This 35-pound snapping turtle was not happy when Current reporter Jeff Simms moved him to safety on June 7 away from Route 9D. Simms came across the reptile near the Notch Trail while biking from Beacon to Cold Spring for a production meeting.
Simms was late and his “I had to move a turtle” excuse was dismissed until he produced photographic evidence. Unable to coax the turtle away from the road, he had called Mark Price, director of the Beacon Recreation Department, who came quickly to help move the beast (and took the photo).
The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued an advisory last month warning motorists to be cautious, because turtles are on the move throughout May and June, seeking sandy areas or loose soil to lay their eggs. Thousands are struck and killed each year.
If you move a turtle to safety, the DEC recommends you pick it up not by its tail but by the sides of its shell, as Simms is doing here (the facial expression is optional). The turtle may snap but it won’t be able to reach you.
