Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

Why did the turtle cross the road\?  To start a family.  Back home in Connecticut the DEEP (Department of Energy and Environmmental Protection) has suggested that if it's safe, help turtles cross the road.

Thanks, boys.  I've been doing that for years.

Respect your elders, people.  Help the turtles cross the road.  Running them over is like running over your grandmother.  Get a grip on your heart and help the turtles.  Allow yourself to be blessed by these marvelous creatures.  Be a fully participating member of your planet and feel good about yourself.  Please.

Here's the story from the Hartford Courant.    

Across the state, hundreds of female turtles are crawling out of swampy areas in search of a place to lay their eggs. But busy highways are not a good place for turtles, whose agility in dodging speeding cars is not their strongpoint.

Some turtles roam more than others. The box turtle is known to be more terrestrial than others, and its travels often bring it into a road. It is listed as a species of special concern by DEEP..

When a nesting turtle is killed, it makes a dramatic impact on the population, Dickson said. Since turtles mature late in life, they sometimes have to reach 8 or 10 years of age to reproduce, said Rick Jacobson, director of the wildlife division.

The environmental protection department is asking residents to be on the lookout for turtles and, when possible and safe, help them across the road.

"Helping a turtle move across the road can be the difference between life and death for the animal, and for future generations. But your safety comes first," Jacobson said.