LI Turtles On The Move To Hibernate: 'They're Very Vulnerable'

JAMESPORT, NY — With the coming of September, Long Island's turtles are on the move, searching for safe places to hibernate for the winter, said Karen Testa, executive director and president of Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons.

Testa is worried that the thousands of land and aquatic turtles literally hitting the roadways may be injured or killed by cars or lawn mowing. The reptiles have begun to dig in for the winter – the instinctive behavior of hibernation which protects them until spring, she explained.

“I’m urging everyone to be very aware of turtles when you’re driving. They’re very vulnerable this time of year as their natural instinct is to do what they’ve done for millions of years, regardless of roads — and that is to find a safe location where they can spend the winter,” Testa said.

From mid-September to mid-October, depending on how cold the weather is, thousands of turtles across Long Island search for a protective place where they can spend the next six months, Testa added. The turtles will find a protected spot within their enclosures, burrow under debris and leaves, or find sanctuaries in lakes and bays, where they will submerge to the bottom, she said.

With their strong claws, turtles begin to dig so they can get warmth through the ground, air and water; hibernation also helps protect turtles from predators such as raccoons and dogs, which can cause significant damage if they attack, Testa explained.

Testa urged homeowners to be careful when mowing lawns so they don’t run over turtles.

At Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to saving injured turtles, about 44 turtles will winter in an outside sanctuary; they cannot be released into the wild because of debilitating injuries. The injured include eastern box turtles, common snapping turtles, and diamondback terrapins.

The largest turtle at the facility is a common snapping turtle with a straight carapace, or shell, which is 20 inches long and estimated to be 50 years old, she said.

“We’ve been weighing the turtles and recording statistics about their health so we can keep track of their health before and after hibernation," Testa said.

In addition to the turtles living on her property, Testa cares for an additional 95 turtles still in rehabilitation; the animals must remain awake for feeding and medication, she said.

Land turtles take a “long nap” during the winter because they are cold-blooded and cannot regulate their internal temperature, Testa said. Hibernation helps turtles' immune systems work better, which in turn improves their reproductive and mental health, she said.

Turtles typically stop eating 10 to 14 days before they begin digging in the dirt to hibernate. Land turtles also submerge themselves in water to properly hydrate before they make their winter home a few inches below the surface of the ground, Testa said.

“Aquatic turtles are also hibernating by digging under the marshland, so boaters should avoid bringing their craft into shallow water at this time of year," she added.

Once the aquatic turtles settle in, their breathing slows down dramatically and they stop breathing through their lungs; they are able to absorb oxygen through special skin cells inside their tail, Testa said.

Testa rehabilitates around 190 turtles each year; many are brought to her by concerned people who see turtles that have been injured by cars, animals, or boats.