Spring is an amazing time of year. Life abounds as plants and animals emerge from winter dormancy. And one of the animals that has become active again in recent weeks after months of hibernation is the turtle!

Did you know that there are 13 turtle species living in West Virginia?
Scott McCallum/Flickr
And many of them can live for 50 to 100 years.
They can live that long, that is, if they can survive the journey across any roads that run between them and their summer watering and feeding grounds!
Ron Alford/Flickr
Turtles have built-in homing devices that help guide them to their favorite haunts, but sometimes the journey means crossing a road or two.
Paved roadways also absorb the heat of the sun, and some turtles, who are cold-blooded reptiles, enjoy basking in that heat.
The Last Cookie/Flickr
So drivers, watch out for these little guys in the next few weeks, and do what you safely can to avoid them.

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For some motorists, that may mean pulling over to the side of the road and manually helping the turtle safely across.
Aldon Hynes/Flickr
If you do choose to carry the turtle out of harm's way, make sure you are clearly visible in both directions to any oncoming traffic.
Also, if you help a turtle along, make sure to move it in the direction it was already heading.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Flickr
Otherwise, you might confuse its inner compass.
Turtles are fun to watch and an important part of land and aquatic ecosystems.
Sarah-Rose/Flickr
Enjoy spotting these little guys over the next few months as they bask near a pond or river, plod through the woods, or attempt to cross a road near you!

If you are interested, Marshall University provides more information about the various species of turtles found in West Virginia here.

To learn more about some of the other wildlife we’re enjoying observing right now, try: Keep Your Eyes Peeled, Thousands Of Hummingbirds Are Headed Right For West Virginia During Their Migration This Spring.

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