Turtles caught under the wheels

2001/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia

Several species of turtles in the United States are in danger of extinction, as every year 10% of the population dies. Among these species are the cashier turtle (Terrapene spp), the forest turtle (Clemmys insculpta), the motar turtle (Clemmys guttata) and the land turtle (Testudinidae). Biologists from New York State University, in Syrpus, have investigated the cause of the great mortality of turtles is surprising.

These deaths are not due to climate change or any exotic species of plants or animals. These turtles have been killed by man, trapped under the wheels of vehicles. Biologists James Gibbs and Gregory Shriver have used turtle movement information and data provided by the central highway administration on traffic. The results show that in the American west the mortality of turtles is less than 10%, while in the east it is higher than this percentage.