New Innovation To Combat Turtle Road Mortality

[Guest guest]

New Innovation To Combat Turtle Road Mortality

 

Turtle road mortality is a massive problem for turtles. Every spring

female turtles leave the shelter of their wetlands and venture out

to find suitable spots to lay their eggs. The female turtles will

often encounter roads on their journeys. This leads to the death of

countless female turtles, and their unborn offspring being killed. A

new project on Lake Jackson in Florida has been developed to help

combat this problem.

 

Turtles are now being diverted by a temporary fence into a culvert

under the roads. This fence design effectively prevented thousands

of turtles and other wildlife from death on the highway in the last

few years. The however is a temporary solution. The fences are to

small to divert larger turtles like snappers and softshells from

getting over them, and then to the road where many will perish. The

goal is a permanent guidewall and culvert system similar to this one

recently constructed at Paynes Prairie on US Highway 441 south of

Gainesville, Florida. Lake Jackson Ecopassage Conceptual Drawing.

This will be high enough to stop all turtles species, and countless

other animals from reaching the road. Please write letters to the

Leon County Commissioners, State Agencies, and Legislators listed

below to express your strong support for the construction of a

permanent wildlife ecopassage at US Highway 27 where it crosses

northwest Lake Jackson, Leon County, Florida. The project we are

proposing would be similar to the recently completed project along

US Highway 441 at Paynes Prairie State Preserve south of

Gainesville.

Important points to mention in your letter:

 

The four-lane, heavily traveled US Highway 27 is a major wildlife

migration barrier during both drought years and when lake levels are

normal. A well-designed ecopassage would solve a major wildlife road-

mortality and traffic safety problem and save thousands of animals

of the 60 reptile, amphibian, and mammal species documented

attempting to cross US Highway 27. Additional information can be

found in our Lake Jackson Aquatic Preserve Roadkill Fact Sheet.

Please send us a copy of your letter so we can keep track of the

support for this project. Thank you for your help! Many letters have

been received by us so far and these letters are making a

difference! Letters from outside Florida are certainly encouraged -

please do not feel that your voice will not be heard if you are not

a resident of Florida. This project is of international significance

and we have received hundreds of letters from outside of Florida.

 

http://www.lakejacksonturtles.org/