill plants and insects can also kill turtles, either directly or by altering or damaging their immune systems, reducing egg size, and through other systemic changes.
3. Changing your habitat in a way that changes turtles’ habitat. Carefully consider any plans involving major changes in landscaping or altering your property in areas where turtles are present. Clearcutting an area may destroy turtle egg burrows. Draining ponds and waterways can deplete a turtle’s source of food, water, and shelter.
4. Don’t capture or remove a turtle from the wild to keep as a pet. While the turtle may survive being taken from its open territory into life in a small a box or aquarium, these reptiles may outlive their human keepers, and returning them into the wild after captivity may result in death of the turtle itself, and the release of disease into the natural environment.
Learn more! Check these sites out:
Turtles of Virginia (virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com) https://www.animalspot.net/turtles-in-us/virginia-turtles
All photos courtesy of southeastern Virginia wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.
