Saving the world one turtle at a time

Hurricanes, or rather the destruction caused thereby, have dominated the attention of the good folks of the Southeast for the better part of the month. And it’s rightly so, with thousands of people still reeling after powerful storms Helene and Milton tore through several states, collectively causing record amounts of damage and claiming lives. 

Though I know several people are still in the stages of cleanup, and some still waiting for power to be restored, my little corner of planet Earth was relatively spared. Besides a few limbs and a little debris being scattered in the yards and a day or so without lights, I escaped virtually unfazed. Even the trampoline was unmoved as hurricane-force winds ravaged the Peach State. A raptured trampoline would have been more of a favor than a hardship. That thing has seen better days.

Shortly after the passing of the disruption that was Hurricane Helene, I received a storm-displaced but certainly not homeless visitor – a large turtle. My guest was making its way down my driveway and I stumbled upon it while walking the property. I’m no herpetologist, though I pretend to be one every now and then to sneak my way into academic circles, but I think it was a River Cooter or a Coastal Plains Cooter. My guest politely refused requests for a photo and ducked into its mobile home before I got too close. 

I did the right thing and left it alone. When I walked a few feet away, it popped back out and quickly retreated into some tall grass and brush. Well, as quickly as a turtle can at least. 

Turtles play an important role in all the ecosystems they inhabit. Their digging helps maintain soil health, their foraging helps spread seeds and, like most wild animals, turtles provide food for something else. 

A recent news article recounted the arrest of a woman trying to smuggle Eastern box turtles into Canada via a kayak through a Vermont lake. The ultimate destination for the captured creature, discovered individually wrapped in socks (clean ones I hope), was China, where the robbed reptiles fetch up to $1,000 each on the black market. Whether they would be pets or the main course of some secret supper, was unclear. 

Whether the center of an international crime ring or roadkill in the country, turtles can’t catch a break sometimes. That’s why I try to lend them a helping hand whenever I get the chance. I’ll break for any animal that has wandered into the roadway, but for a turtle, I’ll pull over and help along its way. I’m particularly fond of gopher tortoises, and though they shack up with rattlesnakes, I’ve been known to protect active holes in logging sites. 

There’s a lot of bad stuff going on in the world these days, and it is often hard to know if you are making a difference. Maybe not aggravating a turtle doesn’t mean much in the big scheme of things. 

But I bet it meant a lot to the turtle. 

You can reach Kyle Dominy at k.l.dominy@gmail.com or write to 115 S. Jefferson St. Dublin, Ga. 31021