Turtle Rescue

Walking up along the edge of the hayfield this morning, I looked across the road and saw a large low object moving through the grass on its way to cross the road. Oh crap - a snapping turtle, heading towards danger. Fortunately, if I learned nothing else during my years volunteering at The Wildlife Center of Virginia, I did learn to safely pick up a snapping turtle. So I crossed the road and approached the turtle, which immediately turned around to run away from me. But - I knew its intention was to cross the road, so I picked it up and hastened to put it on the other side of the road (the hayfield side). I deposited it rather unceremoniously in the high grass only about two feet off the road (it was heavy and wiggly - and angry) and we watched from a distance rather anxiously to see if it was going to try to go BACK the other way. The grass was wiggling, but we couldn't see the turtle. After a bit we decided to go on with our walk and hope not to find it smashed on the road when we returned. And lo, it was nowhere to be seen when we got back about an hour later! Phew!! I'd say the turtle was about 15 inches from the edge of its shell where the head came out to the other edge at the back where the tail came out. Not a giant, but not small either.